<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

In a rapid fire response, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Roy Chaderton Matos challenges US Ambassador to Venezuela, Charles Shapiro's statement on the state of press freedom in Venezuela. 

Speaking during a stopover in London on his way to Moscow, the diplomat accuses Venezuelan private print & broadcast media of having taken part in the toppling of a legitimate government and says he hopes the United States of America (USA) would take that fact into consideration. 

"Venezuelan media hid information from national and international public opinion and have been manipulating information for years, as well as usurping the place in democracy reserved for political parties."  Chaderton Matos insists that calls to topple a democratic government and to political assassination with impunity would never be allowed in the USA.  

The USA, the Foreign Minister states, is against incitation to hatred and unfounded arguments against official authorities and persons involved in the process of social change. "Nobody has the right to abolish freedom of expression ... neither governments, private media sources nor international powers."

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, May 11, 2003 By: VHeadline.com Reporters

The US State Department's highest-ranking diplomat and most senior expert on Latin America and Venezuela has been elected to the presidency of the Institute of the Americas based in San Diego to focus on outreach and creating awareness of the Institute's programs. The Institute is "a California non-profit organization exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code with the declared mission to be a significant catalyst for promoting development and integration, emphasizing the role of the private sector, as a means to improve the economic, political, and social well being of the people of the Americas."

Jeffrey Davidow is to join the Institute during "a period of rapid growth, renewed purpose and increased Institute participation and will report directly to the Institute's inter-American Board of Directors." He holds a bachelor's degree in American history from the University of Massachusetts, and a master's degree in American studies from the University of Minnesota.

Davidow had served as visiting fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and was a visiting scholar at the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. His State Department career spanned several decades, most recently serving as the US Ambassador to Mexico (1998-2002); Assistant Secretary of State for Latin America (1996-1998), Ambassador to Venezuela (1993-1996); Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa (1990-1993) and Ambassador to Zambia (1988-1990) where he worked closely on matters related to the eventual change of government in South Africa.

Davidow has the distinction of being a career ambassador ... one of only three in the United States ... Theodore E. Gildred, former US Ambassador to Argentina says Davidow "is not only a person with in-depth knowledge of Latin America, but he is a brilliant mind who has excellent managerial skills and has worked diligently to improve the operations of the US Department of State."

Gaston Luken, chairman to the board of the Institute of the Americas says "we conducted a thorough search for an individual who could carry the Institute to new heights, increase its exposure and broaden our programs." The Institute of Americas will celebrate its 20th anniversary later this month with the dedication of a new addition to its headquarters on the campus of the University of California, San Diego.

INSTITUTE OF THE AMERICAS JEFFREY DAVIDOW Former U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Davidow named president of the Institute of the Americas. (Spanish) Ex Embajador De Estados Unidos Jeffrey Davidow Designado Presidente Del Instituto De Las Américas. (PRNewsFoto)[AS] SAN DIEGO, CA USA 05/09/2003     SAN DIEGO, May 9 /<a href=www.prnewswire.com>PRNewswire/ -- The Institute of the Americas has elected the State Department's highest ranking diplomat and its most senior expert on Latin America to fill the office of President effective June 1, 2003.

Davidow will lead the Institute of the Americas, focusing on outreach and creating awareness of the Institute's programs.  He will join the Institute during a period of rapid growth, renewed purpose and increased Institute participation.  Davidow will report directly to the Institute's distinguished inter-American Board of Directors.

Prior to joining the Institute, Davidow served as visiting fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and was a visiting scholar at the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.  Davidow's State Department career spanned several decades, most recently serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico ('98-'02); Assistant Secretary of State for Latin America ('96-'98), Ambassador to Venezuela ('93-'96); Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa ('90-'93), and Ambassador to Zambia ('88-'90) -- where he worked closely on matters related to the eventual change of government in South Africa.

Davidow was declared a "Career Ambassador," a distinction given to just three individuals in the U.S.  "This is not only a person with in-depth knowledge of Latin America, but he is a brilliant mind who has excellent managerial skills and has worked diligently to improve the operations of the U.S. Department of State," said Theodore E. Gildred, former Ambassador to Argentina.

