Granma

Oil companies producing at full capacity

In spite of Venezuelan demonstrations for peace and government criticisms of the US aggression against the Iraqi people, Rafael Ramírez, minister of energy, has stated that his country will guarantee supplies of crude oil to that market.

A member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Venezuela emphasized that its position is no different to that of the other associates, while maintaining that the common line is "not to turn oil into a political weapon."

The fifth reserve of oil in the world and at eighth place in terms of exploitation, Venezuela will continue sending 13% of U.S. oil imports, according to the minister.

For his part, in his weekly broadcast to the nation, Chávez explained on March 28 that the oil companies are functioning at full capacity, meaning that the normal 3.14 million barrels produced prior to opposition sabotage through a two-month strike designed to provoke chaos and derail the country, have been recouped.

The positive operating of this sector is key to national development, as exports and essential derivatives make up 50% of the national budget.

"We are once again exporting gasoline, and are charging for delayed payments from international clients," the Venezuelan president emphasized, adding that invoicing had been brought up to date, as delays on payment were due to the alleged misplacement of bills for last November, which are being completed now.

In the context of achievements made in the area of crude oil, Chávez announced that Brazilian and Italian firms had expressed interest in an "oil for housing" exchange program, in relation to which he has asked for a feasibility study, reported PL.

Given the oil industry’s recuperation, he highlighted the feasibility of assigning a stock of 3.14 million barrels as payment to housing construction firms. "With one million barrels (which we can produce in six hours) we can construct 4,000 houses, based on a price of $25 USD per barrel," he stated.

In this way, he underlined that "the proposed exchange program with Brazil and Italy forms a part of the Oil for the People Program, through which it is planned to use the industry’s potential to solve social problems."

INTEREST IN CLARIFYING THE INCIDENT IN COLOMBIA

"We want Colombia to be a sister nation. From now on, we are going to put things in place, mutually respect each other and work and build together," affirmed the South American president, in what was considered by many analysts to be a goodwill gesture aimed at maintaining good relations with his country’s Colombian neighbors.

The statement came after recent incursions on the Venezuelan border by Colombian paramilitary groups and the decision by Caracas to bomb several of their camps. Colombia had previously accused Chávez’ government of supporting insurgent groups, an action denied by Chávez on various occasions.

He stressed that a meeting with his Colombian counterpart, Alvaro Uribe has been scheduled for the near future with the aim of "clarifying matters and talking frankly."

Nevertheless, the amicable language used by the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution reiterates the fact that his government "does not and will not allow the entry of guerrillas or paramilitaries into Venezuela, which shares an extensive border of 2,219 kilometers with Colombia."

"Venezuela only wants peace with Colombia," and to this end, he emphatically stated that the country "will not lift a finger to support a war in that country but will fight for a negotiated and diplomatic solution to the Colombian conflict."

URBAN AGRICULTURE IN CARACAS

In association with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Chávez recently opened an agricultural cooperative in the center of the capital city Caracas. It covers an area of 3,880 square meters with a capacity for producing some 75 tons of root and fresh vegetables, in order to aid the government’s efforts to guarantee adequate nutrition through the Special Program for Food Security.

According to Chávez, this and other upcoming measures are in line with concrete efforts to alter the chaotic neoliberal system introduced into the country decades ago. The Bolivar 1 farm (an urban agriculture endeavor) is just one of the many social transformations that are gradually being developed throughout the South American country; the greatest expression of which was seen in last January’s Agrarian Reform Act, when Venezuelans of humble origin were granted land ownership titles.

Alertas de Robert Alonso Robert Alonso

TODO ES MIERDA

La mayoría de mis primos jamás había probado un Alka Seltzer --- por decir algo ---cuando fue en Cuba, exagerando ahora, donde se inventó el Alka Seltzer. Los tabacos marca “Montecristo” que compré para llevárselos a mi suegro en Caracas, se los di a mis primos camagüeyanos, no porque ellos fumen tabaco y menos “Montecristos”, sino porque se los venden a los turistas y con eso obtienen dólares, que es la “moneda nacional” de la nueva Cuba de Castro y de los europeos.

