08 - 31 - 2006

IRAN'S PRESIDENT CHALLENGES U.S., PRESIDENT BUSH

    THERAN, IRAN  --   IRAN'S HARD-LINE PRESIDENT challenged the United Nations on Tuesday, two days before a Security Council ultimatum demanding Tehran roll back its nuclear program, and instead proposed a televised debate with President Bush. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also said no one can prevent Iran from pursuing what he called a peaceful nuclear program -- not even U.N. chief Kofi Annan.

    ''Mr. Annan, too, has to move within the framework of international regulations. No one has a special right or advantage,'' the Iranian president said during a two-hour, wide-ranging news conference, televised worldwide.   At the White House, spokeswoman Dana Perino called the debate idea ``just a diversion from the legitimate concerns that the international community, not just the U.S., has about Iran's behavior, from support for terrorism to pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.''

    The Bush administration earlier this week reaffirmed its intent to pursue U.N. sanctions against Iran if it defies the approaching deadline. But whether the U.S. can muster enough support on the Security Council to actually impose either economic or political sanctions remains in question.

HUGo CHAVEZ VOWS TO STAND BY SYRIA

    DAMASCUS, SYRIA  --  THOUSANDS OF SYRIANS lined the streets of the capital Wednesday waving banners and flags to welcome Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who pledged to stand by Syria in opposition to American "imperialist aggression" in the Middle East. Syrian President Bashar Assad hosted Chavez at the People's Palace, where the two leaders strolled down a red carpet alongside a 21-gun salute while a marching band played the Syrian and Venezuelan national anthems.

    "We have the same political vision and we will resist together the American imperialist aggression," Chavez told reporters upon his arrival at the Damascus airport late Tuesday. He said the two countries will sign a document opposing U.S. "aggression" in the Middle East. Assad greeted Chavez at the airport and thanked him for his support for Middle Eastern nations, saying the Venezuelan president has made "great stands" in support of Arab causes.

08 - 30 - 2006

SECRETARY RUMSFELD LASHES OUT AT PRESIDENT BUSH'S CRITICS

    SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH  --  DEFENSE SECRETARY DONALD H. RUMSFELD said Tuesday the world faces "a new type of fascism" and warned against repeating the pre-World War II mistake of appeasement. Rumsfeld alluded to critics of the Bush administration's war policies in terms associated with the failure to stop Nazism in the 1930s, "a time when a certain amount of cynicism and moral confusion set in among the Western democracies."

    The Secretary said "it is apparent that many have still not learned history's lessons." Aides to Rumsfeld said later he was not accusing the administration's critics of trying to appease the terrorists but was cautioning against a repeat of errors made in earlier eras. Speaking to several thousand veterans at the American Legion's national convention, Rumsfeld said that as fascism and Nazism took hold in Europe, those who warned of a coming crisis were ridiculed or ignored.

    The Secretary quoted Winston Churchill as observing that trying to accommodate Hitler was "a bit like feeding a crocodile, hoping it would eat you last." "I recount this history because once again we face similar challenges in efforts to confront the rising threat of a new type of fascism," he said. "Can we truly afford to believe that somehow, some way, vicious extremists can be appeased?" he asked. "Can we truly afford to return to the destructive view that America - not the enemy - is the real source of the world's troubles?"   (SEE CAMCO'S BREAKING NEWS ABOVE)

manuel lopez obrador rejects court's finding and asked his followers to ESTABLISH A PARALLEL GOVERNMENT

    MEXICO CITY, MEXICO  --  MEXICO’S RULING PARTY CANDIDATE  held onto his narrow lead in the disputed presidential election after a partial recount of votes, the top electoral court said Monday in a strong indication that conservative Felipe Calderon will be declared the winner. But the judges held off on naming the president-elect and still have the option to annul the election.  

    Calderon's leftist challenger Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador reacted to the court's announcement in outrage, calling on supporters never to accept Calderon as president and asking them to decide if he should form a parallel government or carry on a nationwide campaign of protests.  

    "We will never allow an illegal and illegitimate government to be installed in our country," he told thousands gathered in Mexico City's central plaza, calling acceptance of Calderon tantamount to a coup d'etat. Calderon said he was satisfied with the tribunal's decision because it supported the votes of millions of Mexicans. "We are on the right path," he said.  

08 - 29 - 2006

MEXICO'S CONSERVATIVE NEAR WIN AS COURT BACKS VOTE

    MEXICO CITY, MEXICO  --   MEXICO'S TOP ELECTORAL COURT  threw out leftists' allegations of massive fraud in last month's presidential election on Monday, handing almost certain victory to conservative candidate Felipe Calderon.  The seven judges voted unanimously to reject most of the legal complaints by left-wing candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who said he was robbed of victory in the July 2 vote.

    The judges fell short of formally naming Calderon the winner but they said there were only marginal changes to the original results after recounts and annulments at some of the most fiercely contested polling stations.  The judges, whose rulings are final and can not be appealed, must declare a president-elect by September 6.

MANUEL ROSALES: NO MORE DOLLARS TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES  AS LONG AS THERE ARE BARRIOS

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  OPPOSITION SINGLE CANDIDATE MANUEL ROSALES walked along a sector in Barcelona, the capital city of eastern Anzoátegui state, accompanied by dozen residents of the low-income area. "No more dollars to any foreign country as long as there are slums in Venezuela, as long as there is unemployment and hunger," he promised.

    Despite the rain falling on the city, a large number of people joined the candidate running for president. "This Government has been telling lies for eight years. Also, it is giving our wealth away, dispensing oil, most of which comes from the eastern land."

    He insisted on saying that the Venezuelan people have received only the remains of the squandering of the domestic wealth. He promised to keep respect for Venezuelans. "I will free you from harassment, from political chasing."

08 - 28 - 2006

IRAN TESTES SUBMARINE-TO-SURFACE ANTI-SHIP MISSILE

     TEHERAN, IRAN  --  Iran tested a new anti-ship missile fired by a submarine during war games Sunday, raising worries it could disrupt vital oil tanker traffic in the Gulf amid its standoff with the West over its suspect nuclear activities. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took a tough tone over the nuclear issue, saying his country's decision to pursue nuclear technology was irreversible.

    The Thaqeb, Farsi for Saturn is Iran's first missile that is fired from underwater and flies above the surface to hit its target, distinguishing it from a torpedo. A brief video showed the missile exiting the water and hitting a target less than a mile away. While the missile showed some technological advances by Iran, its main importance seemed to be that it gives the country another means for targeting ships, along with the arsenal of torpedoes and other anti-ship missiles it already has.

08 - 27 - 2006

DEFYING UNITED NATIONS, IRAN OPENS NUCLEAR REACTOR

    KHONDAB, IRAN  --  AN IRANIAN PLANT that produces heavy water officially went into operation on Saturday, despite U.N. demands that Tehran stop the activity because it can be used to develop a nuclear bomb. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the plant, which Tehran says is for peaceful purposes. The announcement comes days before Thursday's U.N. deadline for Iran to stop uranium enrichment - which also can be used to create nuclear weapons - or face economic and political sanctions. Tehran has called the U.N. Security Council resolution "illegal" and said it won't stop enrichment as a precondition to negotiations.

    Mohammed Saeedi, the deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said the heavy water plant is "one of the biggest nuclear projects" in the country, state-run television reported. He said the plant will be used in the pharmaceutical field and in diagnosing cancer. The plant's top official, Manouchehr Madadi, said the facility has the ability to produce up to 16 tons of heavy water a year. Iran has been a building a heavy water reactor near the plant for two years, but the reactor is not scheduled for completion until 2009.

