<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

Business leaders and government officials have joined together in criticizing the Confederation of Trade Unions' (CTV) call for a 30% pay rise made just days after the creation of a new trade union grouping aimed at replacing the CTV.

The creation of the Venezuelan National Workers Union (UNTV) was announced by President Hugo Chavez Frias during his weekly "Alo Presidente" radio show on Sunday and the government now expects may of the unions that the CTV represents to join the new grouping which it claims will be politically independent.

CTV secretary general Manuel Cova had called on the government to increase the minimum wage by by Bs.60,000 per month to Bs.250,000 due to the drop in consumer purchasing power.

Industrial Advisory Council (Consecomercio) president Julio Brazon labeled the call "extremely irresponsible" particularly in light of the current economic situation and the lack of foreign currencies to the vast majority of Venezuelan businesses.

Reuters, 03.31.03, 4:24 PM ET CARACAS, Venezuela, March 31 (Reuters) - Venezuela's Central Bank on Monday approved $1.32 billion for distribution in April by the state currency control board that private firms charge has starved the economy of U.S. dollars for more than two months. Currency control board CADIVI said it will distribute $60 million each working day next month under the tight curbs that many private firms fear will force them out of business and drive the economy further into recession. Venezuela had not distributed dollars since President Hugo Chavez suspended foreign exchange trading in late January and imposed the curbs to stem capital flight and a slide in the local bolivar currency after a two-month opposition strike. Government officials say they are still ironing out logistical difficulties that have so far slowed the distribution of foreign currency. While the government has set a fixed exchange rate of 1,600 bolivars to the dollar, the two-month delay in the allocation of dollars has left businesses clamoring for greenbacks. Venezuela's government last week approved the first allocation of U.S. currency only for essential imports, such as medicines, priority materials and basic foods. Chavez said on Sunday that CADIVI had authorized $9.5 million and officials said last week they had approved allocations for only the first five of 60 applications from companies seeking dollars to import goods. Business leaders say many firms are struggling even to clear the application process to access dollars. The South American nation imports around 60 percent of its basic needs and many businesses have warned that the lack of dollars needed to bring goods into the country threatened them with financial ruin. Before the forex market was closed, the Central Bank had been selling around $60 million a day. Since the controls were introduced, a black market has flourished with the dollar trading at between 2,200 bolivars and 2,300 bolivars. Chavez, a populist former paratrooper, introduced the currency controls after the December-January strike disrupted vital oil production in the world's No. 5 petroleum exporter. Oil exports account for half of government revenues.

WAR.WIRE

CARACAS (AFP) Mar 31, 2003 Venezuela, the only Latin American member of OPEC, remains opposed to the US-led invasion of Iraq but has ignored Baghdad's demand for oil-producing countries to stop sales to the United States and Britain.

"We have always defended the idea at the heart of OPEC, and it is the policy of the current government, not to play politics with the oil supply," said Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez, as he guaranteed his country's supplies to the United States.

Iraq had called on its fellow OPEC members last week to stop the flow of oil to the United States and Britain.

Venezuela is the fifth largest oil exporter and the eighth largest producer, and along with Saudi Arabia and Mexico is a major supplier to the United States.

President Hugo Chavez has repeatedly made clear his government's opposition to US-led military action in Iraq. Some government spokesmen have even suggested that a side-aim of the conflict was to break up OPEC.

Therein lies a contradiction, according to oil expert and university lecturer Victor Poleo.

"The agression against Iraq being about oil, and Iraq being a member of OPEC, it's contradictory that Venezuela should assure the United States of its supplies," he said, adding that oil was inherently political and that the conflict in Iraq would leave a deep wound in OPEC.

A second oil analyst close to the Venezuelan opposition disagreed.

There was no other position for the country to adopt, except to guarantee supplies to its principal client, according to Alberto Quiros Corradi.

Ideological differences "are one thing, commercial and bilateral relations are another," he said.

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Granma

THE priorities of the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela continue to revolve around the battle against poverty in order to attain a decorous standard of living for the great majority of the population, something that is also being attained through the preservation of state assets. These two basic ideas were central in Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez’s 143rd radio and television address to the nation.

"For us, the social sector is sacred... and anything else can be sacrificed apart from support in that battle against poverty and death and for life," he affirmed on Sunday, March 16, speaking from the Miraflores Presidential Palace.

Fifteen days after having initiated the Food Security Program, directed at the country’s vulnerable sectors, Chávez explained developments and progress in the "peoples markets," which are guaranteed prime necessity goods to be sold at very moderate prices. Through this vehicle, more than 1,900 tons of produce has already been distributed to the poor.

According to the Prensa Latina news agency, it was an opportune moment to inform on government plans to reactivate the state’s role in the sale of foodstuffs, particularly those directed to the needy. According to Chávez, the idea is to "recuperate retail outlets in working-class barrios that have fallen into the terrible hands of exploiters."

