<a href=www.nytimes.com>The New York Times April 21, 2003 By JUAN FORERO

CARACAS, Venezuela, April 20 — Within hours of his death on April 11, 2002, Jorge Tortoza became a martyr for the opponents of President Hugo Chávez. So did many of the other 18 people killed after gunfire erupted here during a sprawling antigovernment march, a confused explosion of violence that led to the brief unseating of the president.

A year later, however, Mr. Tortoza's relatives say they still do not know who is responsible for his shooting. Families of most of the other victims express similar frustration, despite aggressive efforts by both the government and the opposition to cast blame on the other.

"If it is the government, or the other side — I can't say," William Tortoza, 35, a veteran police officer and Jorge's younger brother, said as he pointed out the street corner where his brother fell. "Sincerely, nothing has been done to investigate."

By most accounts, the investigation into the events, the worst political violence in Venezuela in a decade, is indeed in a shambles. Homicide charges against six suspects have been dropped. Other suspects have fled the country. No one has been jailed.

In the aftermath of the shooting, the opposition immediately claimed that the government had fired on the hundreds of thousands of protesters who marched on the Miraflores Palace, the offices of Mr. Chávez. His allies claimed that the deaths were a central part of a carefully orchestrated coup by his enemies.

Though the investigation languishes, it is increasingly clear that the gunfire came from both sides. Investigators and human rights groups say the National Guard troops loyal to the government fired, as did Metropolitan Police officers opposed to Mr. Chávez. Various other gunmen — some have been identified in videos, others are still unknown — also fired shots, say witnesses, investigators and political analysts.

The victims, it is now certain, also came from both sides, with the opposition and the government each losing seven supporters, though both camps continue to claim more victims. Five others were not members of either camp, including Mr. Tortoza, a 47-year-old newspaper photographer whose specialty was crime scenes.

Human rights groups and political analysts place much of the blame for a lack of progress in bringing those responsible to justice with the office of the attorney general, Isaías Rodríguez, who was once the vice president. His ties to the president have compromised his independence, they say.

Ana María Sanjuán, director of the Center for Peace and Human Rights at the Central University of Venezuela, said both sides had manipulated the investigation. Ms. Sanjuán, who is working with 48 human rights groups to press for an impartial investigation, said she had come to the conclusion that neither side wanted to see a resolution.

"Both political sectors have used April 11 in a completely unacceptable way for political ends," she said. "Both sides have tried to say, `I have more of my dead here and I'm most affected.' This has helped shelter those responsible and hindered the investigation."

Mr. Rodríguez, the attorney general, acknowledged that the investigation had been hampered, with crime scene evidence lost and witnesses avoiding investigators. But he blamed the problems on those with "political positions" and independent investigators hired by some families.

His office says that 18 gunmen have been identified, among them 8 police officers, 5 National Guard troops, and 6 progovernment militants firing from the Llaguno Bridge just two blocks from the presidential palace.

In seven cases, investigators can match the victim to a shooting suspect, he said in an interview. He said there were also seven gunmen who may have fired from a downtown building, though they are now believed to have fled the country.

Yet no suspect faces serious charges. Homicide charges against four suspected progovernment gunmen who fired from the bridge, including a city councilman, have been dropped at the court's behest for lack of evidence.

"Those are promising statements by the attorney general, but they're just statements," said Eric Olson, who oversees Amnesty International operations in the Americas. "It's high time that the information be turned into prosecution. Probably they are investigating some, but I think until there's actual justice for the victims and their relatives it's insufficient."

To people like Mohamad Merhi, 51, the deaths and the investigation are a travesty.

David Rochkind/Polaris for The New York Times
The investigation into the killing of 18 people, including Mohamad Merhi's son, during an antigovernment march in Venezuela last year is in a shambles.

His son, Jesús Capote, 18, was marching with opposition protesters when a bullet struck his head and killed him. Now, Mr. Merhi is the most visible advocate for opposition families who lost relatives in the shootings.

Deeply distrustful of the attorney general, Mr. Merhi has instead counted on a group of retired police officers who are allied with the opposition movement to investigate the deaths.

