<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic Journal Posted: Monday, April 28, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

French Surfing enthusiast Yann Perras (28) got the fright of his life during a dream holiday on Venezuela's Isla de Margarita beaches. The civil engineer arrived at his holiday destination on April 10 with his wife and six-month daughter and started surfing on El Yaque beach now famous for its surfing qualities.

On April 11, the experienced surfer went 2 kilometers off shore waiting for the right tide and was fixing his board when he felt his right foot being bitten by a fish. 

Two German yachtsmen spotted the Frenchman's predicament and pulled him to safety on the beach where he was attended by a passing doctor bathing on the beach and later by local firefighters who took him to hospital where he was operated on. 

Margarita Marine Research Museum coordinator, Alfredo Gomez says it was a freak accident and the first time in 50 years that a shark has attacked anyone .... "in the zone where the accident happened, it could have been a Barracuda Grande or a small shark." Perras remained in in a clinic and last Friday returned home to France.

By Peter Wilson

Caracas, April 25 (<<a href=quote.bloomberg.com>Bloomberg) -- Talks between Venezuela's government and the opposition about a referendum on President Hugo Chavez have stalled, said Organization of American States Secretary General Cesar Gaviria.

A tentative agreement reached on April 11 is no longer valid, its terms will have to be renegotiated, Gaviria told reporters last night.

``There are major differences between the two sides,'' Gaviria said. He gave no indication when talks would resume. They started eight months ago.

A referendum may end two years of protests and strikes by the opposition, demanding that Chavez, a former army lieutenant colonel, resign or call early elections. Opponents agreed to a binding referendum to be held after August, the midpoint of Chavez's six-year term, after a two-month national strike failed.

Chavez's Fifth Republic Movement political party said earlier this week it had at least six objections to the 22-point election accord, which calls for a referendum by Nov. 19. Among the objections was the use of international observers to oversee the vote.

The opposition plans to march to the National Electoral Council on Aug. 20 to deliver petitions calling for a referendum on Chavez, said opposition negotiator Rafael Alfonzo.

``This year we are going to have a referendum, with or without the signing of an agreement, whether the government wants it or not,'' said Alfonzo.

Venezuela's dollar bond due 2027 fell 0.20 cents on the dollar to 63.90, pushing the yield up to 14.74 percent, according to J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. at 3:30 p.m. in New York.

The Caracas Stock Exchange's general index fell 0.4 percent to 8403.50.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Friday, April 25, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Datanalisis pollster reports that 4 of every 10 Venezuelans are thinking of, or want to leave the country ... basing their reasons on a drop in purchasing power and public insecurity.  Luis Vicente Leon says 42.5% of those interviewed said they were ready to emigrate, while 13% have made the first move in that direction, checking out possibilities. 

• The majority are professional people,  who complain that many doors have closed in Venezuela and are willing to try their luck in other countries. 

The growing phenomenon of the informal sector has seen many middle class groups lose 40% of the income they were used to when they worked in the formal sector of the economy. 

• Many say they do not see any sign of improvement in the near future. 

Datanalisis claims that only 11% of people working in the informal sector feel satisfied with their lot. 

Although Datanalisis does not offer further explanations, the second reason for people wanting to leave the country is fear ... most people have been mugged once or twice in the last couple of years or been subject to theft and house break-ins. Thirdly, the value of the bolivar has taken a dive affecting most people's purchasing power. 

Datanalisis reports that President Hugo Chavez Frias' popularity is still running at 35% and ruling out any mass move towards the opposition camp, owing to the poor quality of leadership shown by opposition presidential wannabes. 

• 80% of persons interviewed says they are fed up, angry or just scared because of the current situation ... Leon's conclusion is that for many young people emigration is a strong option.

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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

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Monday, April 14, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Venezuela has been experiencing its first rain showers for almost four months.  The showers brought people out in to the streets in Caracas and kept others from venturing out to t he beaches. 

Civil Protection chief, Army Lt. Colonel Antonio Jose Rivero Gonzalez says this year's Easter holiday public security plan, which started on Sunday, includes 7,365 firefighters, 5, 000 traffic police officers, 3,102 Civil Protection officials, 300 members of the Red Cross, 3,717 volunteers and 22,000 police officers. 

Rivero Gonzalez says 2 emergency surgeries have been installed in tourist areas, 24 ambulances in Caracas and 35 throughout Venezuela. "We are expecting around 7 million people traveling away from home to tourist areas. 

The Miranda State government has inaugurated the Guarenas-Casarapa highway skirting the city of Guarenas.  It is a 5.5 kilometer stretch built over a two-year period and costing 11 billion bolivares. Work was delayed when part of the north wall collapsed forcing the company to install walls of contention. 

Venezuelan Air Force (FAV) Meteorological Service (Semetfav) petty officer, Jose Pereira says the showers in Caracas and heavy rains in other parts of the country do not mean that the rainy season has officially started and warns that rains will continue for another 24 hours. 

In Amazonas, Bolivar and the central region rains were heavy.

Meanwhile at the Caracas (Simon Bolivar) international airport at Maiquetia, the flow of passengers is said to be satisfactory, especially on flights to Miami, Orlando, Puerto Rica, Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) and Curacao ... Porlamar (Isla de Margarita) and Maracaibo. 

The most frequented Vargas State beaches are Caraballeda beaches of Los Cocos and Sheraton, while in Carabobo, Patanemo Bay, Ganango, Quizandal, Palma Sola and Puerto Cabello's Playa Blanca are the favorites.  In eastern Venezuela, Mochima Park islands and Carupano beaches are said to be very busy along with El Faro, El Saco and Puinare islands in Puerto La Cruz.

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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

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Monday, April 14, 2003 By: David Coleman

Operation Holy Week 2003 has got off to a good start in Aragua State with 736 law enforcement officers patrolling beaches along the Caribbean coast where an estimated 255,000 day-trippers are expected during the Holy Week period.

The main concentration of tourists is expected at Ocumare La Costa (195,000 capacity) and Choroni (60,000) where local Civil Defense executive Felix Perez says that a bathing ban has been imposed by the Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources (MARN) at the mouth of the Ocumare and on the El Playon and La Jaivita.

Aragua Fire Chief Mauricio Sanchez says that 300 emergency servicemen and women are deployed at key points along the coast as well as in Colonia Tovar, Camatagua and Villa de Cura where a religious procession is set to take place.

National Guard (GN) commander Edy Ramirez Moyeda says four control points have been set up in El Limon, Choroni and the resorts at Turmero and Villa de Cura while special attention is being given to traffic the Center-West Highway from Caracas to Valencia in an effort to reduce road accidents caused by drink-driving.

Out and about in Caracas tells us everything we should know about Venezuela's nightlife and youth culture