<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Monday, May 05, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

El Universal columnist, Roberto Giusti has come under attack from a "flying column" group of a government supporters as he pulled his beetle car into the parking space outside RCR  radio station in El Paraiso where he was due to broadcast a daily radio show. 

Rabid anti-Chavist columnist Giusti says a mob belonging to Patria Para Todos (PPT) shouted insults at him,  attacked his car and nearly destroyed the doors of the radio station. 

According to Giusti, PPT apparently blames him for the death of PPT militant Jorge Nieves in Guasdualito after Giusti exposed alleged PPT extortion of ranchers in Apure and alleged PPT links with the Bolivarian Liberation Front (FBL).  Giusti had reported that Nieves had acted as middleman between the families of a hostage kidnapped by the FBL a few days before he was murdered.

Giusti retorts that he will not allow himself to be intimidated by opponents and will continue to issue reports on the presence of Colombian and Venezuela guerrilla camps operating inside Venezuelan territory (El Universal, April 28), adding that he will not complain to the police or sue PPT because he does not believe in the current Venezuelan legal system.

PPT leaders reply that the group approached the station and the journalist demanding the right to reply but Giusti was "dismissive, rude and refused to allow representatives to speak on his radio show."

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Monday, May 05, 2003 By: David Coleman

President Hugo Chavez Frias says that May Day violence which resulted in the shooting death of 46-year-old building laborer Ricardo Herrera is the latest attempt by radical elements in the opposition to destabilize Venezuela and undermine his government ... he says that the shooting had the same hallmarks as other high-profile killings since the failed coup d'etat in April 2002 aimed at removing him permanently from democratic power.

"It's the same format ... the same script ... the same characters," Chavez said during his regular weekly 'Alo Presidente' radio/TV broadcast.  "The opposition immediately jumps on the bandwagon to blame deaths on government supporters ... there's now such a climate of impunity that it prevents those responsible from being convicted."

Herrera was shot and killed at Thursday's May 1 rally by an unknown gunman who witnesses say escaped on a motorcycle ... police have made several arrests but no one has yet been charged with the murder.

Venezuelan human rights group, Cofavic says that political violence is rising and blamed the problem on a justice system where 57 people have died and more than 300 have been injured in politically-motivated violence since April 2002 ... the vast majority of killings remain unsolved and there has been no links established to either the government or the opposition although both sides of the Venezuelan political divide immediately rush to blame the other when given the opportunity.

<a href=www.tuscaloosanews.com>The Associated Press May 04, 2003

President Hugo Chavez blamed his political foes Sunday for provoking a shooting spree that resulted in a man's death during an opposition march last week.

Chavez said the May Day violence was the latest attempt by his opponents to destabilize Venezuela and undermine his presidency.

"It's the same format, the same script, the same characters," Chavez said, drawing similarities with a failed military coup against him last year and a series of high-profile killings in recent months. On each occasion the opposition has blamed civilian deaths on violent supporters of the government and said a climate of impunity has prevented those responsible from being convicted.

Ricardo Herrera, a 46-year-old construction worker, was shot and killed at Thursday's rally by an unknown gunman who escaped on a motorcycle. Police have made several arrests in connection with the shooting.

Cofavic, a Venezuelan human rights group, said Saturday that political violence is on the rise and attributed the problem in party to a lax justice system. Cofavic said 57 people have been killed and over 300 injured by gunfire in politically motivated violence since the failed coup in April 2002.

Almost all the killings remain unsolved and no connection linking either the government or the opposition to any of the deaths has been established.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, May 04, 2003 By: David Coleman

Two small-scale gold miners have been seriously injured, one with gunshot wounds, and robbed of 30 million bolivares (US$19,000) in a raid on a house on Avenida Perimetral district of Parques del Sur in Ciudad Bolivar, southeastern Venezuela.

The men, named as Alirio (28) and Sergio Bravo (31) were pistol-whipped by at least three robbers who surprised them as they sorted nuggets in their La Sabanita workshop.  The attackers escaped in a 4WD Blazer with 30 million bolivares in cash.

"The first thing I saw was the muzzle of a 3.6 mm pistol in my face ... I tried to escape and call for help, but they beat me to the ground with the butts of their guns and shot at my brother (Sergio) who was hit by one of the bullets."

Ciudad Bolivar detectives have secured forensic evidence at the scene of the shooting and expect to make arrests over the course of the weekend.

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

Venezuela's most criticized mayor Freddy Bernal has announced the dismissal of 10 Libertador municipality officials for alleged acts of corruption. 

The move is said to be part of an attempt to answer long-term criticism that the Mayor has neglected bread and butter issues in his Caracas municipality for political forays and one-upmanship. 

"These 10 officials will be subject to administrative reviews and will be taken to court if there is evidence of corruption ... let us see if we can we can put some corrupt persons in jail in the Bolivarian Republic." 

Speaking at the 1st Bolivarian Promotion of Police Officers, Bernal has declared that he has embarked on an anti-corruption drive and warns rookie officers that they must be firm in the face of bribes and corruption as well as confronting criminal bullets. 

The Mayor has come under fire for the continuing high level of homicides in his municipality and critics have questioned his use of Bolivarian Circles in the municipality, arguing that if they are neighborhood watch committees, they have been unsuccessful in controlling the crime rate.