Davidow holds a bachelor's degree in American history from the University of Massachusetts, and a master's degree in American studies from the University of Minnesota.

"We conducted a thorough search for an individual who could carry the Institute to new heights, increase its exposure and broaden our programs," said Gaston Luken, Institute Board Chairman.

On May 20th, the Institute of Americas is celebrating its 20th anniversary and will dedicate a new addition to its headquarters on the campus of the University of California, San Diego.  The Institute is a California non-profit organization exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code.  The mission of the Institute is to be a significant catalyst for promoting development and integration, emphasizing the role of the private sector, as a means to improve the economic, political, and social well being of the people of the Americas.

For more information about the Institute or its programs, go to http://www.iamericas.org or call (858) 453-5560.

<a href=www.falkland-malvinas.com>Mercosur Monday, 05 May

A reshuffle in the Uruguayan cabinet in the international relations area is expected in the coming weeks according ours sources in Montevideo.

Minister D. Opertti Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Opperti an expert in International Private Law apparently will be leaving for an international post in the Organization of American States and will be replaced by Raul Lago, a former Ambassador in Venezuela and currently Chief cabinet minister.

Mr. Lagos post will be filled by Carlos Ramela advisor to President Jorge Batlle who steered the Peace Commission tasked with finding a human and political solution to the tens of disappeared dissidents during military rule in Uruguay (1973/84), a bitter and controversial legacy that still divides Uruguayan society.

Mr. Opertti with a renowned international reputation and who presided over the United Nations General Assembly has been preparing to leave his post for some time.

However press reports indicate that some recent foreign affairs very personal actions of President Batlle have surprised Mr. Opperti, who has a more diplomatic approach.

During a press conference at the end of April after meeting President Bush in the White House, Mr. Batlle in response to a specific question regarding the shooting of three Cuban suspects Mr. Batlle said that “Mr. Castro is an assassin”. Mr. Batlle further openly supported President Bush for actions in Iraq and criticized the United Nations lack of initiative when the official Uruguayan position originally was giving more time to the arms inspectors before appealing to military response.

Uruguay has been at loggerheads with Cuban president Fidel Castro since it began co-sponsoring before the United Nations Human Rights Committee a proposal to send a human rights independent observer to the island. Mr. Castro insists in calling Mr. Batlle a “traitor” and a US “boot licker”.

President Batlle has also been indirectly critical of Mercosur by insisting in giving priority to trade and political relations with United States, an issue that caused concern in the new Brazilian government of President Lula da Silva and in Argentina.

Furthermore president Batlle has publicly and repeatedly forecasted that his good friend Carlos Menem will be the next Argentine president and also publicly counseled Paraguayan elected president Nicanor Duarte on how to proceed with the formation of his administration.

During meeting with President Bush, Secretary of State Collin Powell and Advisor Condoleeza Rice, that extended for double the time scheduled, Mr. Batlle thanked the Bush administration for its financial support last August during a crucial moment for the Uruguayan banking system and for speeding the opening of the US market to Uruguayan beef, one of the country’s main exports.

< Mr. Opperti belongs to one of the two main groups of the ruling Colorado party.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, May 04, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Guyanese Foreign Minister Rudy Insanally says Venezuela and Guyana have discussed the possibility of re-initiating United Nations mediation in the longstanding territorial conflict between the two countries. 

During a two-day meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart, Roy Chaderton Matos in Georgetown, Insanally comments that the method to be used in re-opening discussions will be that of the Good Officer, even though it has fallen into disuse over the last decade. 

The last Good Officer was former Barbados Foreign Minister, Oliver Jackman but nothing came of his good offices. 

Sectors in Venezuela have always complained that the UN has placed British Commonwealth personalities as Good Officers instead of independent persons, since Guyana is part of the British Commonwealth and Caribbean Economic Zone (Caricom) countries. 

The territorial conflict over the Esseqibo regime has been simmering for 100 years and has taken on special relevance over the last decade with the discovery of bauxite, aluminum and other minerals. 

Chaderton Matos says the matter was indeed discussed during his visit to Georgetown and he hopes an agreement will be reached ... "I don't know when ... it's up to the negotiators but there is political will."