Venezuela forums on Poorbuthappy.com

Arriving, booking flights, storing luggage with limited time.

By marqual on Jun 26, 2009, 10:55.

I haven’t booked any flights or tours yet, because would like to know what to expect. I’m considering going to Venezuela on a Continental Air flight, arriving at 5:20 am. How long does it usually take to get luggage & go thru immigration? Is it possible to catch an 8:30am Los Roques flight out the same day thru the national airport? (I know they are next to each other) Would you advise purchasing the Los Roques ticket prior to arriving in VZ or morning of departure? I will probably have a medium backpack for Los Roques and a larger suitcase I’d prefer to leave on the mainland due to charges for overweight luggage. Is there a safe place to stow luggage at or near the airport?

Travelling venezuela to colombia

By nfb24 on Jun 23, 2009, 08:56.

Hello I arrive in Caracas with a friend in a week! We booked travel to Venezuela because it was all a bit last minute and we needed cheap, but we want to get to Colombia. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth office advises against bus travel through the Colombia- Venezuela border unless it is at Cucuta, but we want to get to the coast. Any advice on whether it is currently dangerous to take a bus via Riohacha towards Santa Marta etc. or whether we should go inland first as the FCO suggests? We would like to fly, but I think that's out of our price range now... Thanks

Unfriendly Caracas airport

By TravellerNorway on Jun 17, 2009, 04:45.

I have seen quite a few airports in my life, but Maiquetia "Simon Bolivar" is probably the worst I have ever visited. After 30 seconds in the check-in area, an unfriendly policeman starts interrogating me about my stay in Venezuela. He finally leaves, but 30 seconds after that another one does the same thing, just as unfriendly. He leaves as well, and while approaching the check-in counter, number three shows up after another 30 seconds. Two minutes of questions, but he is still not satisfied. I have to go to an office, where they do a body-check and then search through all my luggage.The funny thing is, they don't do a good job either. Seems like they work on commission or something. I actually got approached by a couple of others afterwards, but then I could show them the inc after taking my fingerprints. Well, I could finally check in! The area itself is not very nice-looking either, with plain concrete-walls, and the airport fee is also very high. Ok, I seldom get upset about much, and I was more amazed than annoyed though. TN.

Fighting latifundio: expropiation of the land

By SoyElPueblo on Jun 4, 2009, 21:35.

I came across a youtube video where the president to Venezuela is announcing taking the land from its owners because they just use it to show off. "If you don't work the land, you loose the right to it" It appears to be the real beginning of communism. What do you think? http://tinyurl.com/rbtbth

I'm from Europe

By olandezu on Jun 4, 2009, 10:24.

I read some of what you wrote about black money and understand that you pretty hard.I do not know how I can help but are willing to do that for you.I was in South America and I think you must be proud of you.If there is no North America that can live better. Wait your ideas about the promised aid!!!!!!!!

Venezuela Chavez says "Comrade" Obama more left-wing

By tasco66 on Jun 3, 2009, 11:44.

ARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday that he and Cuban ally Fidel Castro risk being more conservative than U.S. President Barack Obama as Washington prepares to take control of General Motors Corp. During one of Chavez's customary lectures on the "curse" of capitalism and the bonanzas of socialism, the Venezuelan leader made reference to GM's bankruptcy filing, which is expected to give the U.S. government a 60 percent stake in the 100-year-old former symbol of American might. "Hey, Obama has just nationalized nothing more and nothing less than General Motors. Comrade Obama! Fidel, careful or we are going to end up to his right," Chavez joked on a live television broadcast. During a decade in government, Chavez has nationalized most of Venezuela's key economic sectors, including multibillion dollar oil projects, often via joint ventures with the private sector that give the state a 60 percent controlling stake. Obama has vowed to quickly sell off General Motors once the auto giant is back on its feet, but the government will initially control the company after a $30 billion injection of taxpayer funds. Chavez, a vehement critic of the U.S. "empire," has toned down his rhetoric since Obama took office in January and the two men shook hands during a summit in Trinidad and Tobago in April. http://www.reuters.com/article/ObamaEconomy/idUSTRE5520GX20090603?feedType=RSS&feedName=ObamaEconomy&virtualBrandChannel=10441

Dudamel in London

By C5vzla on Jun 1, 2009, 19:52.

Temp Job in Venezuela?

By marqual on May 27, 2009, 17:33.

I work for a multi-national company and a there is a chance to do a business trip to Caracas. The job would last 1-2 weeks and would consist of working with locals in an office in El Rosal. I would stay in a hotel and have a driver to/from the airport and to work. I would love to see a bit of the city, maybe go out on the town once, and maybe do a 2 day trip to Los Roques at the end of the business trip. I speak conversational Spanish. I've read numerous threads on other sites about safety in Caracas, and know that safety is an issue. I previously lived in Mariscal district of Quito for 7 months and have also travelled in Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina so I'm not completely clueless about safety in S.A. cities, but Caracas seems to be a scarier place. Questions: What do you think about this? Would you take this job? Any other advice?

Merida - exchanging money

By njc on May 26, 2009, 13:40.

Because of safety, it seems better to exchange in Merida rather than at the border... but is it easy to sell dollars in Merida at the black market rate?

Venezuela sends uranium to Iran

By tasco66 on May 25, 2009, 14:49.

First to the Farc now to Iran. This nutcase has to be stopped before it's too late. JERUSALEM (AP) - Venezuela and Bolivia are supplying Iran with uranium for its nuclear program, according to a secret Israeli government report obtained Monday by The Associated Press. The two South American countries are known to have close ties with Iran, but this is the first allegation that they are involved in the development of Iran's nuclear program, considered a strategic threat by Israel. "There are reports that Venezuela supplies Iran with uranium for its nuclear program," the Foreign Ministry document states, referring to previous Israeli intelligence conclusions. It added, "Bolivia also supplies uranium to Iran." The report concludes that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is trying to undermine the United States by supporting Iran. Venezuela and Bolivia are close allies, and both regimes have a history of opposing U.S. foreign policy and Israeli actions. Venezuela expelled the Israeli ambassador during Israel's offensive in Gaza this year, and Israel retaliated by expelling the Venezuelan envoy. Bolivia cut ties with Israel over the offensive. There was no immediate comment from officials in Venezuela or Bolivia on the report's allegations. The three-page document about Iranian activities in Latin America was prepared in advance of a visit to South America by Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, who will attend a conference of the Organization of American States in Honduras next week. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman is also scheduled to visit the region. Israel considers Iran a serious threat because of its nuclear program, development of long-range missiles and frequent references by its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to Israel's destruction. Israel dismisses Iran's insistence that its nuclear program is peaceful, charging that the Iranians are building nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear work is aimed only at producing energy. Its enrichment of uranium has increased concerns about its program because that technology can be used both to produce fuel for power plants and to build bombs. Israel has been pressing for world action to stop the Iranian program. While saying it prefers diplomatic action, Israel has not taken its military option off the table. Experts believe Israel is capable of destroying some of Iran's nuclear facilities in airstrikes. Iran, under Ahmadinejad, has strengthened its ties with both Venezuela and Bolivia, where it opened an embassy last year. Its alliance with the left-led nations is based largely on their shared antagonism to the United States but is also a way for Iran to lessen its international isolation. The Israeli government report did not say where the uranium that it alleged the two countries were supplying originated from. Bolivia has uranium deposits. Venezuela is not currently mining its own estimated 50,000 tons of untapped uranium reserves, according to an analysis published in December by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The Carnegie report said, however, that recent collaboration with Iran in strategic minerals has generated speculation that Venezuela could mine uranium for Iran. The Israeli government report also charges that the Iran-backed Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon have set up cells in Latin America. It says Venezuela has issued permits that allow Iranian residents to travel freely in South America. The report concludes, "Since Ahmadinejad's rise to power, Tehran has been promoting an aggressive policy aimed at bolstering its ties with Latin American countries with the declared goal of 'bringing America to its knees.'" The document says Venezuela and Bolivia are violating the United Nations Security Council's economic sanctions with their aid to Iran. As allies against the U.S., Ahmadinejad and Chavez have set up a $200 billion fund aimed at garnering the support of more South American countries for the cause of "liberation from the American imperialism," according to the report. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor refused to comment about the secret report. http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D98DEPH80&show_article=1