    Nuclear weapons can be produced using either plutonium or highly enriched uranium as the explosive core. Either substance can be produced in the process of running a reactor. Reactors fueled by enriched uranium use regular - or "light" - water as a "moderator" in the chain reaction that produces energy. Reactors using "heavy water" contain a heavier hydrogen particle, which allows the reactor to run on natural uranium mined by Iran, foregoing the enrichment progress. But the spent fuel from a heavy water reactor can be reprocessed to extract plutonium for use in a bomb.

HUGO CHAVEZ MADE SECOND VISIT TO AILING CASTRO IN CUBA 

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  HUGO CHAVEZ said he made a second visit to his ailing ally, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, before arriving in China this week.  "Fidel is recuperating. I saw him again three days ago. We spoke a bit, a couple hours, and from there (Havana) we came to China," Chavez said during a news conference Friday in Beijing broadcast by Venezuela's state TV channel.

    Chavez has kept close tabs on Castro's health since the 80-year-old Cuban leader underwent intestinal surgery and temporarily handed over presidential power to his younger brother Raul on July 31.  Chavez earlier was in Havana helping the Castro celebrate his birthday on Aug. 13.

    The specifics of Castro's ailment and the nature of his surgery have been treated as a state secret.  Chavez added his government was ready to do "whatever it can" to help Cuba.  The U.S. government suggested after Castro stepped down last month that Chavez help push for democratic changes in Cuba, but the Venezuelan leader has said the United States - not Cuba - needs a transition to democracy.

08 - 26 - 2006

CHECKING OF DIPLOMATIC POUCH CAUSES IMPASSE

    CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  THE US EMBASSY TO VENEZUELA has denounced the "illegal" inspection of a diplomatic pouch by National Guards in Maiquetía international airport. According to US Embassy spokesman Brian Penn, the event took place Thursday early morning, shortly after the arrival of a shipment including "personal items" of US diplomats accredited to Venezuela in a flight from the United States.

    "National Guard agents violated international diplomatic regulations by checking illegally the diplomatic pouch, property of the US embassy to Caracas," Penn noted. "A National Guard General is included" in the military group, the official added. The US representative warned that diplomatic pouches are protected by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and Optional Protocols, signed in 1961, and Venezuela is a party thereto. "Therefore, we urge the Venezuelan Government to abide by these principles."

    He added that the embassy protested the action. "The State Department in Washington has been advised of this occurrence." Following the complaint, Venezuelan Vice-Foreign Minister for North-American Affairs Maripili Hernández confirmed the proceeding, but ruled out any breach of international treaties. She explained that the pouch exceeded the number of items declared by the diplomatic corps and, according to intelligence reports, presumably included some weapons. In the meantime, the Attorney General Office initiated an investigation in order to find any irregularity by the US Embassy.

VENEZUELA TO DEFEND HIGH OIL PRICES AT OPEC MEETING

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  OIL MINISTER RAFAEL RAMIREZ said that Venezuela will continue to defend high oil prices at next month's meeting of the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries, the state news agency reported.

    Ramirez, who is traveling with President Hugo Chavez in China this week, was quoted by the Bolivarian News Agency, or ABN, as saying that Venezuela will "continue its strategy to defend oil prices." "(Venezuela) will maintain this policy," when OPEC members next meet in Vienna, Austria beginning on Sept. 8, Ramirez said.

VENEZUELA, IRAN TO CREATE BINATIONAL USD 200 MILLION FUND

    CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  VENEZUELA is currently holding talks with Iran on financial matters in order to reach an agreement to establish a binational fund, advised Finance Vice Minister Eudomar Tovar.

Tovar underscored the fact that the binational fund would start with USD 200 million and be incremented in the future, reported official news agency ABN. The Vice Minister added that "the National Government is also holding talks with other countries, and we are willing to execute agreements with every nation interested in social projects."

CHINA TO VOTE FOR VENEZUELA AT THE UNITED NATIONS

     PEKING, CHINA --  CHINESE PRESIDENT HU JINTAO promised Thursday his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chávez to back Venezuela's nomination as a non-permanent member at the United Nations (UN) Security Council in representation of Latin America, Efe reported.

    Chávez gave the news following a meeting with Jintao in the People's Grand Palace to discuss the status of bilateral cooperation and other bilateral and international issues. "President Hu told us that China is to support Venezuela's attempts at taking part in the Security Council. It is both a politically and morally significant support," Chávez asserted.

    The move "is the consolidation of a relation in all the political, economic, social, energy and technological ambits," he added.

08 - 25 - 2006

U.S. REVIVES CONDITIONAL OFFER TO LIFT EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA

     WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION revived on Wednesday a four-year old proposal under which the United States would move toward lifting the embargo against Cuba in return for reinstatement of democratic processes on the island.  The proposal was first set forth by President George W. Bush in May 2002 and was rejected by Cuba

    Tom Shannon said the United States would consult with Congress on lifting the embargo if Cuba released political prisoners, protected human rights, legalized political parties and "created a pathway" toward free elections.  Shannon's appearance was part of an administration effort to promote democratic change in Cuba now that President Fidel Castro has relinquished power to his brother, Raul.

    The ailing elder Castro "does not appear to be in a position to return to the kind of day-to-day management of affairs that he has effectively enjoyed for so many decades," Shannon said.  He said he does not believe that Raul Castro will emerge as the supreme leader of Cuba. Instead, he said, Cuba is now undergoing a process of negotiation in preparation for a "power-sharing arrangement."  Shannon showed no interest in pursuing a diplomatic opening with Cuba now that Fidel Castro has been sidelined.

U.S. WANTS HUGO CHAVEZ TO PUSH FOR DEMOCRACY IN POST-CASTRO

     WASHINGTON, D.C. --   Venezuela could play an "important and useful role" should it choose to help carry out a transition to democracy in Cuba after almost 50 years of one-party rule, a senior State Department official said Wednesday.  Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon, speaking to reporters, said Venezuela has an obligation to promote democracy in Cuba under terms of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, ratified in 2001.

     Beyond that, Venezuela is in a position to exert influence in Cuba, Shannon said, because of the "special relationship between President Hugo Chavez and the Cuban regime."

     At a time when Cuba is the lone holdout against democracy in the hemisphere, it would be "a sad thing indeed" to "find a state prepared to side with a totalitarian regime," Shannon said.  During his seven years in office, Chavez has emerged as perhaps President Fidel Castro's strongest supporter in the hemisphere. Chavez has indicated no dissatisfaction with the system Castro has created.

08 - 24 - 2006

VENEZUELA, CHINA CONSOLIDATE OIL AGREEMENTS

     PEKING, CHINA  --  HUGO CHÁVEZ announced that China is to enlarge cooperation in oil projects and help build a fiberglass communications network in Venezuela under an agreement executed during his visit to the Asian giant this week. "We will capitalize on this visit. Since 1999, we started to weave these ties, with energy being one of the strategic guidelines. China is one of the largest consumers in the world, and Venezuela is one of the largest (oil) producers in the world. That is, we absolutely complement each other," Chávez said on landing in Beijing, according to the website of official TV channel VTV.

    The ruler disclosed that a top in supply to China of about 150,000 bpd of Venezuelan oil is expected this current year. "It looks like a modest number yet, but we began from scratch. Never before, Venezuela had sold oil to China." He briefed on a number of conventions "to move ahead with energy cooperation. For instance, Chinese corporations will start drilling oil in the Orinoco Belt." Purchase of Chinese chemical tankers is also envisaged.