"I know the truth," Mr. Merhi said, insisting that his son was killed by a progovernment gunman. "I am looking for justice. I know there was an ambush, and I know Chávez gunmen were shooting at our people."

The opposition has played to such anger. In the carefully choreographed rallies, like one on the anniversary of the deaths, images of dying protesters are shown on big-screen televisions to the accompaniment of somber music played over huge loudspeakers.

The government, too, has used the deaths, as a symbol of opposition treachery. It has helped organize a group for the families of victims, Association of Victims, which has an office in a downtown building.

Inside, posters of Che Guevara, the revolutionary icon, hang side by side with the Venezuelan flag and advertisements celebrating Mr. Chávez's revolution. Government supporters wounded in the shootings, as well as the relatives of people killed, meet here daily to discuss the cases.

"We are working to make sure that everything is cleared up," said Silenia Morena, 38, whose husband, César Matías Ochoa, was killed. "The dead were not just in the opposition. Yes, they had some. But the majority were from the government side."

But the bitterness extends to those on both sides, including Jorge Tortoza's relatives. Using his connections in law enforcement, William Tortoza said he had badgered investigators and judicial officials, but had come up with few answers.

"I am tired of going and asking questions and looking for answers," he said.

Meanwhile, the family has tried to keep Jorge Tortoza's memory alive. His mother, Rosa Tortoza, 71, visits his grave each week, laying flowers, gently crying and controlling the rage she said has consumed her since his death.

"I would like to clear this up because I want peace of mind," she said softly as she visited the grave on a recent day. "My son was beautiful, and he left behind a beautiful 3-year-old daughter. He was a father and brother and son to all of us."

¿Eres Venezolano, estudias fuera de Venezuela o estás residenciado en el exterior?

Pues ejerce tu derecho a votar en las proximas elecciones.

Es muy simple tu solo debes estar registrado en el Consulado como residente o estudiante para lo cual usaras la planilla : registrociudadanos (application/pdf, 121 KB)

.

Además debes inscribirte en el CNE ante el respectivo consulado Venezolano usando la <a href=www.proveo.org>planilla_CNE (borren por favor el nombre del funcionario encargado en Londres, las planillas se pueden fotocopiar y son perfectamente válidas.)

Una vez llenadas las planillas deben acudir al Consulado personalmente, de lunes a viernes, en horas de oficina, portando su cédula de identidad y algún comprobante de su actual dirección como prueba de residencia en la respectiva juridiscción.

Para cualquier consulta adicional le sugerimos que visite la página web, www.cne.gov.ve

Allí los electores pueden verificar sus datos en línea o en las Oficinas Regionales de Registro Electoral ubicadas en la ciudades capitales o en la sede principal del Consejo Nacional Electoral, en horario de 8:00 a 11:30 de la mañana y de 1:30 a 4 de la tarde.

Actualmente el Registro Electoral contiene 12.048.661 electores.

ATENCION VENEZOLANOS EN EL EXTERIOR...

Esta nota es para informar a todos los venezolanos viviendo en el extranjero sobre el proceso para registrarse/actualizar datos en el Registro Electoral Permanente (REP). Debemos registrarnos con anticipación para votar (ya sea para el referéndum como para elecciones presidenciales) pero hay que ACTUAR de inmediato!! (Si conoces a venezolanos viviendo en el extranjero por favor envíales esta nota).

El proceso para el registro electoral es muy sencillo: Presentarse (en el consulado correspondiente) con cédula y algún comprobante de su actual dirección (como prueba de jurisdicción). El mayor inconveniente es que hay que presentarse personalmente de lunes a viernes en horas de oficina (que varían según el consulado).

Sin embargo, necesitamos HACER PRESION DESDE AHORA. En los últimos días he estado llamando al consulado de Houston, mi juridisccion, para verificar que está abierto y funcionando el REP y dicen no tener el material necesario (o planillas) para la inscripción electoral, que les llegara en dos semanas y que les prohibieron sacar fotocopias. En vista de que esta misma respuesta nos la vienen dando desde el mes de Enero, decidí comunicarme con las autoridades respectivas en Venezuela para pedir su colaboración al respecto.

