www.vheadline.com Posted: Friday, March 07, 2003 By: Justin Delacour

International media commentarist Justin Delacour writes: In my view, Patrick J. O'Donoghue is an excellent reporter, probably the best English-language reporter in Venezuela. His principled independence as a reporter is second-to-none, demonstrated by the fact that he does not hesitate to present facts and viewpoints that are highly critical of both the opposition and the Chavez government.

That said, I sometimes get the sense that Patrick portrays people like Domingo Alberto Rangel and Douglas Bravo in a more positive light than they deserve, as if the two men were the holy saints of the Venezuelan left.

Personally, all that I see in Rangel's comments is a bunch of petty little sectarian diatribes against the Venezuelan government, combined with a lack of political sense that may partly explain why Rangel has nothing to show for himself politically.

In Patrick's recent article, Rangel is quoted as saying that the FARC should have "an internationalist policy that would eliminate current nations and create one unit consisting of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela… if Bolivar talked disparagingly about 'mini-countries,' why shouldn't 21st century Marxists not assume the standard of a single entity from the Orinoco to Guayas?"

• Well, gee, maybe Colombia's guerrillas figure that it's not for them to decide what the Venezuelan and Ecuadorian people want.

Like it or not, Mr. Rangel, nationalism and national sovereignty have always been a fundamental element of Latin American guerrilla movements; guerrillas that have flagrantly disregarded such considerations ... such as Che Guevara's group of mostly Cuban insurgents in Bolivia ... have failed miserably.

That's not to say that Guevara or his guerrilla compañeros were not honorable figures, nor that the concept of internationalism is ignoble; it's simply to say that people -- whether we like it or not -- do not simply eschew their nationalism in favor of Rangel's lofty notions of "internationalism."

Reality is not always to be found in the dusty old texts of "internationalist" Marxism, nor in the writings of Simon Bolivar.

O'Donoghue paraphrases Rangel as saying that the FARC and ELN "seem to ignore the fact that they are the vanguard of a revolutionary movement destined to change not only Colombia but also the whole of meridian America…"

Well, I hope folks don't mind if I express my belief that "revolutionary vanguards" are a thing of the past, and that's where they should stay. Revolutions are not to be carried out by specialized classes of "revolutionaries."

• True revolutions can only be brought to fruition by mass organizations, under the direct democratic control of unprivileged majorities.

I believe that, in Venezuela, such promising mass organizations are now in the process of development… in the form of Bolivarian Circles, community media, and a new politically independent trade union federation.

Vanguardism represents some of the most elitist and undemocratic features of traditional Marxism.

From my perspective, Rangel -- with all his lofty advice for others to follow -- is the ultimate "armchair leftist": I find it pretty audacious on his part to accuse Chavez of "opportunistic" efforts to appeal to both the "armchair left" and the political right.

From where I sit, it doesn't seem like many rightists are jumping on board with Chavez, nor that Chavez is doing much of anything that would induce them to do so. 

In fact, I think it is Rangel who is guilty of opportunism; to speciously accuse Chavez of associations with the political right for the purpose of furthering his own sectarian and Quixotic causes is about as a rank a form of opportunism as I can imagine. 

Rangel's remark that the Colombian guerrillas operating in Venezuela have "forced the big landowners and ranchers to recognize social benefits and a decent salary for Colombian laborers" is about the only interesting piece of information that I've seen from him.

Until I see any other worthwhile insights from Rangel, I'll continue wondering what is so newsworthy about his commentary.

Justin Delacour jdelac@unm.edu

www.canada.com CATHERINE SOLYOM The Gazette Friday, March 07, 2003

What to pay: the mortgage or the heating bill?

That was the dilemma facing Carolina Villaseca when arctic winds and the prospect of war in Iraq conspired to send the price of heating oil through the roof, from about 44 cents a litre in November to 66 cents today.

"We had to pay the mortgage and all our debts and we just couldn't afford the heat," said Villaseca, a new mother living in Laval, whose monthly oil bill almost doubled this year to $300.

"But if we didn't heat, the pipes would burst, and you can't let a baby go without heat."