    Hablé de mi difunta madre, fallecida en la cárcel de mujeres de Santa Clara. Hablamos de ella como si nada hubiera pasado.   Quería saber cómo era de niña, cómo conoció a papá.  Quería saber, también, dónde estaba enterrada.  Sabía que en Camagüey había un mausoleo de la familia Díaz.   Tal vez podría llevarle algunas flores... no sé, jamás he podido visitar a mis muertos.   Nadie sabe dónde yace su cuerpo.  Dolorosamente me enteré que los comunistas jamás le entregaron el cadáver a Papá.  Me reconforté pensando que la Biblia tiene la razón, que somos polvo y en polvo nos convertiremos.  Qué importancia tiene dónde están sus restos... o lo que quede de ellos luego de varias décadas de fallecida.

    Mis primas camagüeyanas se empeñaron en invitarme a comer unas pizzas en una pizzería de moda en el centro de Camagüey.   Todo el camino hablaron de las pizzas.  Cuando llegamos al restaurante había una cola en donde mis primas se pararon, “por defecto”,  con mucho estoicismo “revolucionario”, sin protestar ni quejarse.   Las colas en Cuba son también cotidianas.  Es lo normal.  Fidel dice que la “Revolución” trabaja arduamente para que los cubanos no tengan que hacer más colas, como si eso fuese un logro que la “Revolución” obtendrá para Cuba, sin embargo, ya nadie parece recordar que en Cuba, antes de la “Revolución”, jamás se hizo cola para nada y que fue – precisamente – la “Revolución” el génesis de las infernales colas de mil demonios que se hacen en la isla para cualquier cosa.   A nadie le importa tampoco recordar que el cubano no salía de su patria ni para hacer turismo.

Mientras estábamos parados en la cola, pasaban los turistas por nuestro lado y se sentaban en las mesas vacías. Eso es lo normal, lo “revolucionario”. Los cubanos hacen colas, los turistas no. Fidel dice que hay que dar el ejemplo. La realidad, según yo lo pensé, es que no hay otra alternativa, a menos que uno quiera que lo echen a patadas de la pizzería por “coleársele” a un turista que llegó después, mucho después que un cubano.

    Las pizzas resultaron ser como de plástico, increíblemente malas.  Algo así como las que uno come en el “timbiriche” Crema Paraíso, en Caracas, pero mucho, muchísimo, peor.  El jamón que se les pone a estas pizzas es enlatado, tipo “jamón del diablo”, ya con eso creo decirlo todo.    Por supuesto que las alabé ante mis primas para no herir sus sentimientos, pero eran poco menos que incomibles.   

    Sin embargo, lo peor de la velada no fueron las pizzas sino la humillación de sentirme un cubano de cuarta categoría en mi propio país y peor aún fue ver cómo mi familia --- y todo un pueblo --- acepta ese “karma colectivo” con la más absoluta normalidad.   La resignación, en la Cuba de hoy, es crónica.

    Todos mis primos pertenecen al Partido Comunista, pero sueñan con vivir en Miami, como si Miami fuese un paraíso terrenal.   Pertenecer al “Partido” en Cuba es como hacer cola para comprar pizzas.  Algo normal.    Si no se pertenece al “Partido” no se puede – entre otras cosas -- ingresar a la universidad.  Todos pertenecen al “Partido”, pero por alguna razón perversa piensan que es un privilegio que hay que ganárselo.  Todos, al final, son privilegiados y como “premio”, tienen que hacer trabajos comunitarios tremendamente improductivos que no benefician a nadie ni a nada.   Van a cortar caña los fines de semana, pero no cortan nada porque “echan el carro” (tiran majá) parejo y así me lo dijeron los primos con picardía.   Recogen patilla (melón de agua), por ejemplo, y la patilla se pudre al sol, porque no la llevan al centro de acopio correspondiente.   Lo importante no es producir para la “Revolución”, lo que importa es que a uno lo anoten como que asistió a la “labor comunitaria”.

Hace años me llegó una poesía popular titulada “Todo es Mierda”, escrita en la Cuba de Fidel que ahora y ante aquellas pizzas “revolucionarias” y los cuentos de mis primos, penetró mis recuerdos:

            Todo es mierda en la tierra en que nacimos.
            De mierda somos y a la mierda vamos. 
            Mierda es el comunismo que vivimos, 
            Y en esta mierda todos nos cagamos...

            Es mierda la ilusión que nos hacemos, 
            de poder aplastar a nuestros amos. 
            Mierda es la poca mierda que comemos, 
            como mierda es también la que tomamos...