Primero me comuniqué con la Dirección General de Registro del CNE, me informaron que el REP se encuentra abierto y que los consulados deben inscribir a los venezolanos utilizando fotocopias de las planillas, tal como se indica en la circular de la cual se extrajo el texto a continuación. Dicha circular se originó en el CNE y fue enviada a las representaciones diplomáticas por la Dirección General de Relaciones Consulares del MRE

19 de diciembre del 2002 Circular Informativa Nº DGRC-36 1.La actualización del registro electoral de los venezolanos residentes en el exterior, permite inscribirse o actualizar su inscripción en el Registro Electoral en cualquier momento,..." 4.1.En caso de que alguna Representación Diplomática o Consular no cuente con las Planillas de Actualización de Venezolanos residentes en el Exterior (se sugiere revisar exhaustivamente los archivos) deberá utilizar copia del formulario cuyo modelo se envía como Anexo III. .......... 5. El requisito único e insustituible para que un ciudadano venezolano pueda inscribirse o actualizar su inscripción en el Registro Electoral, es la presentación de su cedula de identidad laminada, aun cuando este vencida. El pasaporte no constituye un documento aceptado para los fines del Registro Electoral.........Se recomienda mantener la actualización del registro de manera permanente,..."""

La dirección del CNE también me informo de que ellos no tenían ninguna solicitud formal de material por parte del consulado de Houston. Esta falta de material es una excusa artificial. En vista de esta situación me comunique directamente con la Directora General de Relaciones Consulares del MRE Embajadora Jocelyn Henríquez. Muy amablemente la Embajadora me respondió que el REP debe de permanecer abierto permanentemente y que deben inscribir a todos los venezolanos sacando fotocopias a las planillas. Que no se ha girado ninguna comunicación prohibiendo el uso de las fotocopias como afirman en Houston. La Embajadora se comprometió a hacerle seguimiento al problema y conseguirle pronta solución.

Como preparación y apoyo al movimiento que sucede en Venezuela debemos estar listos para influir en el futuro de nuestro país a través del voto. Esta nota es preventiva pero requiere ACCION IMMEDIATA por parte de los venezolanos viviendo en el extranjero, para que se comuniquen urgentemente con el consulado de su jurisdicción para verificar que el REP está abierto y en funcionamiento. En caso de que reciban una excusa oficial, mucho les agradecería que me mantuvieran informada al respecto, ya que la embajadora Henríquez me pidió que la mantenga informada de estas situaciones. Por favor, anoten el día y hora llamado y el nombre de la persona con que hablaron.

Hay que inscribirse en el consulado respectivo con anterioridad suficiente para poder votar y es mejor estar preparados en caso de no poder viajar a Venezuela para hacerlo.

Si queremos influir democráticamente en el futuro de Venezuela a través del voto, por favor pongan su granito de arena y llamen al consulado de su jurisdicción para hacer presión o asiste a registrarte durante las próximas semanas. Aquí les copio los números de contacto de los consulados en USA, el resto del mundo lo pueden buscar en el Internet. Saludos Marisabel Olivares Mary_olivares@yahoo.com

For any further consultations in regards to the voting process in Venezuela we suggest you visit the web page www.cne.gov.ve www.cne.gov.ve

WASHINGTON D.C. Embassy of Venezuela www.embavenez-us.org (Sección Consular) 1099, 30th Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20007 Telephone: (202) 342 2214 Fax: (202) 342-6820 Office hours: 9:00am-1:00pm / 2:00pm-4:00pm Monday to Friday www.embavenez-us.org www.embavenez-us.org

BOSTON, MASACHUSETTS venezuela.mit.edu Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Boston 545 Boylston Street 6th floor, suite 603 Boston, MA 02116 Telephone: (617) 266-9368/ 266-9475; Fax: (617) 266-2350 Office hours: 9:00am-1:00pm (consular service hours) Monday to Friday Jurisdiction: Massachusetts, Maine y New Hampshire.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Chicago 20 N Wacker Drive, Suite # 1925 Chicago, IL 60606, USA Telephone: (312) 236-9659 / 236-9655 Fax: (312) 580-1010 Telex: 234-4330235 CONVE VI Jurisdiction: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota y Wisconsin.