Hugo Chavez Cartoons

By tasco66 on May 18, 2009, 10:40.

Chavez promises to combat the “terrorist” press of Venezuela

By tasco66 on May 17, 2009, 06:42.

“Don’t be surprised if the government takes action against a few media which continue to practice terrorism”, said Chavez during a press conference in Buenos Aires where he arrived for a brief visit in support of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner administration. His warnings follow instructions to his officials to begin legal actions against the “terrorist” media of Venezuela. http://en.mercopress.com/2009/05/17/chavez-promises-to-combat-the-terrorist-press-of-venezuela

1st time south america traveler in Venezuela....am i stupid? or can i survive?

By sabound2 on May 14, 2009, 20:54.

Basically the title says it all I am going to be in venezuela from june 24th to july 1st. I am going to be with my boyfriend. We both have decent Spanish. However, we just kind of jumped into this quite naively and now I am wondering if this is still a good idea. I would hate to cancel the trip, but so many people have alot of extremely dangerous things to say about venezuela. What can we do there and be safe about it? and cheap :)

VenEconomy: Sequelae of a Revolutionary Robbery in Venezuela

By tasco66 on May 14, 2009, 07:50.

One of the latest disastrous decisions taken by the Chávez administration is the enactment of the Law Reserving Assets and Services Associated with Primary Activities in Hydrocarbons to the State, which was followed by the improper appropriation of oil service companies working on Lake Maracaibo and in eastern Venezuela. During the oil strike (December 2002-January 2003), the oil company’s crucial processes were closed down gradually and with proper planning. What is more, the personnel responsible for those processes abided by the strictest safety standards so as to minimize any possible damage. But when the government fired 20,000 of PDVSA’s professionals and started up operations again, it put personnel who were inexperienced but subservient to its project in charge of bringing the company’s complex processes back on line. These employees ignored elementary procedures and wrought considerable damage in wells and equipment, many beyond repair. The consequences of all this are well known: inactive wells, equipment out of commission and reduced to scrap, accidents resulting in deaths, and, above all, a huge cut in production capacity amounting to hundreds of thousands of barrels a day. Now the government has abruptly confiscated the companies in charge of water, gas or steam injection, in the knowledge that these are highly complex processes. The government is fully aware that these processes require specialized, technically qualified manpower and that this was why the task had traditionally been outsourced to highly specialized companies, which have now been pushed aside. Now that PDVSA is to take on the responsibility of these operations, its lack of experience could result in a reduction of 1,050,000 barrels a day, or half the current level of domestic oil production claimed by the government. The damage also extends to dozens of small and medium companies specializing in specific processes and with 20, 30, 40, and even 80 years’ experience, which have also suffered this revolutionary snatching of assets, generating unemployment and desperation in these productive regions of the country. What nobody understands is why the government wants to kill the golden goose that has allowed it by buy loyalties and firmly establish itself in power. Some say it is because PDVSA is bankrupt and does not want to pay the huge sums it owes. Others claim it is because the government is the sworn enemy of private property of any kind. And yet others believe that the government’s view of the world is short-term, biased, and omnipotent, which is blinding it to the black future it is creating for the country. Those who are inclined to think the worst believe this is the government’s way of getting back at a sector of the population that has refused to vote for it in every election that has been held and that what it is seeking to do is to bankrupt Zulia state in order to then take it by storm. Many more maintain that it is a combination of all the above. On what everyone is agreed is that this new outrage is a monumental blunder that will only bring more lawsuits for PDVSA and the country in international courts, make borrowing more expensive or even result in PDVSA being excluded from credit markets, put the plans of some oil companies to invest in offshore production projects on hold, and further destroy the country’s production capacity, so hastening PDVSA’s collapse. http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=334638&CategoryId=13303

Kidnapped!

By quantum on May 13, 2009, 11:29.