            Mierda es la radio: ¡cómo dicen mierda
            estos mierdas que en Cuba nos gastamos!
            Es la mierda más grande que recuerda, 
            esta historia de mierda que forjamos...

            Mierda es la libertad que prometieron, 
            los barbudos de mierda que se alzaron. 
            Luego a Rusia por mierda nos vendieron, 
            y los rusos con mierda nos compraron. 

            Mierda son los que siguen aclamando, 
            a esa mierda que sólo es un pillastro, 
            el mismo mierda en que estás tú pensando, 
            el más mierda de todos: ¡Fidel Castro!

Encuentro con “Paquito” y sus primos de Camagüey, Cuba

Extracto del libro de Robert Alonso “REGRESANDO AL MAR DE LA FECILIDAD”

El Hatillo, 5 de Abril de 2003 robertalonso2003@cantv.net

Nota explicativa: “Paquito” es un cubano que luego de 40 años de ausencia, la mayoría de ellos viviendo en su exilio en Venezuela, decidió regresar a Cuba como “turista”. A su regreso, luego de 15 días en ese “mar de felicidad”, me contactó para que escribiera las experiencias vividas durante su corta visita a la tierra que lo vio nacer.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Friday, April 04, 2003 By: David Coleman

Two small business cooperatives have begun operations at Caracas (Simon Bolivar) international airport at Maiquetia creating 80 new jobs, mostly in terminal building maintenance and (much needed) cleaning services.

IAAIM director Jose Gregorio Vielma Mora, who is in overall charge of airport operations, says that the Guipuzcoana and 24 de Enero cooperatives bring together 17 employees assigned to service and maintenance of lawns ands green areas within the air terminal's perimeter with a further 24 assigned to collection and disposal of solid wastes from commercial concessions within the terminal itself.

Vielma Mora says that a total 10 small business cooperatives have been formed since January aimed at reducing endemic unemployment in local communities where IAAIM will contribute with democratic administration, social education and a limited amount of investment capital to each.  "Ideally, we will be able to get away from seasonal (6-month) employment contracts into a more permanent system ... we want to help small businesses with specialized courses, through the government training program INCE, to become viable year-round small businesses."

In the meantime Vielma Mora admits that authorities have activated a long-term savings program that will inevitably see a number of work contracts at the airport rescinded ... the net result is that some 50 seasonal employees will lose their jobs ... "we hope that most of them will move into the new jobs created with the new small business cooperatives."

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Friday, April 04, 2003 By: David Coleman

National Guard (GN) troops have been drafted in to protect the United States Embassy in Caracas against attempts by some 50 Foro por la Vida (Life Forum) demonstrators to enter the bunker compound to protest the US invasion of Iraq.

A security cordon has been thrown up 100 meters from the embassy's front gate as demonstrators claim that GN soldiers have abused their rights to freedom of movement under articles 50 and 68 of the 1999 Constitution guaranteeing the right to free transit and to peaceful demonstration, adding a US embassy security officer is also involved.

Foro por la Vida officials say they had formally notified municipal authorities and the US embassy of their intention to demonstrate against the unilateral US invasion of Iraq.  They say they "totally reject the war-mongering actions directed against the people of Iraq by the United States with the collaboration of the Britain and Spain."

It is unclear if the demonstrators have been allowed to deliver a letter to US Ambassador Charles Shapiro presenting legal arguments against US intervention and a series of drawing by children from the Los Naranjos de La Vega school expressing their repudiation of the US war.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Friday, April 04, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

After returning to Buenos Aires, former Argentine President Raul Alfonsin held talks with current President Eduardo Duhalde to discuss his recent visit to Venezuela and the country's political situation.

• Alfonsin told Duhalde that his visit to Venezuela had been positive and that he felt a solution to the conflict was "possible."

The Argentine opposition leader also said that President Hugo Chavez Frias was right not to facilitate a revocatory referendum, but conceded that the opposition was also within its rights to demand one. For a lasting solution to be reached "a climate of peace and tranquility" will be necessary.

Alfonsin visited Venezuela for ten days and held talks with key government and opposition leaders, he visit coming just days after Executive President Jose Vicente Rangel returned from a tour of Latin American countries, including Argentina, to explain Venezuela's political situation.

Alfonsin also commented on the absolute "freedom of the Venezuelan press" despite claims by opposition leaders to the contrary.