HOUSTON, TEXAS Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Houston www.consulvenhou.org 2925 Briarpark Dr., #900 Houston, TX 77042, USA Telephone: (713) 974-0028 Fax: (713) 974-1413 Jurisdiction: Kansas, Nuevo Mexico, Oklahoma y Texas.

MIAMI, FLORIDA Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Miami www.consuve.com 1101 Brickell Avenue, Suite 901 Miami, Fl 33131 Telephone: (305) 5774214;Fax: (305) 372-5167 Jurisdiction: Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in New Orleans 1908 World Trade Center, 2 Canal Street New Orleans, LA 70130, USA Telephone: (504) 522-3284 / 524-6700 Fax: (504) 522-7092 Jurisdiction: Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama y Tenessee.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 7 east 51st street New York, NY 10022 212.826.1660 Phone: 212.826.1660 fax: 212.644.7471 hours open to the public: 9:15am to 12:45pm office hours: 9am to 4pm Jurisdiction: Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Consulate General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in San Francisco www.consuladovenezuelasfo.org 311 California Street, Suite 620 San Francisco, CA 94104, USA Telephone: (415) 955-1982/ 1987 / 1989; Fax: (415) 955-1970 Office hours: 9:30am-2:30pm (consular service hours) Monday to Friday Jurisdiction: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington y Wyoming.

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO Consulate General of <www.tld.net the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in San Juan, PR www.tld.net Avenida Ponce de León Edificio Mercantil Plaza, Suite 601 Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, 00918 Telephone: (787) 766-4250 / 766-4251 Fax: (787) 766-4255 Jurisdiction: Puerto Rico y Virgin Islands

<a href=www.editorandpublisher.com>Editor & Publihser OnLine By Mark Fitzgerald APRIL 10, 2003

CHICAGO -- "Freedom of the press," journalist A.J. Liebling wrote back in 1960, "is guaranteed only to those who own one." But, in the face of a vigorous and critical press, Venezuela President Hugo Chavez has figured a way around that guarantee: Last month, he imposed currency controls that effectively deny newsprint for those hostile printing presses.

Because there are no domestic mills, Venezuela's newspapers must import all their newsprint -- which takes dollars. In the economic chaos of Chavez's "Bolivarian revolution," newspapers have been unable to buy newsprint since November. In January, the foreign-exchange market was closed and complex currency controls were imposed that permit businesses to convert their weakened bolivars only to buy some 6,000 "importable" items.

Newsprint doesn't make the list, although paper for book manufacturing does. At their current rate of consumption, newspapers nationwide will run out of newsprint by the end of this month, Miguel Otero, director of the daily El Nacional in Caracas, said two weeks ago.

Chavez survived a bitter national strike that began Dec. 2 and ended in February. Many papers enthusiastically supported the strike, and as a show of support refused to publish in its first days. Publishers say the currency controls are Chavez's revenge.

"President Hugo Chavez has said that such curbs are to be used as tools to reward and punish, that there will be no dollars authorized for 'coup-mongers' or for companies that joined a national strike, that import of newsprint is not a priority, and freedom of speech will be restricted," Andres Mata Osorio, editor of the daily El Universal in Caracas and regional vice president of the Inter American Press Association, said at IAPA's midyear meeting in El Salvador last month.

It isn't just newspapers that are alarmed at Chavez's siege tactics. A director of Venezuela's central bank, Domingo Maza Zavala, said as long ago as March 3 that "it would be irrational" to stop the importation of newsprint. "I think newspapers have the right to receive the material they need to function," the Latin American free-press group Institute for Press and Society quoted him as saying on Union Radio.

"Reading the daily press is a primary need for Venezuelans." Chavez's response on his own radio show: There will be "no dollars for coup d'etat collaborators."

None of this is a surprise to longtime Chavez watchers, who have seen the mercurial president -- once a leader of a failed coup of his own -- grow increasingly strident against the press. In his annual speech to the National Assembly Jan. 23, Chavez declared 2003 "the year of the media battle." So it's no wonder mob violence directed against newspaper reporters and offices from pro-Chavez "Bolivarian Circles" has become common. As IAPA declared at its midyear meeting, "Journalism has become a high-risk profession, and bulletproof vests and gas masks are now standard equipment."