    Chávez' visit is concomitant with increasing sales of Venezuelan oil to China, which in turn is willing to find a niche in Latin American markets. The Venezuelan Government did not provide any details on the President's agenda. However, it is known that he would attend an official welcome ceremony at the People's Grand Hall -a section of the ancient imperial palace in the Forbidden City and the venue of the Chinese Parliament.  According to official Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias, Venezuela and China made also a deal for USD 1.2 billion to build 20,000 houses within the next two years.

CHINESE NEWSPAPER NOTES MISTRUST OF HUGO CHAVEZ VISIT

     PEKIN, CHINA  --  INTERNATIONAL SECTORS  are suspicious of the visit of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to China due to energy cooperation and closer ties of this country with Latin America, The People's Daily, a body of the Chinese Communist Party said.

     "These are economic and trade relations perfectly substantiated by equality and mutual benefit," the official voice of ruling Communist Party since 1949 claimed.

    The newspaper acknowledged that Chinese-Latin American ties have sped up over the last few years. Chinese trade with 21 out of the 33 countries in the hemisphere accounts for USD 50 billion. Additionally, senior government officials of both parties meet quite frequently. "However, as Chinese-Latin American relations develop quickly, bewildering tunes can be heard from those in the United States who warn about keeping a watchful eye on the Chinese expansion in Latin America."

CHILEAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT VOTE FOR VENEZUELA AT THE UNITED NATIONS

    SANTIAGO DE CHILE, CHILE  -- THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES of the Chilean Congress Tuesday passed a bill suggesting the Government not to vote for Venezuela's candidacy to UN Security Council, reported parliamentary sources, quoted Efe. The motion, submitted by seven right-wing deputies, was passed 49 votes to 16.

    The document recommends the Government rejecting Venezuela's candidacy and attempting to create a major regional consensus regarding the election of Latin American representatives to the UN Security Council.

    "We would be very pleased to back a Latin American country as member of the Security Council, but today Venezuela is a source of division and conflict in the region, so Chile can not support that country," stated deputy Cristián Monckeberg, one of the bill authors.

VP RANGEL: CHILE'S VOTE IN UNITED NATIONS WILL NOT AFFECT BILATERAL RELATIONS

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  THE 'HISTORICAL RELATION"  between Caracas and Santiago de Chile is not to be affected by Chile's vote next October to choose the non-permanent representative of the region at the UN Security Council, Venezuelan Vice President José Vicente Rangel said.

    "Venezuela does not put pressure on any country and its Government has claimed that Chile's decision, whatever it might be, is to be respected and will not affect the historical relation existing between both countries," Rangel said in a communiqué.

    Venezuela, as well as Guatemala, is running for a two-year non-permanent seat at the Security Council to replace Argentina, whose term expires next October.  Rangel declarations follow a move by the Chilean Chamber of Deputies to pass a bill suggesting their Government not to vote for Venezuela's candidacy to UN Security Council

08 - 23 - 2006

CUBA SAYS US HOPES TO DESTABILIZE ISLAND WITH NEW SPYING EFFORT

     HAVANA, CUBA -- CUBA SAID Tuesday that the United States hopes to destabilize the communist country and its ally Venezuela through a new spying effort. "They are moving forward very quickly in their destabilization plans," the Communist Youth daily Juventud Rebelde said.

    "The war is very seriously under way in its intent to intervene, alter and destroy the two revolutions that committed the horrible sin of serving as example for an entire continent," the newspaper said. U.S. National Intelligence Director John Negroponte said Friday that he was creating a "mission manager" for Cuba and Venezuela to oversee the American spy community's efforts to collect and analyze intelligence on the two countries. Cuba has not had diplomatic relations with the United States for 45 years.

    Although Venezuela has relations with the United States, and is an important source of the country's petroleum, Washington has increasingly expressed alarm about the South American nation's close ties with Cuba.  "In a way, it's an honor that they put us alongside revolutionary Cuba" in naming an espionage point man for both countries, Venezuelan President Chavez said after the Friday announcement.

US SENATOR THINKS THAT HUGO CHAVEZ FILLS THE GAP IN LATIN AMERICA

     WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  Democrat Senator for New Jersey Bob Meléndez considers that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has cashed in on the void left by the United States in Latin America to exert growing influence in the region.

    Menéndez told daily Listín Diario that over the last three years, President George W. Bush' administration chopped the cooperation budget for the region, and enlarged it for other regions, such as Asia and Africa. "In fact, Hugo Chávez of Venezuela has bridged the gap created by the United States in its relations with Latin America," he asserted.

08 - 22 - 2006

TAPE SUGGESTS RAÚL CASTRO ORDERED BROTHERS SHOOTDOWN

     MIAMI, FLORIDA  --  CUBAN DEFENSE MINISTER RAÚL CASTRO discussed plans for the 1996 shootdowns of two Brothers to the Rescue airplanes during a meeting with official journalists just weeks after the event, according to an audio tape obtained by El Nuevo Herald. In the tape, a voice identified as Raúl's details the planning carried out during a meeting of military officers around Jan. 13, 1996, the day Brothers aircraft allegedly had overflown Havana to drop anti-government leaflets.

    ''I made it clear that [the decision to shoot] had to be decentralized if we wanted it to be effective, so we gave the power to five generals,'' the voice says. The Brothers airplanes “were going to escalate this, and we had no other recourse but to make this decision. ''I told them [MiG pilots] to try to knock them down over [Cuban] territory, but they [the Brothers aircraft] would enter Havana and go away . . . Of course, with one of those missiles, air-to-air, what comes down is a ball of fire that will fall on the city,'' the voice says. “Well, knock them down into the sea when they reappear. If not, consult with the people in authority.''

   The 11-minute recording was taped during a June 21, 1996, conversation at a Cuban Communist Party office in the eastern city of Holguín between Castro, government officials and journalists from the government's Radio Rebelde network. The recording was obtained by a Havana journalist who requested anonymity for his own security. Cubans in Miami who listened to it say they believe it is indeed Raúl's voice. The Holguín newspaper carried a report on Raúl's presence there the day after the meeting. The recording was delivered to El Nuevo Herald through Nueva Prensa Cubana, a Miami agency that represents several dissident journalists in Cuba.   ***   MORE   ***

BRAZILIAN NEWSPAPER CRITICIZES CHAVEZ' ANTI-CAPITALIST RHETORIC

     SAO PAULO, BRAZIL  --  RAN, IRAN  -- DAILY O ESTADO DE SAO PAULO stated Monday that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is an illusionist, whose anti-capitalist, anti-US wording is not consistent with his Government reality. "He, who listens to him without making provision to prove if what he says and what he does are the same, might end by thinking that the former coupster colonel is the greatest revolutionary contemporary leader able to replace mythic (Cuban ruler) Fidel Castro," the newspaper editorial argued.

    The daily deplored Chávez' "scatological prophecy," according to which, "capitalism will cause destruction of the humankind." The Venezuelan president, "views himself as a champion who not only will prevent US marines from invading Venezuela, but also will prevent the United States from consolidating its plans of global dominance."

     "On the left hand, Chávez announces the advent of the 21st Century socialism (…) But on the right hand, he increases trade with the United States and turns Venezuela into the bankers' paradise."

08 - 21 - 2006

RAMON CASTRO SAYS HIS SIBLING FIDEL'S HEALTH IS STEADILY IMPROVING

     HAVANA, CUBA  --  RAMON CASTRO, the older brother of leader Fidel Castro, said Saturday his more famous sibling is steadily improving after intestinal surgery that has left their younger brother Raul temporarily in charge of the country. "He's much better," Ramon Castro said of Fidel. "He works savagely and that has a cost."

    Ramon Castro, who turns 82 in October, is a lifelong farmer who has stayed out of national politics. He indicated he had not yet read his brother Raul's interview with the Communist Party newspaper Granma, which was published Friday and constituted his first public comments since assuming provisional power on July 31.