Hot off the press, World PrVENEZUELA: "Express" Kidnappings All the Rage By Humberto Márquez CARACAS, May 13 (IPS) - Rosa M. was about to blow out the candles on her cake when the phone rang. Instead of another birthday greeting, she heard her coworker Gladys sobbing and asking her for financial help, because on her way to the party in the Venezuelan capital she had fallen prey to an "express kidnapping." The small social gathering instantly became a collection centre for the ransom money, a little over 15,000 dollars. The cash was put in an envelope and taken to a street rubbish bin, and after an anxious wait the victim was freed, minus her handbag and belongings, but unharmed except for a few bruises. A couple, both professionals, were intercepted at the door of their apartment building in a middle class district of Caracas. They were driven all night long in their own car from one friend's home to another, collecting donations for their ransom. Every time their request was fruitless, their captors pistol-whipped them. The crime reports in major Venezuelan cities are increasingly filled with stories like these, "which are hugely under-reported, because many people won't make complaints for fear of being attacked again, or because they are discouraged by the scant interest the police show in investigating the cases," criminologist Luis Cedeño of Paz Activa, a non-governmental organisation working for public safety, told IPS. The criminals "know that the punishment for an express kidnapping is less than for conventional kidnapping (up to 20 years in prison), as it is defined as aggravated robbery with deprivation of freedom," and the sentence is hardly ever longer than eight years in prison, Cedeño said. In express kidnappings, also frequently used in Argentina and to a lesser extent in other countries of Latin America, kidnappers hold their victims for a short time, usually just a few hours, forcing them to get ransom money from their families or their bank accounts or credit cards. Express kidnappings have become popular among criminals in Venezuela because they are faster and easier to carry out, bring in money quickly, are less risky, and require hardly any infrastructure or research on the victims, since their own cars can be used by the perpetrators, experts say. "Collecting money from relatives and friends is the usual method, but in some cases the victims themselves raise cash by pawning their cars or motorbikes," said retired commissioner Fermín Mármol, a former chief of the judicial police who served as justice minister in 1993. Motorbikes, vehicles and recently even pets are also sometimes stolen and offered back to their owners for quick ransom money. But sometimes the property is not returned, even after payment. "The global boom in pets and the high value placed on animals as companions has encouraged aberrations, including rampant commercialisation, over-exploitation of breeding females, and crimes like these animal kidnappings," Cristina Camilloni of the Caracas-based Association for the Defence of Animals (APROA) told IPS. Joanna González said that in March, her little Schnauzer bitch was stolen from a park in southeast Caracas. The dogsnatchers found her telephone number, called her and asked for the equivalent of 1,400 dollars in ransom. She bargained them down to half that sum and left it in an envelope next to a fire hydrant as agreed, but she never got her pet back. Police sources say there is even a table of ransom rates. The thieves look for small breeds of dog, demand ransoms of between 1,000 and 2,500 dollars, and prefer bitches, which they can sell to breeders who sell puppies on the street. "Institutions like the Caracas city government are responsible, because they grant permission for dog vendors to use city spaces. For instance, a sports field near the APROA headquarters was taken away from the young people in the community, and animals are sold there without proper sanitary precautions, at highly speculative prices," Camilloni complained. The police do not investigate thefts of pets or of goods like cars, the recovery of which is left to the insurance companies. They have enough on their hands dealing with major kidnappings, according to experts. Cedeño said that the judicial police recorded 25 kidnappings in Venezuela in 1988, 50 in 1998, 67 in 2000, 200 in 2002, 279 in 2007 and 385 in 2008. So far this year, the National Cattle Ranchers Federation (FEDENAGA) has recorded 134 kidnappings. Fifty-nine of the victims have been freed, 33 have been rescued, four escaped, four died, and the rest are still being held by their kidnappers. The state of Barinas in the southwestern plains has had the highest number of kidnappings of wealthy landowners and ranchers according to FEDENAGA, with 35 abductions, followed by Zulia, on the northwestern border with Colombia, with 28. The judicial police have records of 166 kidnappings up to May 8 of this year, that is, more than one a day. In the last week of March and the first week of April this year, the judicial police rescued 16 victims, killed 14 kidnappers and captured another 24, according to Luis Fernández, the deputy director of this detective force. Cedeño says under-reporting may be as high as 70 percent, "which means that for every case reported, there are two or three more that go unrecorded, and the reason is that the bands of kidnappers are in collusion with the police. This is the first thing the families are told, to stop them from calling the police." This criminal "industry" has a turnover of tens of millions of dollars as, based on his investigations of many cases, Cedeño estimates that the average ransom amounts to about 118,000 dollars. What can be done? Criminologists call for an end to criminal impunity. In this country of 27 million people, where around 14,000 homicides are committed every year, less than five percent of murder cases result in conviction and sentencing. Experts have also recommended purging and restructuring the dozens of national, regional and municipal police forces, improving the administration of justice, and reforming the hellish conditions in the country's 32 prisons. Prison violence kills more than one inmate a day, in this country which was one of the pioneers of the abolition of the death penalty in 1863. Cedeño advocates urgent measures, two in particular: reactivating or revitalising anti-extorsion and kidnapping units in the main police forces, and forming integrated units with members of several police forces, to combat the collusion with criminals that exists within some of the police bodies. In addition, "kidnapping, the worst crime after murder, must stop being treated as a taboo subject," Cedeño said. He pointed out, as an example, that commissioner Sergio González, the head of the anti-kidnapping unit of the judicial police, was removed from office in July 2008, after reporting that 179 kidnappings had taken place in the first half of last year, 55 more than in the same period in 2007. (END/2009) Send your comments to the editor News Feeds RSS/XML Make IPS News your homepage! Free Email Newsletters IPS Mobile Text Only VENEZUELA: Fifty-Two Violent Deaths a Day, and No Respite in Sight VENEZUELA: Journalists Face Escalation of Violence VENEZUELA: Not Even Funerals Safe from Flying Bullets - 2007 VENEZUELA: Prison Homicides Still Routine - 2007 RIGHTS-VENEZUELA: No Change in Patterns of Police Brutality and Impunity - 2007 Latin America Human Rights Corruption The Word from the Street: City Voices HEALTH-ASIA: When Hearth Is No Longer Her Home MIDEAST: Palestinians Rebuild With Mud POLITICS: Obama Aide Puts Israel’s Nukes in the Diplomatic Mix CLIMATE CHANGE: Snow Cover Turning to Lakes in the Himalayas HEALTH: Chernobyl Kids Keep Arriving in Cuba TRADE: EC Manufactured Bogus ‘African Business’ Support for EPAs HEALTH: HIV-Positive Women Activists in Latin America Stand Tall U.S.: Obama Boosts Foreign, Development Aid Spending DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Lethal Link Between Gender Violence and AIDS SRI LANKA: Unions Strike Landmark Deal to Protect Migrant Workers READ IN IPSNEWS.NET >> ECONOMY, TRADE & FINANCE BRAZIL: Flooding Highlights Lack of Disaster Prevention More >> REALITY CHECK - Missing the Millennium Development Goals? BRAZIL: Flooding Highlights Lack of Disaster Prevention More >> ENVIRONMENT EUROPE: Help the Economy, Hurt the Environment More >> Contact Us | About Us | Subscription | News in RSS | Email News | Mobile | Text Only Copyright © 2009 IPS-Inter Press Service. All rights reserved. ess that is......

Venezuela no es Chavez, pls stop spamming the site

By C5vzla on May 13, 2009, 09:41.

Venezuela no es Chavez !!! Please stop spamming the site with links to antichavista propaganda. This site is about tourism and Venezuela has a lot of assets to show.

Venezuela Seizes Assets of 60 Oil Services Companies

By tasco66 on May 9, 2009, 12:44.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-05-09-voa16.cfm

Venezuela's Chavez slams Obama

By tasco66 on May 9, 2009, 12:34.

http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSN08512628

Chavez: "I reject this new aggression by the U.S. empire"

By tasco66 on May 2, 2009, 09:30.

Venezuela's Chavez condemns US report on terrorism By RACHEL JONES – 3 hours ago CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Hugo Chavez on Friday condemned a U.S. report that alleges Venezuela fails to cooperate in fighting terrorism and called on President Barack Obama to end the decades-long trade embargo against Cuba. Two weeks after Chavez and Obama exchanged smiles and handshakes at a summit in Trinidad and Tobago, the Venezuelan leader called the report "one more slander" that brings into question Obama's pledges of change. "In the name of the Venezuelan people, I reject this new aggression by the U.S. empire," Chavez said. The U.S. State Department's 2008 Country Reports on Terrorism criticized Chavez's "ideological sympathy" for leftist rebel groups in Colombia, saying it "limits Venezuelan cooperation with Colombia in combating terrorism." The report issued Thursday also accused the Venezuelan government of failing to systematically police its border with Colombia. Chavez dismissed the charges, then called on Obama to prove he really wants change by ending the "criminal" embargo against Cuba. "If Obama doesn't knock down the savage blockade against the Cuban people, it's all a lie. Everything would be a big farce," Chavez said. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday acknowledged growing pressure from other Western Hemisphere nations to lift the U.S. freeze on relations with Cuba, but added that Obama would like to see some "reciprocity" from Cuba's leadership after he lifted travel and financial restrictions on Americans with Cuban relatives. She said the Obama administration aims to turn around policies embraced by former President George W. Bush. She said the attempt to "isolate" Latin America's leftist leaders had enabled them to promote anti-U.S. sentiment while strengthening ties with China, Iran and Russia. Venezuela's rocky relations with the Bush administration reached a low point last September when Chavez expelled the U.S. ambassador and recalled his envoy to Washington. Clinton noted she discussed with Chavez the possibility of restoring a U.S. ambassador to Venezuela. The Venezuelan leader said following the April summit in Trinidad and Tobago that he would send a new ambassador to Washington. Despite years of political tensions, Venezuela remains the fourth-largest oil supplier to the United States. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hTijoZgUSZxNnMCIKiv5AtP6pJxwD97U4DA00

Obama, Chavez Shake Hands at Summit of the Americas

By Mongo on Apr 17, 2009, 20:56.