Villaseca turned to Sun Youth, which helped provide a half-tank of fuel in February.

She wasn't the only one caught between a rock and a cold place. Since January, Sun Youth, along with the Quebec Heating Oil Association, has helped about 100 families in Greater Montreal heat their homes.

The beneficiaries include a family with four small children; a family sleeping with its stove on, and using candles to keep warm; a woman whose budgie froze to death; and senior citizens who simply couldn't afford to pay for the oil delivery.

"It's been an exceptional year," said Sid Stevens, executive director of Sun Youth, which helped 40 families with their fuel bills all last year. "The only difference between the homeless and some families is that some families have a civic address. But they still live in the cold."

Sun Youth also turned down about 100 families when it saw they could pay for the heat - but didn't want to.

Of those, there are thousands.

"One customer came in screaming about his bill, calling us all thieves and asking 'How come my neighbour pays less?' " said a representative of fuel supplier Joseph Elie Ltd., affiliated with Petro Canada, who would not give her name. "But we offered him 41.9 cents a litre guaranteed in July and he refused. So what do you want us to do about it? The price went up."

Unfortunately, most Montrealers, lulled by 10 years of relatively low oil prices and mild winters, decided not to go with a fixed rate, or secure a cap on the price of oil when it was offered in the summer, said Hélène Tomlinson of the Quebec Heating Oil Association. "They decided to take their chances, not knowing about the strike in Venezuela or war in Iraq. Now they are up a creek and there are a lot of divorces over it."

While natural gas prices rose about 59 per cent this winter because of higher demand, and electricity went up 18 per cent, heating oil followed the same trajectory as crude oil, which shot up from $24.85 U.S. a barrel in November to $37 yesterday.

"People blame the oil companies - or the delivery guy," Tomlinson said. "But we can't control the weather or what happens in Iraq."

And after giving home heating rebates in the winter of 2001 to a number of prison inmates and dead people, the federal government is unlikely to step in again.

Heating Oil Prices

Not including taxes or volume discounts (in cents/litre)

Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Feb. 24 March 3 Area 2001-02 Nov. '02 Dec. '02 Jan. '03 Feb. '03 2003 2003 Townships 38.7 43.8 46.8 50.9 59.5 62.4 64.7 Montreal 39.7 44.4 47.2 51.8 60.6 63.5 66.2 Laval 39.9 44.9 47.7 52.3 61.4 64.4 66.5 Laurentians 39.1 44.2 46.8 50.9 59.5 62.1 65.6 Outaouais 44.2 48.5 50.1 54.4 63.8 66.1 69.5

SOURCE: rÉgie de l'énergie du québec csolyom@thegazette.canwest.com

www.globeandmail.com Canadian Press

Montreal — Air travellers, already swamped by various extra fees, got more bad news Thursday when Air Canada announced plans to add another $10 fuel charge on each one-way domestic flight.

The move, which takes effect next Tuesday, will bring the fuel surcharge to $25, or $50 for a return trip.

One-way flights under 480 kilometres are exempt from the latest increase, said Air Canada spokeswoman Renee Smith-Valade.

"We're certainly cognizant that there's already a significant negative impact from fees and charges on the short-haul markets."

The latest hike is a temporary measure, Air Canada said.

The airline first introduced the fuel surcharge in 2000 at $15. It was cut in half in November 2001, only to go back to $15 in April 2002.

Air Canada said near-record oil and jet-fuel costs caused by geopolitical uncertainties over a war in Iraq and the strike in Venezuela were to blame for the latest surcharge.

"It's unfortunate that we have no option but to raise the fuel surcharge, although the impact of near record-high fuel prices is something all consumers can relate to," Ms. Smith-Valade said.

The airline says about 45 per cent of its fuel purchases are hedged against market increases in the current first quarter, and about 10 per cent for the three subsequent quarters.

Air Canada estimates that a $1 (U.S.) a barrel increase in the price of crude oil increases the airline's annual fuel costs by $30-million. Fuel is the second-largest expense for an airline, after personnel.