    The specifics of Castro's ailment and the nature of the surgery he underwent have been treated as a state secret. The leader blamed his heavy work and travel schedule for causing sustained intestinal bleeding, which prompted the need for emergency surgery. Recent government photographs and video of the leader showed him conscious, coherent and in good spirits.

IRAN TEST 10 SHORT-RANGE MISSILES 

     TEHRAN, IRAN  --  IRAN TEST-FIRED 10 surface-to-surface short-range missiles on Sunday, a day after it launched a series of large-scale military exercises throughout the country, state-run television reported. The Saegheh missile had a range of between 50 and 150 miles, the report said. It did not specify whether the missile was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, but it was not believed to be.

    State-run television said the missile was built based on domestic know-how, although outside experts say much of the country's missile technology originated from other countries. Iran said it launched the new military exercises Saturday to introduce a new defensive doctrine. 

    "We have to be prepared against any threat and we should be a role model for other countries," local newspapers quoted army spokesman Gen. Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, as saying earlier this week.  The military exercises come as Iran faces heightened international scrutiny because of its contentious nuclear program and for supporting the guerrilla group Hezbollah  in Lebanon.

08 - 20 - 2006

NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR JOHN NEGROPONTE NAMES "MISSION MANAGER" FOR CUBA, VENEZUELA 

     WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR JOHN NEGROPONTE ational Intelligence Director John Negroponte announced Friday that he was creating a "mission manager" for Cuba and Venezuela, who would oversee the U.S. spy community's efforts to collect and analyze intelligence on the two Latin American countries. 

     "Such efforts are critical today, as policy-makers have increasingly focused on the challenges that Cuba and Venezuela pose to American foreign policy," a statement from Negroponte's office said.  President George W. Bush’s commission on weapons of mass destruction recommended last year that Negroponte create these mission managers for hot issues.

    The establishment of a mission manager for Cuba and Venezuela - the sixth such position - highlights the strategic importance of those two nations and puts them on par with North Korea, Iran and counterterrorism, which have their own mission managers under Negroponte. He selected J. Patrick Maher, a 32-year intelligence veteran who has spent most of his career on Latin American issues, to fill the role.

VENEZUELA PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MANUEL ROSALES LED SEVERAL THOUSAND SUPPORTERS AT HIS  FIRST RALLY

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  -- OPPOSITION PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MANUEL ROSALES led several thousand supporters at his first campaign rally Saturday, where he accused President Hugo Chavez of no doing enough for the poor.  Rosales, a popular governor from the western state of Zulia, said it pained him to see some Venezuelans still living in shantytowns with leaky roofs or dirt floors.

    "The poor have to come out from below," he told the cheering crowd outside the National Electoral Council, where he formally registered as a candidate. "I'm going to do away with poverty in Venezuela. Its oil wealth is for the entire nation." Rosales, 54, pledged that if elected Dec. 3, he would create an oil-funded debit card that would be distributed to poor families and offer them an allowance to help pay for food, housing or setting up small businesses.

    Chavez, who is seeking another six-year term, argues that his opponents are ignoring advancements made during his term. He said the government has created a network of social programs including state-subsidized food markets, new public housing and free health care provided by thousands of Cuban doctors. Rosales said: "I'm the candidate of the fatherland, of Venezuela." "We don't have to bow before the United States, nor do we have to give away money to the bearded one, Fidel Castro," Rosales told the cheering crowd, dotted with the signs of various opposition parties.

08 - 19 - 2006

RAUL CASTRO SPEAKS OUT FOR FIRST TIME SINCE BROTHER CEDED

     HAVANA, CUBA  --  CUBA boosted the nation's ''combat capacity'' by activating thousands of militia the day after Fidel Castro announced he was ceding power due to an intestinal illness, his brother Raúl said in today's edition of Cuba's Communist Party daily, Granma. In his first public comments since Fidel announced his illness July 31, Raúl Castro, the nation's defense minister, said he increased military presence in Cuba, calling out reservists, militia and Special Troops in the face of a pending threat from the United States.

    ''I decided to substantially raise our combative capacity and readiness,'' he told Lazaro Barredo, editor of the Communist Party's Granma newspaper. He said he made the move because of the “political/military situation that has been created.''

    Raúl said Fidel's ''exceptional physical and mental nature'' helped him have a ''satisfactory and gradual'' recovery. ''On behalf of all the people, I will begin by congratulating and thanking the doctors and the other compañeros and compañeras who have attended to him in an excellent manner, with an unsurpassable professionalism and, above all, with much love and dedication,'' he said. “This has been a very important factor in Fidel's progressive recovery.''

BRAZILIAN EX PRESIDENT JOSÉ SARNEY THINKS CHÁVEZ "LACKS BIOGRAPHY" TO BE LIKE  CASTRO

     RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL  -  BRAZILIAN FORMER PRESIDENT JOSÉ SARNEY  matched Cuban ruler Fidel Castro with Liberator Simón Bolívar and criticized presumed eagerness of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to become a mythical character like Castro, DPA reported.

    "The Venezuelan President lacks biography and have excess of oil," Senator Sarney underscored in an article released Friday by Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paolo.During his presidential term from 1985 to 1990, Sarney resumed diplomatic relations with Cuba, broken off during the dictatorship from 1964 to 1985. He claimed that Castro, along with Bolívar, left the deepest trace in the Latin American history.

    "Bolívar, because of his integrationist dream and memorable charm. Fidel is the hero of modern times. The romantic revolution against dictatorship, boosted by the ideals of freedom displayed in Sierra Maestra to overturn the blood-thirsty tyrant."

VP RANGEL: VENEZUELA IS WILLING TO BE A GENUINE VOICE AT THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  VENEZUELA is willing to represent the Latin American region in an independent, sovereign way at the United Nations (UN) Security Council, Vice-President José Vicente Rangel told US newspaper The Wall Street Journal during an interview, as quoted by official news agency ABN.

    "We will not be a disturbing, harassing factor. Rather than a digitalized, monitored voice, we want to be authentic," the senior official stressed. "Peace is a characteristic feature in Venezuela's foreign policy. This is a constitutional dictate for us. I do not think that any other Constitution in the world has established it so explicitly," he added.

    Rangel ruled out the suggestions of US officials about Venezuela's potential support to countries viewed as taking issue with the US policy, such as Iran or Cuba.

08 - 18 - 2006

LUIS POSADA CARRILES ALLIES SPARED JAIL IN CONTEMPT CASE

     EL PASO, TEXAS  --  Two associates of Luis Posada Carriles avoided detention after a federal judge in Texas decided not to jail them for refusing to answer grand jury questions on whether the Cuban exile militant sneaked into the United States by land through Mexico or by sea with Miami friends' help. José ''Pepín'' Pujol and Rubén López Castro appeared Tuesday at the U.S. courthouse in El Paso to face contempt charges for declining to answer grand jury questions. Friends said Pujol, 77, and López Castro, 67, had expected to be arrested but were not. A third Posada associate, Ernesto Abreu, 43, was arrested July 6 and remains in detention after also declining to answer grand jury questions.

    Pujol's attorney, Luis Fernández, declined to comment because the federal judge in the case had issued a gag order. But friends of Pujol and López Castro confirmed that both had appeared in court and were not jailed because the judge concluded that detention would not coerce them into talking. López Castro's attorney could not be reached for comment.

    Shana Jones, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas in San Antonio, declined to talk about the matter. Posada has told U.S. officials that he sneaked in by land across the Mexican border. Cuban leader Fidel Castro has claimed that Posada was smuggled into Miami from Isla Mujeres, Mexico, aboard a boat called Santrina. The shrimping vessel is owned by a foundation linked to Posada's chief South Florida benefactor, Santiago Alvarez, now in jail and scheduled for trial next month on weapons charges.