Venezuela quoted Chavez as saying, "I'd like to be your friend," while Obama reportedly expressed thanks, though this couldn't immediately be confirmed with the Obama administration. FOXNews.com Friday, April 17, 2009 President Obama shook hands with Venezuela's Hugo Chavez on Friday at the opening of the Summit of the Americas being held this weekend in Trinidad and Tobago. Photos released by the Venezuelan government show Obama clasping Chavez's hand and smiling broadly, and Venezuela quoted Chavez as saying, "I'd like to be your friend," while noting that he shook President Bush's hand eight years ago with the same hand. Obama reportedly expressed thanks. A senior White House official said the encounter came before the summit's opening ceremonies during a meeting with the heads of state. Obama talked to many of the 25 or so leaders who were there at the time. At one point, he walked across the room and introduced himself to Chavez. The official wouldn't directly confirm Venezuela's version of the encounter but didn't dispute it. Chavez spoke in English, the official said. Earlier Friday, Dan Restrepo, the president's top Western Hemisphere adviser on the National Security Council, had told FOX News Obama might cross paths with Chavez. "A chance encounter if it occurs," Restrepo said, in describing such a meeting. "Let's put the animosities behind us. Let's not have old arguments. "Let's not have tired ideological arguments. Let's get down to figuring out how we can advance things that are in our national interest. Things that matter to the United States that should matter to Venezuela. Putting the arguments and ideologies of the past aside and working on pragmatic solutions to real problems that face our countries today," he said. Chavez, the leftist Venezuelan president, has been an outspoken critic of the United States, and in particular former President George W. Bush, whom Chavez notoriously once called the "diablo," or devil. Since Obama's election, Chavez has varied from insult to optimism in his assessment of the new U.S. president.

Chavez's coup d'etat on Mayor of Caracas

By tasco66 on Apr 15, 2009, 09:59.

Caracas Metropolitan Mayor Antonio Ledezma -- elected to office last November 23 but prevented from exercising office in what is claimed to be a clear case of post-electoral fraud in Venezuela During regional and local elections, which took place on November 23 2008, 4 out of 5 Mayoralty offices in the Caracas Metropolitan Area were won democratically by the Oppostion (Chacao, El Hatillo, Baruta and Sucre). It was only Libertador municipality that was won by the Venezuelan Socialist United Party (PSUV). According to Constitutional mandate, the duly elected Caracas Metropolitan Mayor, Antonio Ledezma is the coordinator of the five municipalities that make up Caracas . BUT ... since opposition Mayors took power, the national government has targeted them in ferocious attacks, blocking them from exercising office and creating huge obstacles for their proper management. Since November 23 ... when Ledezma was elected ... thru December 7 2009 ... when Ledezma officially took power ... the Caracas Metropolitan Mayor's Office was systematically looted, command over the Metropolitan Police revoked and hospitals, health centers, municipality offices, institutions and official landmarks were transferred to the national government. In an attempt to imposing a centralized regime, the government destabilized the management of the Caracas Metropolitan Mayoralty and ignored its constitutional authority ... the Chavez regime also stands accused of attempting to turn Ledezma's role into something that purely ornamental. The opposition claims that central government is also stimulating illegal action by para-police and para-military groups that violently assault and occupy the Mayor's official offices and prevent the Mayor from entering City Hall ... there have been many attacks on Mayor Ledezma and his offices by radical pro-government groups which, counting on jurisdictional immunity, and in some cases with the support of the commandeered Metropolitan police and military forces have effectively destroyed the fittings and fixtures at City Hall and are even charged with kidnapping employees such as Metropolitan Culture Secretary Victor Carrillo. On Tuesday, April 7, the National Assembly passed an Organic Law of Decentralization, which takes away all attributions from the Metropolitan Mayor ... this constitutes a true coup d'etat on the Mayor and is in clear violation of the 1999 Constitution since, on November 23 last, voters democratically elected Antonio Ledezma as Metropolitan Mayor. Ledezma says that "this totalitarian and anti-constitutional attitude disturbs local democracy ... in a general manner it challenges the Democratic InterAmerican Treaty which states its support for democracy and defense of human rights. It also promotes a state of law and opposes domination tendencies in the world with decentralization as a core value." He adds: The new law is flagrant attempt against popular sovereignty, citizen participation and decentralization. It establishes a 'Chief of Government' of the Caracas Capital District, which will be of a higher order than the organizations and officials elected to be in charge of the administration of the Capital District. A part from this, the new authority will be appointed by the Venezuela President himself in a council of ministers ... this humiliates, diminishes and disregards citizen participation and the electoral vote. It is a reverse movement that brings us back to despotic and autocratic practices of the most condemnable parts of our Venezuelan history. In fact, the idea of vice presidencies for regional states comes from the Juan Vicente Gomez government ... the most repudiated dictatorship in Venezuela in the last century. "The office of Metropolitan Mayor ... as opposed to this new Chief of Capital District ... is an elected official!" As Metropolitan Mayor, Antonio Ledezma, sees himself forced to file different legal appeals to the Attorney General, the Supreme Court, the National Electoral Council, the Official Ombudsman and other jurisdictional instances. He denounces violent acts against him and sabotage ... and, most importantly, he rejected the passing of the new Organic Law of Decentralization but has received no response. In spite of this, as the Metropolitan Mayor, he confirms his commitment to responsibilities given to him by the majority of Caracas citizens and profusely rejects the government's illegal actions as a clear and unmitigated case of post-electoral fraud. http://www.opednews.com/articles/It-s-clearly-a-constitutio-by-Roy-S-Carson-090412-505.html

Venezuelan Opposition in Hiding, Behind Bars as Dictator Chavez Widens Crackdown on Democracy

By tasco66 on Apr 15, 2009, 09:55.