In just 1,500 days, the current Venezuelan government has increased medical assistance to the population by 41%, plus its total extension to children suffering from cancer. Chávez also highlighted the reduction of the infant mortality rate from 21.6% to 17.3% per thousand live births last year.

Despite those strides, the Venezuelan president emphasized the urgent need for promoting capital investment in national industry in order to facilitate economic development.

"The difference between other governments that privatized their industries under the pretext of lacking funds and ours, is that the Bolivarian administration is undertaking new projects without handing over our national heritage," he highlighted.

According to EFE, Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramírez stated that the state oil industry, PDVSA, "is maintaining a productive capacity of 3.4 million barrels daily, and will continue to do so if the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decides that we should put that volume on the world market."

He pointed out that national oil reserves are in excess of 320 billion barrels of crude, representing more than 30% of the total reserves of OPEC members. (MVR)

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Friday, March 28, 2003 By: Oscar Heck

VHeadline.com commentarist Oscar Heck writes: After having spent 88 days traveling throughout about half of Venezuela between mid-December 2002 and mid-March 2003, I must give my opinion about Gustavo Coronel’s recent article: “The Venezuelan Referendum: urgent and indispensable.”

Gustavo Coronel, as many pro-opposition and anti-Chavez people, are and have been living in a dream world … a dream world where they, the “haves,” have over many years either exploited or conveniently neglected the “have-nots.” They are just now waking up now from a 40-year dream to face reality.

In their dream, it did not matter if they abused others or if they used the expression “That’s the way it is done here in Venezuela.” In that dream, it was ok to pay the minimum wage (and blame the government for the fact that the wage is too low ú but of course, they will not pay more!). In that dream it is a well-known fact that they were considered “wise” when finding creative ways to steal, and that the “wise” poor person was considered a “thief.”

(El que es mas vivo, vive major! ú The one who is the most resourceful lives better.)

(El rico que roba es vivo y el pobre es un ladron. When a rich person steals he is considered resourceful but when a poor person steals, he is considered a thief.)

There is much more to this dream ... but I will stop here.

The reality that most of the opposition people (the 20%), are awakening to, must seem like a nightmare to them, as it appears to Gustavo Coronel. They have been in a comfortable coma. They fell asleep 40 years ago, along with the laws and customs of the time. Suddenly, Gustavo Coronel and party find themselves in a new world where the 80% no longer accept being called “monos” (monkeys) or “negros” (black). Welcome to reality!

Gustavo, you have often expressed that the non-black Venezuelans use the description “monos” in an affectionate ways, and that the “monos” do not take offence. Not true, Gustavo Coronel. The “monos” were in no position to argue or express their views, much less their feelings! And you know that!

This leads to one of the comments that you make in the above-mentioned article:

“Ideological conflict has not been good for our country ... it has done little more than hardening the resolve of the adversaries and putting hate in many hearts. The house is divided and the house is falling.”

Guess what? Your house is falling. The house has always been divided … but you could not see it because you were living in a dream.

You also state, “The state of the Venezuelan nation is chaotic. Unemployment is nearing 30%, while under-employment (street vendors and occasional workers) is about 50%. Only 20% of the working population are receiving some sort of regular income, largely minimum wage ($130 per month at the current official rate of exchange and about $100 on the black market).”

Who created the increase in unemployment? Chavez? No way. It was the opposition, and you and all your opposition supporters know it. The problem is that you are too proud to admit that you guys really messed up … royally!

“Food price controls have been established, often below production costs, already producing severe shortages, as no one can be obliged to sell below cost.”

Sorry, what you state here cannot be true (except perhaps in very rare cases). If you believe your statement then you either don’t know how to count very well (but I suspect you do), or you are simply quoting lies that others have been propagating! How can a small can of sardines (say about 400 grams) be sold at Bs.1000 ($0.63) when the processor pays the fishermen less than $0.04 per kilo (1000 grams)?  This means that the amount of sardine contained in the can is in the vicinity of $0.01.

This happens because this is the typical way in which most wealthy Venezuelans have always operated. (The Venezuelan way?) You cannot state that the food price controls are often below cost! They are often below “standard profit levels.” All one has to do is to include increased “executive salaries” within the expenses, thus “assuring” loss of profit!

You should know that, so why do you support such illogical and false comments?

You state, “The oil industry is severely crippled.” Don’t you mean that the oil industry “was” severely crippled by the opposition’s sabotage?  When I left Venezuela in mid-March, 2003, the gasoline situation was completely normal.