VENEZUELA ATTORNEY GENERAL ORDERS INVESTIGATION INTO SUPPORTERS OF ORTEGA'S ESCAPE

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  AN INQUIRY WILL BE MADE into "everyone showing solidarity and support" to the escape of Venezuelan Workers' Confederation (CTV) head Carlos Ortega and army officers Faría, Attorney General Isaías Rodríguez announced Thursday.

    "Article 285, Penal Code, labels generic or indirect solicitation as a crime. Based on this assumption, publicity is also a requirement. This behavior can be established in three ways -solicitation to disobey laws, hatred among citizens and apology of a crime or defense of people who put public peace in jeopardy." According to the senior official, those who praised the incident could be involved in apology of crime. "We will initiate an investigation, substantiate it and find any responsibility."

    Rodríguez does not view it as a threat of chase, but "a call, both the media and ordinary citizens, to be sensible concerning display of solidarity with the fugitives."

VENEZUELA PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MANUEL ROSALES' CAMPAIGN TEAM SWORN IN 

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  THE CAMPAIGN TEAM OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MANUEL ROSALE  was sworn in Thursday during a ceremony attended by all the pre-candidates running for president who relinquished their position on his behalf. Julio Borges, candidate to Vice-President, and Teodoro Petkoff, as national strategy director, will be the team leaders. Armando Briquet and Gerardo Blyde will be members of the national strategy team in the name of opposition Primero Justicia (PJ) party.

    José Carrasquero, an expert in political affairs, will be the campaign leader. Eleodoro Quintero, assisted by Ricardo Villasmil and Richard Obuchi, will be the government program national director.

    Enrique Ochoa Antich will act as the campaign executive secretary. Omar Barboza will head the support unit, and Hiram Gaviria will be the candidate's advisor. Cecilia Sosa will act as senior legal counsel. Vicente Brito will work as advisor on private investment, and Enrique Tejera París will serve as advisor on international political affairs.

08 - 17 - 2006

SENATOR MEL MARTINEZ URGES PATIENCE OVER CUBA

     MIAMI, FLORIDA  --  U.S. SEN. MEL MARTINEZ on Tuesday urged Cubans in the exile community to be patient as they await change on the island, comparing the country to Eastern Europe during the fall of the Soviet Union and noting that change won't come overnight. ''We have to be patient as the process of change takes hold,'' Martinez said, speaking at an event hosted by the Pedro Pan Organization. “This isn't like it's election day and we're getting the results tonight.''

In the early 1960s, Operation Pedro Pan brought 14,000 children of Fidel Castro opponents to the United States. Many of the children lived with foster families for several years until their parents were able to leave Cuba. Among them: Martinez, who still has extended family in Cuba and describes Cubans on the island as fearful of the change to come.

The Florida Republican urged those in the exile community to show leadership by demonstrating a tolerance for differing opinions and to set an example for “people there who've not lived in a democracy.'' Martinez also reiterated the U.S. government's stand that the temporary transfer of power from an ailing Castro to his brother Raúl late last month was illegitimate, saying change must come from those on the island. ''Has anyone consulted the Cuban people?'' he asked. “The transfer of power from one aging dictator to another aging dictator is no betterment for the Cuban people.''

PROTESTERS-ARMY FIGHT BREWING IN MEXICO

     MEXICO CITY, MEXICO  -- A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONFRONTATION potentially dangerous confrontation between the Mexican army and thousands of protesters loomed larger Tuesday as federal officials insisted on holding annual Independence Day celebrations on the same streets occupied for weeks by supporters of the leftist presidential candidate. Both sides expressed defiance, refusing to give up their claim to the heart of Mexico's capital.

    Mexicans celebrate their independence from Spain every year with cries of ''Viva México!'' on the night of Sept. 15, as the president rings a bell from a balcony of the National Palace as multitudes gather in the central square, or Zócalo. The next day, the Mexican army assembles in the square and marches down wide Reforma Avenue, to the cheers of thousands of families. This year, the celebrations will be impossible unless protest camps are cleared.

    City police, who answer to the new mayor, an ally of leftist candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador, have so far been unwilling to do that, and the federal police have declined to intervene. Fox's spokesman, Rubén Aguilar, insisted that ''there will be celebrations on Sept. 15 and 16 as there always have been,'' despite the protesters' vows to stay. López Obrador, however, has called on his supporters to keep demonstrating for years if they have to, starting with large-scale protests at the Congress on Sept. 1, when Fox delivers his final state-of-the-nation address there.

CARLOS ORTEGA AND OFFICERS FARIA PRESUMABLY DISPERSED AFTER ESCAPE

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  BASED ON PRELIMINARY FINDINGS on the escape of Carlos Ortega, head of the Venezuelan Workers' Confederation (CTV), Captain Rafael Faría and Colonels Jesús and Darío Faría, the fugitives presumably came apart after fleeing the prison, Ministry of the Interior and Justice Jesse Chacón reported Wednesday.

While authorities fear that the fugitives left the country already, they think that somewhere in their plan they might face troubles preventing them from going overseas.The minister noted that the fugitives cannot ask for political asylum due to their status of convict.

Chacón attributed the claims about retaliation after the escape to a plan aimed at justifying granting of asylum in the United States.

08 - 16 - 2006

iran and syria praise hezbollah, mock u.s.

     TEHRAN, IRAN --  IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD  said Tuesday that Hezbollah has "hoisted the banner of victory" over Israel and toppled U.S.-led plans for the Middle East. Hezbollah's main backers - Iran and Syria - struck nearly identical tones a day after a cease-fire took effect in Lebanon: heaping praise on the guerrillas as perceived victors for the Islamic world and claiming that Western influence in the region was dealt a serious blow.

    "God's promises have come true," Ahmadinejad told a huge crowd in Arbadil in northwestern Iran. "On one side, it's corrupt powers of the criminal U.S. and Britain and the Zionists ... with modern bombs and planes. And on the other side is a group of pious youth relying on God."  In Damascus, Syrian President Syrian President Bashar Assad said Washington's plans for the Middle East were turned into "an illusion" by Hezbollah's resistance to the Israeli military during the 34-day conflict.

    Israel "was defeated" and Hezbollah "hoisted the banner of victory," Ahmadinejad told the crowd, including many people waving yellow Hezbollah banners and Iranian flags.  Ahmadinejad drew cheers when he said Hezbollah foiled what he called the plans of Washington and its allies "to create the so-called new Middle East."  "The people of the region are also after the new Middle East, but a Middle East that is free from U.S. and British domination," he said.

SMUGGLERS PUT 20 CUBAN MIGRANTS ASHORE IN FLORIDA

     MARCO ISLAND, FLORIDA  --   TWENTY CUBAN MIGRANTS came ashore in southwest Florida Tuesday, apparently aided by smugglers who brought them from Cuba in at least one small fishing boat, authorities said. All 20 migrants - 14 men, four women, a teenage girl and toddler boy - and two suspected smugglers were taken to a U.S. Border Patrol facility in Pembroke Pines, early Tuesday, said U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Steve McDonald. Ten migrants were treated for dehydration at a local hospital.

     Residents reported the Cubans coming ashore about 7 a.m. Tuesday. They told authorities they left Pinar Del Rio in western Cuba on Sunday, the News-Press of Fort Myers reported. They thought they had landed in Miami.  "These people will be processed as illegal aliens," McDonald said. "The difference with Cuban nationals is that they are automatically allowed to apply to stay in the United States. They are 'dry foot.' If they had been intercepted at sea, they most likely would have been repatriated."