Canada's dominant airline is trying to negotiate cost-cutting measures with its unions after losing $428-million in 2002.

www.thestar.com Mar. 6, 2003. 09:43 PM

MONTREAL (CP) — Air travellers, already swamped by various extra fees, got more bad news today when Air Canada announced plans to add another $10 fuel charge on each one-way domestic flight.

The move, which takes effect next Tuesday, will bring the fuel surcharge to $25, or $50 for a return trip.

One-way flights under 480 kilometres are exempt from the latest increase, said Air Canada spokeswoman Renee Smith-Valade.

"We're certainly cognizant that there's already a significant negative impact from fees and charges on the short-haul markets."

The latest hike is a temporary measure, Air Canada said.

The airline first introduced the fuel surcharge in 2000 at $15. It was cut in half in November 2001, only to go back to $15 in April 2002.

Air Canada (TSX: AC) said near-record oil and jet-fuel costs caused by geopolitical uncertainties over a war in Iraq and the strike in Venezuela were to blame for the latest surcharge.

"It's unfortunate that we have no option but to raise the fuel surcharge, although the impact of near record-high fuel prices is something all consumers can relate to," Smith-Valade said.

The airline says about 45 per cent of its fuel purchases are hedged against market increases in the current first quarter, and about 10 per cent for the three subsequent quarters.

Air Canada estimates that a $1 (U.S.) per barrel increase in the price of crude oil increases the airline's annual fuel costs by $30 million Cdn. Fuel is the second-largest expense for an airline, after personnel.

Canada's dominant airline is trying to negotiate cost-cutting measures with its unions after losing $428 million in 2002.

www.canoe.ca By KEITH BRADFORD, EDMONTON SUN

Gas prices were pumped up to a new record high of 79.9 cents per litre in Edmonton yesterday - and analysts warn it could cost even more to fuel up. Blaming uncertainty over a possible war with Iraq, low stocks, and the high price of crude oil, most city stations yesterday hiked prices by up to four cents a litre. "People noticed and they are not happy about it at all," said Krystal Triplett, a cashier at Petro-Canada, 5661 23 Ave., where prices jumped from 75.9 to 79.9 yesterday. "People say it's ridiculous they are paying that much." Gale Desmoulin, a cashier at Shell, 3518 118 Ave., said customers rushed to fill up yesterday afternoon before the pump price jumped from 76 cents per litre to 79.9. "They are gassing up right now before it changes." Michael Ervin of Calgary-based MJ Ervin & Associates, which monitors pump prices across Canada, said 79.9 is a new record in Edmonton - beating the previous high of 75.3 set Feb. 11. "We have seen costs going up pretty substantially as a result of higher crude costs and relatively low inventories of gas across North America," said Ervin. "I really think that in most markets we are seeing prices pretty much topped out. But it could possibly get worse if a ground engagement starts in Iraq." Ervin said his company tracks prices at the start of each week - so mid-week and weekend price hikes are not recorded. While the average price at the pumps in Edmonton was about 73.7 earlier this week, it was only 67.1 in Calgary, said Ervin. But it could be worse - drivers in Whitehorse were paying 94.9. "The supplies are very tight on the east part of North America and it's starting to back up across the country," said Ted Stoner, spokesman for Canadian Petroleum Products Institute - which represents refining companies including Petro-Canada, Shell and Imperial Oil. "I don't know of any problems in the Edmonton refineries. The only thing I could put (the price hike) to is the world reaction to what's going on in Iraq." Stoner said "civil disruption" in Venezuela had contributed to increases, but the situation has since improved and now has a minimal impact on prices. "The main driver for gasoline prices is the price of oil," said Vincent Lauerman, global energy analyst with the Canadian Energy Research Institute in Calgary. "Our expectation is that by the mid-year, prices should be quite a lot lower - assuming a war is relatively short." Action Against High Gas Prices spokesman Chris Spearman said he can't understand why prices are so high in Edmonton. "How can they charge 65 cents in Calgary and Medicine Hat and this in Edmonton? We can never figure that out," he said. "I think we are being exploited by world circumstances. Profit is not a bad word, but greed is."