You state, “Venezuela is essentially paralyzed.”  This is an exaggeration. During the 88 days of travel, I could confirm that most of the country was operating almost as normal, except for gasoline, cooking gas, beer, harina PAN flour and soda shortages. The place that was most severely affected was the eastern part of Caracas, that is, Altamira, Chuao, Chacao, Las Mercedes, etc. Of course, this was also the area where the opposition supporters “hung out,” blocked streets and where crews filmed for international propaganda purposes.

You state: “How to install an education revolution (yes, here the word applies) to create skilled workers in two year programs and, at the same time, create good citizens, instead of a parasitic population.”

Your comment here is typical of the “elite” and of most of the opposition supporters. They, as you, have a misconception etched into the inside of your skulls … as if it were an inborn natural trademark. What is the misconception? It is, that all (or most) poor Venezuelans are poor because they want to be poor. I think I will write a book about this. You know as well as I, and as well as the opposition, that there are few “real” jobs for what you call “los negritos” or “los monitos”. You know that most servants are “negritas and monitas.” You “allow” the government to dictate to you what the minimum wage should be, and pay them thus … never bothering to question yourselves, “How can they survive on this wage?”

Actually, you and the opposition probably just don’t care!

Are you suggesting that technical schools should flourish so that you can hire technically trained “negritos and monitas” at a minimum wage dictated by a government?

That would be really convenient, Gustavo, and you know as well as I, that most, if not all the opposition people, would go for that! Another guise to bury the shameless action?

You state, “Venezuela, I have said before, is a country of bulky and numerous laws...”

This is a complete lie. Numerous laws compared to what? Have you ever seen the size of Canadian or USA civil and criminal laws and penal codes? Volumes and volumes worth compared to the few small booklets that Venezuela had before Chavez (now there are a few more booklets, at the disadvantage of the pro-opposition elite!).

Then you state, “But the law is something that is born from within your heart and depends on your level of civilization. The more civilized we can build our society the less laws we will need.”

Yeah sure! From what I can see, the opposition in completely uncivilized (blocking streets, sabotaging, treason, sedition, etc.) and thus Venezuela requires a greater amount of laws and penal codes. In addition, if Venezuela were to depend on what comes from the “hearts” of opposition people, Venezuela would be in complete ruin … as witnessed by us all after the opposition’s failed attempt to paralyze Venezuela (December 2, 2002 to the end of February, 2003). “Civilized”? Sure. That is what the opposition calls itself, “civilized.”

You state, “We have to go to the polls to conserve our racial and religious harmony.”

I see where you are coming from, as most opposition people. You probably want to conserve the capacity for the 20% to continue their bad habits. “Racial harmony.” What is that? Is racial harmony the ability to continue calling fellow Venezuelan have-nots, “negritos and monitas” and expecting them to smile when you make such remarks? (Oh, and not to forget that “los monitos” live in the “serros”, but people who are not “monitos” live in “las Colinas”. Ever noticed that?).

NOTE: “Los serros” means “the hills”, and is a derogatory way to categorize “where you come from”. “Los serros” often refers to the slum areas, which are found of these “hills”. If you come from “Las Colinas” ú which means “the slopes” ú then you are not from the poor classes, and you are considered more “worthy” and “educated.”

You state, “Honest Venezuelans from all political sides will have to accept that voting is urgently required.“

Is August too far away? The opposition, with their criminal tactics (and you support them Gustavo) had promised “all Venezuelans” that Chavez would be out by December 2002. Where is Chavez now? It is the opposition that is in a hurry … and by inference, you are portraying them as “honest”. May I suppose then, that you would consider acts of sabotage and sedition as “honest”? What if elections were held and Chavez wins again (which I believe he will), will the opposition continue with what they call “civilized and democratic” action to oust Chavez? In an “honest” way?

You state, “All those who love our country should support the Referendum and work to make it happen as soon as possible...”

Hasn’t the opposition learned anything? You consider yourselves so “civilized” and “educated.” Why not act thus? Why do you people continue the path of sedition? Out of desperation I suspect?

As I have mentioned before, I am against the opposition because of the without-conscience actions that they have been sponsoring and participating in over the last many months. I say without-conscience because their actions have negatively affected the poorer Venezuelans, that is, the vast majority … and this, without ever a word of compassion or mercy from the opposition. Instead, the opposition rhetoric was (and still is, but less now) inundated with calls for sedition, treason, sabotage and vandalism.

I also believe that the opposition is planning something for April 8, 2003. I do not know what it is, but there appears to be a violent group of people getting organized to act out some of their fantasies for that date.

There is a message circulating on the net calling for an “attack” on Miraflores (the Presidential Palace), saying, “… HOMBRES DISPUESTOS AL FRENTE … DE TI DEPENDE … ES AHORA O NUNCA …"

Translated: “… men ready to fight … it will depend on you … it is now or never…”

Oscar Heck oscar@vheadline.com