     Under the "wet foot/dry foot" policy, most Cubans who reach U.S. soil are allowed to remain, while those intercepted at sea are sent home.  McDonald declined to identify the two suspected smugglers, who are being held while evidence is presented to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Authorities seized two 24-foot (7.2-meter) fishing boats intercepted near where the migrants were found.

HUGO CHAVEZ TO VISIT CHINA TO REINFORCE BILATERAL TIES 

     PEKIN, CHINA  --  HUGO CHÁVEZ is to visit China next week to discuss bilateral links and energy trade, the Chinese state news agency Xinhua said on Tuesday. Chávez will be in China from August 22-27, but the Chinese Government would disclose neither his agenda nor the officials Chávez is to meet with. The spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry Liu Xianchao said Chávez is visiting China following an invitation from President Hu Jintao.

    Bilateral ties have significantly improved since Chávez -one the most fierce critics of the US policies- took power in 1998. Bilateral trade in 2005 amounted to USD 2.14 billion.

08 - 15 - 2006

CUBAN TV AIRS FIRST VIDEO OF AILING DICTATOR 

     HAVANA, CUBA  --  Cuban state television on Monday aired the first video of Fidel Castro since he stepped down as president to recover from surgery, showing the bedridden Cuban leader joking with his brother and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

    Castro appeared tired and pale, yet alert in the videotaped encounter, speaking quietly but clearly enjoying himself as he chatted with Chavez, his close friend and political ally. Acting president Raul Castro was also present for the encounter on his brother's 80th birthday. The videotape showed the friends sharing a snack and looking at an album of photographs showing them together - including one from a trip Castro took to Venezuela during an earlier birthday. Sentimental music accompanied the footage.

    The televised footage - released after still pictures of the same encounter were published in the Communist Party daily Granma earlier Monday - appeared aimed at dispelling any lingering doubts about Castro 's recovery from intestinal surgery.

JAILED VENEZUELAN LABOR LEADER CARLOS ORTEGA ESCAPES FROM PRISON

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  A DISSIDENT VENEZUELAN LABOR LEADER  who was serving a nearly 16-year sentence for leading a crippling oil strike against President Hugo Chavez has escaped from prison, officials said.  Carlos Ortega, the jailed president of the 1 million-member Venezuelan Workers Confederation, or CTV, escaped along with three military officers from the Ramo Verde military prison, Attorney General Isaias Rodriguez said Sunday on state television.

    Troops and investigative police were securing all ports, airports and embassies nationwide to prevent the fugitives from fleeing or seeking asylum at a diplomatic compound, Defense Minister Gen. Raul Baduel told a news conference.  "This is to prevent ... one of the most horrible crimes that have been committed against Venezuela from going unpunished - a crime of conspiracy along with a coup in which one of the leading figures was Carlos Ortega," Rodriguez said.

    The possibility that members of the military helped the four escape is being investigated, though there is no evidence yet to indicate such complicity, Baduel said.  Ortega, who is considered a political prisoner by the opposition, was found guilty by a court last December of civil rebellion and instigation to commit illegal acts for his role in the 2002-2003 strike that aimed to topple Chavez's government. The three fugitive military officers are brothers Col. Jesus Farias and Col. Dario Farias and their uncle, Capt. Rafael Farias.

CUBAN EXILE MILITANT LUIS POSADA CARRILES ASKS FEDERAL JUDGE TO FREE HIM

     EL PASO, TEXAS  --  THE U.S. GOVERNMENT revealed Monday that it has asked six countries, including Mexico and Canada, to take Cuban exile militant Luis Posada Carriles -- but they all refused. It was the first time the U.S. government has publicly disclosed the number and names of foreign countries it has approached in an effort to remove Posada from the United States. An El Paso immigration judge last year prohibited Posada's deportation to Cuba or Venezuela but ordered his expulsion to any other country willing to take him.

    Besides Canada and Mexico, the other countries listed in Garney's court were Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador. Eduardo Soto, Posada's lead attorney, told Garney that the government's disclosure -- made by an ICE officer called as a witness -- proves the United States cannot deport Posada and thus, he should be released. Failure to do so, Soto added, would amount to a violation of the 2001 U.S. Supreme Court's decision against indefinite detention of foreign nationals who cannot be deported.

    Ethan Kanter, a Justice Department attorney, who represented the U.S. government at the hearing, asked Garney to deny Posada's request for release because efforts to expel him are continuing and because the high court's 2001 ruling allowed for the indefinite detention of detainees deemed a ''danger to the community.'' An ICE letter to Posada in March said he continued to ''present a danger to the community'' and ``a risk to the national security of the United States.''

08 - 14 - 2006

raul castro makes first public appearance

     HAVANA, CUBA  -- FIDEL CASTRO’S YOUNGER BROTHER, RAÚL, made his first public appearance as Cuba's interim dictator Sunday, receiving Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at the Havana airport. Chavez arrived to celebrate the elder Castro's 80th birthday.  Earlier, Fidel Castro cautioned Cubans that he faced a long recovery from surgery and advised them to prepare for "adverse news," but he urged them to stay optimistic.

    Chavez, Castro's close friend and political ally, had announced Saturday that he would visit the Cuban leader to help celebrate his birthday.  No comments were broadcast when state television showed the Venezuelan leader arriving Sunday, but he had told reporters Saturday: "I'll take him a nice gift, a good cake, and we'll be celebrating the 80 years of this great figure of America and our history."

    Chavez also visited Castro in October 2004, two weeks after a fall that shattered the Cuban leader's kneecap and broke his right arm. A picture of the pair on the front page of Granma was the first image published of Castro after the accident. Despite the optimistic assessment of Castro's progress, few believed he would make a public appearance on his birthday. No official events were announced for Sunday.

08 - 13 - 2006

HUGO CHAVEZ  TO CELEBRATE FIDEL 80TH BIRTHDAY IN COMPANY OF THE SICK CUBAN DICTATOR AND HIS BROTHER RAUL

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  HUGO CHAVEZ said Saturday that he will travel to Havana to spend Fidel Castro's 80th birthday with the ailing Cuban leader. "Tomorrow I will be with Fidel celebrating his 80th birthday," Chavez said in Caracas at a news conference after officially declaring his candidacy to seek presidential re-election in December.  "I'll take him a nice gift, a good cake, and we'll be celebrating the 80 years of this great figure of America and our history," Chavez said. 

    Castro has not appeared in public since July 26, and five days later temporarily transferred power to his brother Raul, citing surgery to repair intestinal bleeding. Cuban officials have released few details about his condition. Chavez, one of Castro's closest allies, said earlier this week that the Cuban leader was in a "great battle for life." "Of course Fidel Castro one day will die physically like all of us," Chavez said shortly afterward at a rally celebrating his candidacy."

    But Fidel at this time in history is already one of those men, one of the extraordinary human beings who defy death before falling to it," he said. "As a solider of the revolution, I want to say that Fidel Castro is already alive in the pages of history of our peoples and there he will never die."  "Fidel, you will never die, my old friend, comrade, companion, mentor and father of all revolutionaries!," Chavez cried, as thousands of supporters below him whistled and chanted, "Long live Fidel!"

U.S. OFFICIAL:  CASTRO HAS 'SERIOUS' HEALTH PROBLEMS 

     WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  THE PROLONGED DISAPPEARANCE OF FIDEL CASTRO from public view indicates that the Cuban president is confronting "serious" health problems , a senior U.S. State Department official said Friday. Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon, briefing reporters, also said he believes that Castro's attempt to turn over power to his brother, Raul, is doomed to fail.