Tuesday , April 14, 2009 By Steve Harrigan MARACAIBO, Venezuela — The mayor of Venezuela's second largest city is missing, apparently the latest casualty of a crackdown on opposition by President Hugo Chavez that observers are calling outright persecution. Manuel Rosales ran against Chavez for president in 2006 and lost, but last year he was elected mayor of the port city of Maracaibo, home to over 3 million people. After Chavez vowed on national TV to throw Rosales in jail, the government filed corruption charges against the 56-year-old mayor. Two weeks ago, Rosales dropped out of sight. Supporters say he is hiding — from an enemy who now has the power to crush all opposition. Rosales isn't alone in fearing retribution. Antonio Ledezma, another Chavez opponent, was elected mayor of Caracas in 2008 but is being barred from his office by his own police force, which attacked him when he tried to enter. "It is hard to understand — a mayor can't get into his own office," Ledezma said. "The people there have guns. They have a license for guns, a license for crime." Political analysts once used the word "authoritarian" to describe Hugo Chavez. Now they have begun to use the word "dictator" after what's happened to Ledezma and others. "What's going on is persecution," said Susan Purcell, director of the Center for Hemispheric Policy at the University of Miami. "[Y]ou have a political system where people don't have rights, the government controls all the means of communication ... and (Chavez) just doesn't want anybody to come up and challenge him. This is the usual behavior of dictators." The crackdown began after Chavez won the battle to remove presidential term limits, amending the nation's constitution in a February referendum. The political opposition has learned to fear imprisonment, but some fear violence as well. "I have already been victim of three murder attempts," said Leopoldo Lopez, mayor of Chacao, now a part of the capital of Caracas. "And two years ago was the last murder attempt and a fellow worker, Carlos Mendoza, was killed — he died in my arms." While the mayor of Maracaibo hides, his wife, a mother of 10 children, is speaking out. "It is something like out of a movie. I have to go to secret places to talk to my husband," Eveling Trejo de Rosales told FOX News. "Tanks drive by our house. What do I tell my 3-year-old child, who cries at night and wants to know where his father is?" It is not clear where Rosales is. The Chavez government says he has gone to Panama or the United States. Supporters say he remains inside Maracaibo, where technically he is still mayor, although even his supporters have difficulty explaining how a mayor in hiding can run a major city. "The mayor was just here recently. Honestly. He signed some decrees," an aide told FOX News. "Right now I'm the acting mayor, but he is the real mayor. I am simply implementing his decisions." Chavez is not popular in all parts of the country. FOX News witnessed residents of Maracaibo setting his effigy on fire — but the governors and mayors who oppose the Venezuelan president are fast losing their powers, and sometimes their liberty. The president's former defense minister, Gen. Raul Baduel, was arrested at gunpoint by government intelligence agents last week, charged with corruption and thrown in jail awaiting trial. The next opponent could be what's left of the media. Chavez urged this week that sanctions be imposed on the one television station that still criticizes the president. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,515796,00.html

Barinas to Bogota

By mandotech on Mar 29, 2009, 15:00.

What is the easiest way to get from Barinas to Bogota? Would it be best to take the bus or travel to take a plane? For either, I would appreciate names and estimated prices for buses or planes. Thanks

Russian Heavy-Bomber Planes Arrive In Venezuela

By tasco66 on Mar 18, 2009, 09:02.

Merida

By darealdeal4000 on Mar 12, 2009, 20:47.

I will be studying in Merida for the Fall 2009 semester at the VENUSA Language Institute. I have been reading how dangerous Venezuela is at the present time. How are things in Merida? Relatively stable? Has anyone studied there? How is the institute? What are some can't miss things to do while I'm there? Thanks! Voy a estudiar extranjero en el otono en Merida. Estudiare en el instituto llamado VENUSA. Alguien ha estudiado alla? Me lo recomiendan? Muchas gracias..

Safety in Venezuela

By CountryHoppers on Feb 15, 2009, 22:44.

My wife and I will be traveling from Florida to South America on our motorcycles. We have considered traveling to Columbia and Venezuela but we have been overwhelmed with people saying that it is not safe. However, when we read about people who have actually visited these areas they have nothing but good things to say. I thought that I would go to the horses mouth to find out. Would it be safe for a husband and wife to travel in Venezuela on our motorcycles? We do not drink or go to bars and such, so our nightlife will not be an issue when we travel. At your convenience, Erek Country_Hoppers at yahoo.com

Volunteer Abroad as an Atlas Corps Fellow

By Atlas Corps on Feb 6, 2009, 09:05.

Atlas Service Corps seeks nonprofit leaders from around the world to apply for their 2009-2010 fellowship positions in Washington, DC and Bogota, Colombia. All expenses are paid in this prestigious, fellowship program, including a living stipend, health insurance, visa, travel, training, and a $2,500 end of service award. Applicants must have 3 or more years of experience in the nonprofit sector, a college degree, fluency in English (and Spanish if applying to volunteer in Colombia), and a commitment to returning to their home country after one year. Candidates from outside the U.S. are placed at outstanding host organizations in Washington, DC including Ashoka, Asian American LEAD, CentroNía, Grameen Foundation, and Population Action International. Candidates from the U.S. are placed at organizations in Bogota like Give to Colombia and Oxfam GB. In addition to volunteering full time at their host organizations, Fellows are enrolled in a management development training program and join a growing network of nonprofit leaders from around the world. For more details about eligibility requirements and the application process, please visit: www.atlascorps.org/apply.html. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2009.

cucuta-san cristobal crossing

By ps731 on Nov 25, 2008, 16:14.

Hola. I am traveling through Colombia (MIA --> Bogota --> Cucuta) to reach San Cristobal, Venezuela to visit family during the holidays. I have dual citizenship, American and Venezuelan. I've been told to take both passports by some, and others who say only take the American. Because I have not lived in Venezuela since I was 4 years old, I do not have a cedula... I just have my Venezuelan passport and American ID. I am quite scared about traveling in a couple of weeks from the stories I have heard, and because I am a 20 year old female who will be traveling alone. I will be having my family pick me up in Cucuta, but am a little frightened at getting stopped at the border, encountering guerrillas, etc. From what my family tells me, the border is completely open and should be fine. Are there any tips that you all might offer? I haven't been back in 10 years so I really don't know what I'm in for... Also, as far as airport safety I've heard to not wear flashy clothing or take any jewelry with me! All of these stories I've been hearing even make me reconsider my trip! But I've already paid a fortune thanks to Avianca and I hope to see my family before things get any worse down there... I'd appreciate all the advice!

Guiria > Pedernales > Tucupita in the Delta Amacuro

By KY Traveler on Nov 10, 2008, 20:09.

Anybody ever done this journey, or know anything about any of these places? Apparently there are boats to Pedernales from Guiria a few times a week. And I think there are boats to Tucupita from Pedernales as well. I don't have any information about Pedernales, other than it's not reachable by road and there are a couple basic hospedajes there... Any additional info would be much appreciated! Cheers Andy

Bus trip from Caracas to Santa Marta including smuggling Contra-band.

By guacharaca on Oct 21, 2008, 11:36.

