www.vheadline.com Posted: Friday, March 21, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

Public Prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz has submitted an appeal against the 7th Appeals Court's decision to grant Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry (Fedecamaras) president Carlos Fernandez complete liberty pending trial, following several weeks under house arrest accused of several offenses, including treason, for his role in the national work stoppage which ended on February 2.

The Ministry is certain that the decision should be declared null and void because only two of the three judges were present as one had to leave citing health reasons.  This the Ministry insists violates article 49 of the current Constitution.

The Ministry has also pointed out a number of other irregularities, claiming that the order for Fernandez' release was received by security police at 10:15 a.m. a full 15 minutes before the ruling was made at 10:30 a.m.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Friday, March 21, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

Several leading members of President Hugo Chavez Frias' Movimiento Quinta Republica (MVR) party have criticized the Appeals Court's decision to let Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry (Fedecamaras) president Carlos Fernandez go free, accusing the Court of corruption.

Following the Court's decision to grant the opposition strike leader complete freedom, MVR member Cilia Flores said "we are not surprised by the court's decision on Carlos Fernandez, given the levels of corruption present in the Appeals Court."

MVR deputy Rodrigo Cabezas called on the Interior Ministry to take action to prevent Fernandez from acting with impunity, while Flores insisted that further measures would be taken to ensure the Fedecamaras leader didn't get away with what he has done to the country.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

President Hugo Chavez Frias is set to hold meetings with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sometime towards the end of April. The news comes following Executive Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel's visit to Brazil earlier this week.

The meeting is likely to take place in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, where the Brazilian President was born.

No firm date has yet been set for the talks, but the two leaders are likely to discuss a range of issues and in particular the work being done by the Friends of Venezuela group to end the ongoing political stalemate in Venezuela.

Following the meeting between Rangel and Lula da Silva, the Brazilian President sent a letter of friendship and solidarity with the negotiation process to his Venezuelan counterpart.

Posted: Tuesday, March 18, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

The Police Detective Branch (CICPC) Air Traffic Anti-Drugs Division has announced that two Venezuelan citizens have been deported from France on drug-dealing related charges.

Roy Villalinda Perez (30) was arrested in Paris in November allegedly carrying 1 kilo of cocaine and Pedro Humberto Barrios (43) has spent 4 years between Guadeloupe and Martinique after he was arrested with 24 kilos of cocaine in 1999.

Both men have been handed over to the Venezuelan authorities ... they were photographed and then set free.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Tuesday, March 18, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

The Police Detective Branch (CICPC) investigating the murder of three soldiers that formed part of the Altamira Plaza military rebellion has confirmed reports of a third women allegedly kidnapped in the incident.

A CICPC spokesperson says the woman’s name emerged from interrogations and she has been tracked down and is a key witness in the murder enquiries.

The unnamed woman is said to be emotionally involved with one of the main suspects that now number 8 persons.

The police source has clarified that the beating received by former suspect, Edgar Machado Rojas is not directly connected to the murders but was an excuse to cover up the real motives of the murders.

Investigations now point towards vengeance killings and not crime of passion.