    "The transfer won't work," Shannon said. "Ultimately, there is no political figure inside of Cuba who matches Fidel Castro." He added that the key to Cuba becoming a "reliable partner" in the international community is democracy. The comments of Shannon, and those of State Department Cuba transition coordinator Caleb McCarry, were the most extensive by the Bush administration since Castro, citing ill health, temporarily transferred power to Raul, the defense minister, on July 31.

     Shannon seemed to brush aside Cuba's stated policy of reinstating Castro to full powers once he recovers. He said Cuba may be at a point of "regime hardening" in an effort to ensure that the planned succession to Raul is not derailed. But he suggested that strategy was unsustainable. It is imperative, Shannon added, that the international community demonstrate a "clear show of solidarity" in support of a democratic transition.

08 - 12 - 2006

HUGO CHAVEZ' grant to chile is troublesome for michelle bachelet

     SANTIAGO DE CHILE, CHILE  --  USD 1 MILLION GRANT FROM VENEZUELA  to cope with recent heavy rains is terribly complicated for the Chilean Government as it could affect its decision to back Venezuela's nomination to the United Nations (UN) Security Council, local daily La Tercera stated.

    In order to prevent the acceptance from being construed as for political purposes, the Chilean Foreign Ministry resolved that the Venezuelan contribution should be managed exclusively by the National Emergency Office, Ministry of the Interior, DPA quoted.

    However, the newspaper claimed that the central government is to coordinate with authorities to deliver the grant personally to the residents of the VIII Region, in northern Chile. Last week, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced a contribution of USD 1 million in building materials, fuel and food, among others, for the homeless from heavy rains.

INTERNATIONALISTS REGRET APPOINTMENT OF NICOLAS MADURO AS VENEZUELA'S NEW FOREIGN MINISTER

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  THE HEAD OF VENEZUELA INTERNATIONLISTS' ASSOCIATION (CODEIV), Juan Francisco Contreras, lamented the appointment of Nicolás Maduro as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs. The move, he noted, shows that "the regime's foreign policy is in line with the ideological interests of ruling political parties."  

    Contreras declared that Maduro's designation adds up to "frustration in the career staff at the Foreign Ministry because the profession is despised. This is evident by choosing officials lacking any training at all."

     In the opinion of the Codeiv representative, "the current government thinks that there is no need to have much knowledge, studies, any experience in international affairs or negotiation ability. The Foreign Minister's role is to come to terms with those who think otherwise." The foreign policy under President Hugo Chávez "forgets that we are a western country. Therefore, our interests, culture and values are similar to the rest of the hemisphere," Contreras stated.

VENEZUELA'S CITGO ACCUSED OF VIOLATING LAWS IN TEXAS

     AUSTIN, TEXAS  --  THE FEDERAL ATTORNEY GENERAL  has filed 10 charges against state-run oil holding Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa) subsidiary Citgo. According to the agency, the corporate refinery located in Corpus Christi, Texas, presumably violated the Clean Air Law and the Migratory Bird Treaty.

Citgo, with head offices in Houston and wholly owned by Pdvsa, denied any violation, AP reported.  If found guilty, Citgo will have to pay fines for up to USD 500,000 or twofold gross profits, the higher, and will be under government surveillance for five years.

Based on the complaint, Citgo violated twice the emission levels of benzene from its refinery. Benzene is a dangerous chemical, and exposition to even small amounts could cause cancer.

08 - 11 - 2006

HUGO CHAVEZ SAYS CASTRO IN 'GREAT BATTLE FOR  HIS LIFE'

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  HUGO CHAVEZ said Thursday his close friend and ally Fidel Castro is in a "great battle for his life," but he also expressed optimism about the 79-year-old Cuban leader's recovery. "From here, let's pray to God for Fidel and his recovery, and he's fighting a great battle," Chavez said in a televised speech from the eastern state of Anzoategui.

    Chavez said he had received a message from Castro on Wednesday "that filled me with more optimism, with more faith." "Among other things Fidel told me ... 'I keep saying Chavez , God help Chavez and his friends,"' Chavez said. "I wrote to him in my own handwriting last night, in the early morning, to send it with the messenger who was returning immediately: 'You are fighting a great battle every day, all these nights," Chavez said.

    Castro said July 31 he was stepping aside temporarily, granting his powers to his brother Raul as head of the government and the Communist Party so he could recover from intestinal surgery. Neither brother has been seen in public since then. Details of Castro's condition, his ailment and the surgical procedure he underwent are being treated as a "state secret."

lÓpez obrador pushes for full recount

     MEXICO CITY, MEXICO  -- AUTHORITIES  are set to start today on a partial recount of ballots cast in Mexico's tightest presidential election in history, heightening the political tumult that has pervaded the country since the divisive July 2 vote. One hundred twenty-seven magistrates will supervise the recount of votes in 9 percent of the country's polling places, as second-place candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador continues to press for a full recount with widening public protests.

    On Tuesday morning, his supporters blocked motorists from paying tolls on five highways leading out of the capital city for about four hours. On Monday, his followers launched a campaign to heckle President Vicente Fox at his public appearances, yelling ''traitor'' as he inaugurated a highway in Puebla. Thousands of protesters camping in tents have blocked Mexico City's Paseo de la Reforma and historic downtown for the past 10 days and show no signs of tiring, much to the ire of residents and businesses.

    López Obrador has vowed to continue his ''peaceful civil resistance'' measures until a full recount is realized. He maintains that error and fraud cost him the election, which was won by the National Action Party's Felipe Calderón by only 244,000 votes -- a margin of 0.6 percentage points. Analysts say López Obrador, a leftist former mayor of Mexico City, is unlikely to get a full recount or overturn the outcome unless widespread irregularities are detected. The election was certified by international observers as free and fair.

CUBA COMPLAINS ABOUT SATELLITE DISHES 

     HAVANA, CUBA --  SATELLITE DISHERS ARE A "germ-filled stew" which receive subversive propaganda, Communist officials told Cubans Wednesday as Washington increased transmissions of its TV channel to the island while Fidel Castro recovers from surgery. The Communist Party daily Granma also alluded to Miami news programs and talk shows that have been filled in recent days with speculation about Castro's health and the island's future. The shows are received on illegal dishes, highly popular here among those who can afford them.

    "In the case of Cuba, a good part of the programming received this way has content that is destabilizing, interventionist, subversive and encourages, more and more, the carrying out of terrorist activities," Granma said. The government's attack on satellite dishes comes as Cubans' uncertainty over the health of the man who has ruled them for 47 years begins to ease. 

    Neither brother has been seen in public since then. Details of Castro's condition, his ailment and the surgical procedure he underwent are being treated as a "state secret." "We're going to ask Fidel to rest a bit more so he can be with us for more years and make imperialism suffer!" said Maria del Carmen Guerra, a cleaner at Miguel Enriquez University Hospital. The U.S. government's Office of Cuba Broadcasting on Saturday unveiled a new G-1 twin turbo propeller plane, which is increasing the transmissions from one afternoon a week to six. The new privately owned plane was set to go up in mid-August, but TV Marti pushed the date forward after Castro's surgery.

08 - 10 - 2006

ZULIA GOVERNOR MANUEL ROSALES LAUNCHED HIS CANDIDACY AS THE SINGLE OPPOSITION CANDIDATE FOR NEXT VENEZUELAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  AT CARACAS TELEPORT BUILDING IN PLAZA VENEZUELA, Zulia Governor Manuel Rosales launched his candidacy as the single opposition candidate running for president during the elections to be held next December 3rd. "Today is a day to put aside personal ambitions and think of unity. It is important, because this year Venezuela is at the crossroads -either it continues on the way to division and unemployment or takes the way of peace and progress," Julio Borges for Primero Justicia (PJ), said after waiving his nomination. "We are putting Venezuela together again. Everyone must do his bit in order to unite the country."