I just returned from Venezuela and I suspect many might be curious about the bus trip from Caracas into Colombia. Half of my wife’s large extended family lives in Venezuela and often make the trip to Colombia by bus every year. They know all the ins and outs of the trip. They advised us to take the Amerlujo Bus Company because it involves the least exposure to the crooked police as one crosses each of the check points when approaching the Colombian border. Since it is one of the two companies that offers direct service (the other is Brasilia) to coastal cities in Colombia, I would avoid the overnight stay as well as the problems of transferring buses in Maracaibo. Since I have heard nothing but bad stuff about Maracaibo here on PBH, I took their advice. They explained to me that during the trip each person on the bus would likely be asked to pay 10 Bs on two occasions to pay off the police so they do not stop the bus to check the bags. I was not too happy about this but had the money just in case. There is also a 46 Bf exit tax that one pays when leaving at the border. I bought the tickets two days in advance at the Eastern Bus terminal in Caracas. They do not accept credit cards so I could not purchase the tickets by telephone. I wanted to leave right away, but the weekend departures were full. The cost was 250 Bolivars Fuertes (1 Bf = 1000 Bs = 1000 COP) for the trip from Caracas to Santa Marta (300 Bf to Cartagena). Fortunately there was a bank machine that accepts ``plus`` system cards at the terminal (not an easy thing to find in Venezuela). My in-laws were surprised by the recent price increase. On another bus line it cost 75 Bf to get to Maracaibo and 140 from Maracaibo to Santa Marta but it involved staying the night in Maracaibo which is not cheap. Brasilia was also 250 Bf but they ``drive too fast`` my wife`s family explained. I was concerned that they stamped ``one bag or two carry-on bags`` on my ticket. We had three bags between the two of us. My family said don`t worry. Sure enough they were right. Some people had all kinds of bags and no one batted an eye at our bags. I saw one tough looking old peasant woman who had about 30 large bags bound in Chinese tarp material. I watched her pay off the baggage boy who loaded her bags onto the bus. There was an incredible amount of space for bags in the belly of that bus. Clearly she was carrying goods for resale that would avoid the Colombian import tariffs. The bus company checked our documentation very thoroughly before we boarded. We both had Venezuelan visas obtained at the Consulate in Toronto. Venezuela has such ridiculous visa rules such that they do not require a visa for Colombians to arrive by air (which we did), but requires the Colombian to have a Venezuelan visa in order to leave Venezuela by surface travel. Effectively, they require a Colombian to have a visa (or a Venezuelan cedula) to leave Venezuela by bus. Can you imagine if the USA did not let Mexicans leave if they did not have a visa? I also paid the Consulate $30 for a visa for myself whether I needed one or not. I did not want to give those crooked police any reason to extort money from me. We got on the bus and it was luxurious. Choose seat number 3 and 4 when you buy your tickets. They are the seats in front of the staircase so they recline more than the others. The bus departs at 8pm. The next morning as we closed in on the beginning of the checkpoints near the border, the old peasant woman went to each passenger asking for money to pay the police. She explained that if we do not pay, we will all have to stop and they will go through all our bags. A skinny girl from Barranquilla, who was clearing new to this trip, resisted. She said they can check her bags all they want. She was not going to pay a dime. A big argument broke out. Other old women sided with the peasant woman. Eventually the peasant woman, a bit cowed now, gave up and came and asked me for money. I gave her only 10 Bf total for my wife and myself. I figured she was already worn out and would be glad just to get something from me. Although I was not carrying anything illegal, I figured 10Bf was a good value in order to save a potential hour of time that it would take for the police to check the old woman`s bags. At one of the first check-points, an officer came on board and checked all the passenger`s documents. They only found one lady, who sat next to us, that did not have her Venezuelan Cedula with her, but did have a surface travel Colombian passport. I suspect that her cedula was fake. She showed it to the driver before she boarded, and then handed it off to a family member who remained in Venezuela. The officer figured she was too old to bother with (which means too old to try and extract money from while a foreigner with big ears sat next to her). At another checkpoint, the bus driver announced on the PA system that the police wanted 300 Bf or they would check the luggage on the bus. No one asked me for money and I am not sure if the bribe was paid, but the bus was never checked. I saw the police with red berets and semi-automatic rifles going through smaller vehicles at the side of the road. About a kilometre from the border, we all got off the bus and paid the 46 Bf exit tax. We then all got on the bus and an official came onto the bus and checked that we all had receipts. That same old peasant woman did not pay the tax so she was escorted back to the tax office where she paid her exit tax. I guess she knew that sometimes they do not check for receipts. At the border, we got off the bus and went into the Venezuelan Immigration office and got our exit stamps. We then walked 100 metres across the border and got our Colombian entry stamps from their counterpart. Everything went smooth as the bus picked us up again on the Colombian side. In Colombia at Rio Rancheria, the traffic was stopped for two hours because of Indigenous Indians demonstrating on the highway. We were also stopped for another hour because of road construction. Our 18 hour trip had now become 21 hours by the time we reached Santa Marta. The bus stopped at a roadside restaurant near Parque Tayrona. My wife`s family in Venezuela have been raving about the food at this establishment. We were not disappointed by their special beef meal. It was so nice to be paying the cheap prices of Colombia again. The lush green environment surrounding the restaurant was a breath of fresh air. In summary: don`t go to Venezuela. It is too dam expensive, the police are corrupt, and the Venezuelan people, on average, are rude. When you say ``thank you``, they look at you as if you are weird. I wish I took the advice of other travellers who had been to Venezuela and not gone there in the first place. It will be my biggest mistake for 2008. I do not regret taking this bus trip because I avoided the two required flights (CCS-BOG-SMR) to get to Santa Marta. If there is ever a direct flight from Caracas to Barranquilla or Santa Marta in the future, I would take that instead of the bus trip.

Needless to say but this guy won't be making Admiral

By nine inch nails on Oct 17, 2008, 12:15.

Pilot punished for Venezuelan incident By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer Posted : Friday Oct 17, 2008 14:21:23 EDT The commander of an air wing has been reprimanded for an incident in May when he flew an S-3B Viking into Venezuelan airspace and sparked a diplomatic row between U.S. and the oil-rich South American country. Capt. James Paulsen, commander of Carrier Air Wing 1, received a punitive letter of reprimand Friday from Fleet Forces Command chief Adm. Jonathan Greenert. Paulsen remains in command of the wing, which is based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Va. Paulsen’s flew the Viking, a surveillance and precision-targeting aircraft, into Venezuelan airspace May 17. He flew over La Orchilla, a Caribbean island with a Venezuelan military base. Enterprise is at Newport News Shipbuilding near Norfolk. State Department officials said at the time that he was conducting a counternarcotics mission in international airspace and made a navigation error. Paulsen made contact with the Venezuelan radio tower and told them he was returning immediately to international airspace, State Department officials said in May. Venezuelan officials denounced the intrusion and summoned the U.S. ambassador to Venezuela to explain the incident. The Judge Advocate General Manual investigation of the incident is ongoing, and officials may take further disciplinary action, according to a source familiar with the investigation. Paulsen took over command of the wing in January after serving as the wing’s deputy commander. He received his wings in 1985 and has flown more than 4,600 flight hours. Tension was already high between the U.S. and Venezuela for several reasons, including President Hugo Chavez’s fiery anti-American rhetoric, Venezuela’s alleged support for a guerrilla movement in Colombia, and talk in Washington that the Bush administration was going to add Venezuela to the official list of states that sponsor terrorism.

OK can some one please really help me with how to do the black market thing?

By Ken on Oct 8, 2008, 22:12.