Mark Fitzgerald (mfitzgerald@editorandpublisher.com) is editor at large for E&P.

The Guardian Sam Jones Friday April 18, 2003

The biggest celebration of the Catholic calendar is under way, but Latin America's papers chose to ponder the continent's political calvary rather than debate the possibility of resurrection.

Venezuela's press marked the first anniversary of April 11 - the day on which soldiers and paramilitaries opened fire on a crowd, killing 17 unarmed protesters - with characteristic bitterness. "That day, for better or for worse, changed everything," wrote Gustavo Arnstein in El Mundo. Venezuela's robust democracy had wilted and the country had been left dangerously polarised. "[Our] society was split in two and its opposing heads are squabbling endlessly over the same atrophying body."

Arnstein's pessimism was echoed in an editorial in El Nacional. "Venezuela is sliding down the scale of countries that value human rights," said the paper, poring over a US state department report on extrajudicial torture and murder in Venezuela. The survey recognised that the president, Hugo Chavez, had been democratically elected, but expressed fears about the behaviour of the government and its security forces. "A report like this can not go unremarked," said El Nacional, apparently grateful to see the US taking a peek into its back yard. "It serves as a diagnosis of our problems and must be considered as such."

Things looked only a little brighter for the Peruvian president, Alejandro Toledo. El Comercio reported that Mr Toledo is under fire for allegedly trying to buy a television channel to guarantee sympathetic coverage. Invoking a timely image, La Republica's veteran commentator, Mirko Lauer, wondered whether Mr Toledo would survive another scandal. "He has already embarked on his via crucis ," said Lauer. "We'll soon see if it leads to his crucifixion, and, more importantly, to his rebirth." A tricky task, thought Lauer - "the media no longer believe in Toledo's democratic Teflon".

However, one Latin American politician's armour remained miraculously intact. The Buenos Aires daily La Nacion brought news that Carlos Menem, the undisputed comeback kid of Argentinian politics, was leading the polls in the run up to the country's presidential election. Attributing the results to widespread apathy, Pagina 12 could only laugh at the situation. Its front-page cartoon showed an anxious middle-aged couple confiding in a doctor that their drive has gone. "Sex drive?" asks the doctor. "No," they reply. "Electoral."

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Preaching at one of the 18 religious services that took place on Wednesday in (Caracas) Santa Teresa Church where the statue of Jesus The Nazarene is venerated, Cardinal Ignacio Velasco has defended the right to life seriously under siege in Venezuela each weekend. 

The weekend homicide figures "show that thieves, muggers, revolutionaries or whoever has the capacity to decide the existence of other persons deny the importance of the supreme gift of life." 

Velasco also asked for the gift of liberty for the Venezuelan people ... "Lord, give us freedom that we can feel free to express our thoughts with happiness because a Venezuelan without freedom isn't Venezuelan ... at least, not the same Venezuelan as normal." 

In his Holy Week message, Venezuelan Episcopal Conference (CEV)  president, Archbishop Baltazar Porras has called on the Venezuelan People not to give in to the political crisis. 

"Don't feel it is a stone tied around our necks and there's nothing we can do to stop ourselves from drowning ... every society has to recur to the great value of affection, or ternura because there is so much hate being sown that we are reaping more poverty and more criminals." 

Porras insists that a national political agreement is essential, if hope is to be restored and that society must uphold the values of liberty and coexistence.

Our editorial statement reads: VHeadline.com Venezuela is a wholly independent e-publication promoting democracy in its fullest expression and the inalienable  right of all Venezuelans to self-determination and the pursuit of sovereign independence without interference. We seek to shed light on nefarious practices and the corruption which for decades has strangled this South American nation's development and progress. Our declared editorial bias is pro-democracy and pro-Venezuela ... which some may wrongly interpret as anti-American. --  Roy S. Carson, Editor/Publisher  Editor@VHeadline.com