Hello all. I am in a situation where I will be living in Venezuela, and was told by my new employer it's possible to get money on the black market for US dollars , and not just by carrying cash around. I am looking at large amoints of cash ($3,000-$4000 monthly) for my expensess. I was told you can do it with cheques to trusted people who do the trading. Is this tre? Is there anyway else to do this, i.e. bank draft to someones account in Aruba or Colombia? How would you do this over there (rather than crossing border with large amounts of cash monthly, which I think is totally absolutelycrazy) Can anyone give me insights on this? Thanks

How easy is it for Colombianos (as) to get work Visas in Venezuela?

By Ken on Oct 1, 2008, 21:07.

Ok- No mas tonterias.Esta es una pregunta muy serio. Can anyone please tell me how esy it is for Colombian(as) to get a 1) Visitor visa 2) Work Visa in Venezuela. Assuming she is living with me, and I give her a "Micro loan", and I am a quasi-legal extranjero living in Venezuela? Your input would be greatly appreciated, all. Thanks Kenocito

1st time to Venezuela. What shouldn't I miss.

By guacharaca on Sep 21, 2008, 16:07.

Have Visa in Passport. Going to Angel Falls, Isla Magarita and Los Roques island in October. Is there anywhere else I should not miss? Does Venezuela have a black market for changing money these days?

Chavez Smells like Uribe... who saw that one coming? hmmmm

By romy on Sep 20, 2008, 22:39.

Venezuela Expels 2 After Human Rights Report By SIMON ROMERO Published: September 19, 2008 CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chávez’s government expelled two employees of Human Rights Watch late Thursday night after chafing at their documentation of widespread political discrimination, intimidation of union members and a subservient judiciary.... The expulsion of the two men came after they released a long report here on Thursday documenting rights violations in Venezuela. They pointed to Mr. Chávez’s dismantling of judicial independence and his use of a 2002 coup that briefly ousted him from office as a pretext for consolidating power by weakening rights protections. The report also discussed the government’s intimidation of local human rights defenders and nongovernmental organizations, documenting the use of state television to carry out attacks on advocates doing work that criticized Mr. Chávez’s creation of a military reserve under his command. “Our expulsion reveals yet again the degree of intolerance of this government,” said Mr. Vivanco. more (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/world/americas/20venez.html?bl&ex=1222056000&en=e988142cbc6e5775&ei=5087%0A)

job in bar west london

By thechancery on Sep 15, 2008, 14:21.

I have a bar in fulham west london, i am currently looking for 2 bartenders, all my staff are from latin america. If interested then please forward your cv to arrange an interview. check out the bar at www.thechancerybar.com email: mark@thechancerybar.com thankyou mark

Maracay Bus Station Gent

By tropicalshirt on Sep 12, 2008, 00:51.

Spent some time travelling around Venezuela a couple of years back and kept on coming through Maracay bus station en route to other places. Anyone come across this black guy, in his 50's ish, wearing a like light coloured suit, real character walking around the station day and night saying hello to anyone and everyone? Arrived at the station one night at 4 am, waiting for the day to arrive, saw this guy doing the walk, saying hello to all and co, when he comes across this other similar type character, like Grouch Marx but without the hair dye, older and much, much more tired. The two enagage in this dialogue where the the black gent decided to sell his disney style tie to the other gent, this tie was old, full of character I should say, anyhow, after much to-ing and fro-ing the deal goes through to sell the tie and the two parties exchange. However..., about twenty seconds later the black gent decides to go back on the deal and changes his mind!!! THE PATHOS! Funniest thing I may ever see! Not sure I will ever get back to Venezuela, not really my cup of tea though very interesting place. Would love to meet this guy and take him a real nice, silk, top of the range tie though.

NO MAS CHAVEZ (Please support the movement)

By D1N on Aug 31, 2008, 11:42.

Please join my Facebook if you stand against Chavez and his regime of bandits. Together we can make a difference. United we can change the future. Please join me in this fight. Peace and Love from the United States to the people of Venezuela. NO MAS HUGO CHAVEZ http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1452733521 Read Chavez and his associates emails provided by Wikileaks.org In the next few months wikileaks will be releasing a huge inventory of classified material related to the Chavez regime and the inter workings of his corrupt practices. Show some support!!! You can also join in chat at chat.wikileaks.org/9999 on IRC using chatzilla. or webchat anonymously here https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:Chat Wikileaks.Org stands with the freedom loving people of Venezuela. Recent Wired.com article. http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/08/wikileaks-aucti.html The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/aug/28/digitalmedia.pressandpublishing?gusrc=rss&feed=media

Venezuela Maracaibo ...Don't go there

By mikeinpuerto on Aug 31, 2008, 10:31.

Quick note . I have just got back from Maracaibo . I stayed in the Hotel Gran Delicas. Staff are not friendly or helpful. The taxi drivers who work at the hotel are a bunch of robbers and they will give you misleading information. Go somewhere else. On the bus to Venezuela we were stopped 5 times and at one of the points they pulled the tourists off the bus and then tried to extort money from us. They managed to get money from some Italians because the new game is to say " You landed at an airport you have to leave by an airport" even though the Italians had arrived in Venezuela by bus. The police also took most of their money (only a small amount)} but then you have to pay an exit tax of 46 BsF and they did not have enough for that . Luckily some nice Australians and French people had a few small notes and we were able to come up with the money for them.... Considering that Venezuela is not at war with anyone the amount of police wasting everyones time and army people on the roads you have to wonder who is the government frightened of ? We met some more toursits who were on a bus behind us and they were put through the same thing. All in all the attitude of all the extranjeros was relief at getting out of Venezuela .... Seriously everyone think very carefully before going there ...The police are very corrupt and lying to people is the name of the game and read the local papers about how many people have been kidnapped there .. En Zulia state they are at 73 for the year. That is the reported numbers. Friday 29 august newspaper. I went to Venezuela expecting a little bit of hassle but it is way out of control there....

Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez to Play PABLO ESCOBAR

By mariacvetanoski on Aug 19, 2008, 12:21.

http://www.filmbug.com/db/345360 It seems that director Joe Carnahan will be killing a new Pablo for his upcoming film. After Entertainment Weekly reported that Oscar-winner Javier Bardem will no longer be playing Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar in Joe Carnahan's Killing Pablo, word surfaced soon thereafter of who his replacement will be. CHUD received an email from Carnahan himself who revealed that Bardem had departed awhile ago and he has already cast his replacement: Edgar Ramirez. The director said that Ramirez, who was most recently seen in Vantage Point and as Paz in The Bourne Ultimatum, was rearing to go for the role. Here's a portion of Carnahan's email below. I spent the last week in Colombia with Edgar Ramirez talking 'Pablo' and he has every intention of portraying Escobar and I couldn't be more fired up by the prospect. He's coming at it with boundless enthusiasm, conviction to the role and and the understanding that he's going to have to pack on anywhere from 35 to 40lbs. It was also reported that Ramirez was to play Pablo Escobar in a competing project with Antoine Fuqua, dubbed Escobar, but that is not the case. With his subtle, masculine style, Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez is among a select group of young actors on the rise in Hollywood Ramirez will next be seen in Vantage Point, opposite Forest Whitaker, Dennis Quaid and Matthew Fox and directed by Pete Travis. He made his American film debut as Choco in Tony Scott's Domino, opposite Keira Knightley and Mickey Rourke. Ramirez has additionally appeared in a number of international film productions. His past international film credits include El Don (The Boss), directed by J.R. Novoa (Venezuela/Spain); La Hora Cero (The Magic Hour), a short film directed by Guillermo Arriaga, the acclaimed screenwriter of Amores Perros and 21 Grams (Mexico); El Nudo (The Knot), directed by Alejandro Wiedermann (Venezuela); Yotama se va Volando (Yotama Flies Away), directed by Luis Armando Roche (Venezuela/France); Punto y Raya (Step Forward), directed by Elia K. Schneider (Venezuela/Spain/Chile/Uruguay), a nominee for OscarÂ consideration for 2004 Best Foreign Language Film; and Anonimo (Anonymous), directed by Enelio Farina (Venezuela). Ramirez will next be seen internationally in Cyrano Fernandez, a Venezuelan-Spanish production based on the French play Cyrano de Bergerac. He was also seen in the recently released Elipsis, directed by Eduardo Arias-Nath. A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Ramirez grew up all over the world due to his father's job as a military attaché. He has made his home in such diverse countries as Austria, Canada, Colombia, Italy and Mexico and, as a result, is fluent in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish. Throughout his travels, Ramirez developed a great love and ability for intercultural communication, a skill he parlayed into a degree in journalism. He specialized in political communications and initially intended on becoming a diplomat. In 2000, before turning to acting full time, Ramirez was the executive director of Ngo Dale Al Voto, a Venezuelan organization akin to Rock the Vote. In order to foster democratic values among young people, Ramirez and his team created cutting-edge campaigns for radio, television and cinema. The campaigns were well received by audiences throughout the country. He also lent his expertise to various Venezuelan multilateral organizations, including Organization of American States, Transparency International and Amnesty International.

Venezuela's Weak Strongman

By tasco66 on Aug 19, 2008, 06:32.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/440ugdag.asp

Landowners Attack Venezuelan Indigenous Clamoring for Land Rights in Zulia

By tasco66 on Aug 19, 2008, 06:30.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/3727

Venezuela to Nationalize Santander Unit, Chavez Says

By tasco66 on Aug 1, 2008, 03:58.

By Daniel Cancel and Matthew Walter July 31 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuela will nationalize the local unit of Spain's Banco Santander SA, the South American country's third-biggest bank in terms of deposits, to increase state control of the financial services industry. Chavez said he will pay fair compensation for Banco de Venezuela SA Grupo Universal, which Santander bought from the government in 1996, according to the bank's Web site. ``I want to get it back because it's the bank of Venezuela - - that's its name,'' Chavez said today in comments on state television. ``We'll put it at the service of Venezuela, because the bank was very profitable.'' Chavez has increased state control of the economy during the past two years by tapping surging revenue from oil sales. The government may have to pay as much as $1.9 billion to take control of the bank, said Asdrubal Oliveros, a director at Caracas-based consulting firm Ecoanalitica. ``The government is interested in a big bank to increase their presence in the industry,'' Oliveros said. ``I don't think this is a signal that they are going to nationalize more banks or take over the industry.'' A spokesman for Banco Santander in Spain and a spokeswoman at the bank's Caracas office declined to comment when contacted by telephone. The bank, founded in 1890, was first nationalized in 1994. Two years later, Banco Santander bought 93.4 percent of the shares for $351.5 million, according to the bank's Web site. Earnings Contribution Banco de Venezuela contributed 109 million euros ($170 million) to its parent company's income in the first half of 2008, 2 percent of the Santander, Spain-based bank's profit. Chavez said he previously blocked Santander's bid to sell Banco de Venezuela to private investors in the South American country. The bank holds 11.8 percent of all outstanding loans in Venezuela and 10.7 percent of deposits, according to Banco Santander's first-half earnings report. The Venezuelan unit has 285 offices and 3 million clients nationwide. Since his re-election in 2006, Chavez has nationalized four heavy crude oil projects, the country's biggest electricity company and the top telephone company. Earlier this year he announced takeovers in the steel and cement industries. Banesco Banco Universal is the largest bank in Venezuela, with a 14.2 percent market share. Banco Mercantil is the second largest, with an 11.5 percent market share by deposits. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=am_clTgTrSXU&refer=home

A Letter to The Editor

By CatGirl on Jul 18, 2008, 11:41.

After working out his new scheme for ‘doggie dating’ Adrian has been in the best of spirits. He is announcing his arrivals with whistles and his departures with new fancy greetings! His vault of characters have a new lease of oxygen and are thriving. Something is definitely happening in his life. With nothing much to do in my own, I am consciously taking his soliloquies seriously. The other day, he asked me to contribute some dough for a Chinese take out that he wanted to order for dinner. I did so. He picked it up on his way home. As he was taking the parcels out of the bag, his eyes fell on a small object inside the bag. He immediately lapped it up with a cry, "It's a fortune cookie!" Now Adrian, I wanted to tell him, how old are you to be so excited with fortune cookies. He hasn't grown up at all! I kept silent, I was in no mood to entertain him, I was pretty hungry too. He tore off the glossy plastic cover in a flash. Before splitting the cookie, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Boy, he was really serious about this! I wanted to tell him not to break it till Fortune Cookie Day, but I relented. I lost patience and headed for the food. He stared at the message in wide-eyed amazement. His expression told me it was something that did not belong to any extreme. I mean, he didn't shout in joy, or hold his head in his hands! I asked him, "What is it?" he paused, quiet. He was as still as a statue. "What is it?" I asked again. He gave out no sound. "WHAT IS IT!" I had to ask him three times. Then he passed the chit to me. On it, in italics, was written: 'Look for new outlets for your own creative abilities!' I read it out loud and completed the sentence with, "IN BED!" I started laughing out loud. It was hysterical! Adrian tried to explain me that the last two words were added only to bow to popular culture, it was actually the rest of the sentence that spoke of the fortune. I was too wild with laughter to pay any attention to him. He wanted to be serious right away. He wanted me to take the message seriously, too, but I couldn't. So he got pissed off and stormed out of the room in frustration. Then he came back to claim his cookie and dinner. I controlled my laughter and asked him to have it in the dining room itself. He ate silently and left to his room to crash. Thankfully he didn't look at me; I was bloated with laughter!

Venezuela Chronology

By huskie on Jun 16, 2008, 07:16.

| View | Upload your own Cheers

HUGO'S EX RUNS FOR MAYOR

By CatGirl on Jun 15, 2008, 15:47.

She is going to run for mayor of her own hometown in November elections. She has a history of publicly criticizing Chavez since their 2004 divorce. She was quoted to say "....under Chavez democracy in Venez. has been replaced with nepotsim, ineffeciency and intolerance".

Caracas dangerous?

By Peter on Jun 4, 2008, 03:16.

Is Caracas as dangerous as it sounds? This blogpost http://travellingsteve.blogspot.com/2005/01/caracas-venezuela-dangerous-new-years.html mentions that the best thing about Caracas is leaving. Are any travelers going there these days?