    Borges asked the public to applause all the nominees who agreed to choose the single candidate, namely Teodoro Petkoff, William Ojeda, Cecilia Sosa, Vicente Brito, Froilán Barrios, Sergio Omar Calderón and Enrique Tejera París. Amidst the highest accolade, Manuel Rosales took the floor. He announced straight to the point that the social area will be the backbone of his government program. It will be a "sound and well defined" program, he noted. The local ruler explained that his government plan include really fair allocation of oil revenues by means of two axes -minimum wage for all unemployed and direct contribution to the underprivileged.

    The decision to name Rosales as the single opposition candidate was made after the National Electoral Council (CNE) board of directors decided  unanimously that a recent ruling from the Constitutional Court, Supreme Tribunal of Justice, does not compel Manuel Rosales,  to resign in the event of standing for presidential election.

uproar: chavez equates nazis, israel

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  -- TWO STATEMENTS in which Hugo Chávez compared the Israeli offensive in Lebanon to the Nazi Holocaust have created an uproar and indignation among Jewish leaders who consider them to have an anti-Semitic tinge.  ''They [the Israelis] are doing what Hitler did against the Jews,'' Chávez said in an interview with the news agency Al Jazeera, broadcast Friday from Dubai.

    The second statement came during Chávez's Sunday radio program, Hello, President, when he condemned the Israeli attacks and accused the Jewish state of committing a ''new Holocaust'' with the help of the United States, which he described as a ''terrorist'' country. ''Israel has gone mad and is inflicting on the people of Palestine and Lebanon the same thing they have criticized, and with reason: the Holocaust. But this is a new Holocaust,'' Chávez said. He also denounced the United States for “refusing to allow the [U.N.] Security Council to make a decision to halt the genocide Israel is committing against the Palestinian and Lebanese people.''

    Just hours before his first statement, Chávez had withdrawn Venezuela's top diplomat in Tel Aviv, charge d'affaires Hector Quintero. Venezuela does not have an ambassador in Israel. In respo10-nse, Israel recalled its ambassador in Caracas, Shlomo Cohen, for consultations. Chávez said Tuesday the next step for his administration would be to end diplomatic relations with Israel. On Monday, the New York-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the organization that combats anti-Semitism worldwide, wrote to Chávez, asking him to consider the impact his statements might have in Venezuela. Chávez's statements added to the alarms in the Jewish community in Venezuela, whose population is uncertain but is sometimes estimated at up to 20,000.

08 - 09 - 2006

THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION SHIFTING CUBA POLICY

     WASHINGTON, D.C.  --  THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION is preparing to ease immigration rules for a limited number of Cubans following Fidel Castro's handoff of power, focusing on reuniting families who have relatives in the United States. At the same time, draft documents obtained Monday also describe plans to discourage any mass migration from Cuba to the United States.

    The plan would crack down on smugglers and refuse U.S. entry to Cuban government officials who have engaged in human rights abuses. But it would make it easier for some Cuban doctors to move to the U.S. While stressing that any policy shift was not yet final, administration officials said the changes could be announced as early as this week.

    "Taken together, they promote safe, legal and orderly migration, while they also support the Cuban people in their aspirations for a free and prosperous society," says a draft copy of Homeland Security Department talking points obtained by The Associated Press. The new rules are being considered three months before elections in which Florida's governorship and at least one U.S. House seat in Florida are considered in play. Many Cuban immigrants live in the state. The Homeland Security Department oversees U.S. immigration policy.

COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT URIBE SWORN IN FOR SECOND TERM

     BOGOTA, COLOMBIA  --  President Alvaro Uribe was sworn in for a second term Monday, promising to seek an elusive peace with leftist rebels while maintaining the hard-line security policies credited with a sharp drop in Colombia's murder and kidnapping rates. In a ceremony attended by 11 heads of state but marked by the absence of presidents from regional heavyweights Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela, Uribe said he would devote ''all of his energies'' to pursuing a peaceful end to this nation's four-decade-old civil war.

    ''I'm not afraid of negotiating peace. I confess what worries me more is falling short of that goal and instead seeing our gains in security eroded,'' the 54-year-old Uribe said after retaking the oath of office, in a speech short on specifics. After reforming the constitution last year to allow him to seek a second term, the law-and-order Uribe coasted to victory in May 28 elections, winning 62 percent of the vote -- 10 points more than in his 2002 victory.

    Uribe is Colombia's first sitting president to be reelected. As Washington's caretaker in the war on drugs, Colombia, the world's largest producer of cocaine, has received more than $4 billion in mostly military aid since 2000. The U.S. delegation at the inauguration ceremony was headed by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and included Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez.

ADAN CHAVEZ TAKES OFFICE AS HIS BROTHER'S SECRETARY

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  Adán Chávez, President Hugo Chávez' brother, who was the Venezuelan ambassador to Cuba, is to replace Delcy Rodríguez as the minister of the Secretariat of the Presidency, as published in the Official Gazette dated August 4th.

    On August 6th, President Chávez referred to his brother as the ambassador to Cuba, even though the designation was made two days earlier. Sources close to President Chávez said Rodríguez had some "discrepancies" with the Venezuelan ruler during his recent world tour, and she was therefore removed from her position.

    Rodríguez, sister of the former president of the National Electoral Council, was previously the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs vice-minister for Europe. She was sworn in as Chávez' minister of the Secretariat on February 24th.

08 - 08 - 2006

PRESIDENT BUSH'S COMMENTS ON CUBAN DICTATOR FIDEL CASTRO'S HEALTH

     CRAWFORD, TEXAS  --  DURING A NEWS CONFERENCE  at his ranch in Crawdord, Texas, President Bush said about Fidel Castro:  “First of all, Cuba is not a very transparent society, so the only thing I know is what has been speculated, and that is that, on the one hand, he's very ill and, on the other hand, he's going to be coming out of a hospital. I don't know. I really don't know.

    And, secondly, that our desire is for the Cuban people to be able to choose their own form of government. And we would hope that -- and we'll make this very clear -- that as Cuba has the possibility of transforming itself from a tyrannical situation to a different type of society, the Cuban people ought to decide. The people on the island of Cuba ought to decide.

And once the people of Cuba decide to form a government, then Cuban-Americans can take an interest in that country and redress the issues of property confiscation. But first things first, and that is the Cuban people need to decide the future of their country.

SECRETARY RICE: INVASION OF CUBA IS 'FAR-FETCHED'

     WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- The United States wants to help Cubans prepare for democracy but is not contemplating an invasion of the island in the wake of Fidel Castro's illness, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice  said Sunday.

    "The notion that somehow the United States is going to invade Cuba, because there are troubles in Cuba, is simply far-fetched," Rice told NBC. "The United States wants to be a partner and a friend to the Cuban people as they move through this period of difficulty and as they move ahead. But what Cuba should not have is the replacement of one dictator by another."

    Still, Cuban authorities have beefed up security by mobilizing citizen defense militias, increasing street patrols, and ordering decommissioned military officers to check in at posts daily. Rice said, "My message to the Cuban people would be that they have an opportunity, as this unfolds, at home to build a stable and more democratic Cuba." When asked whether the United States expects large numbers of Cubans to flee the island for America, Rice said that U.S. officials have worked "to tell the Cuban people that their future is at home, and no, a mass exodus is not to be expected, nor would it be condoned."

TV MARTI BOOST BROADCASTS TO CUBA

     MIAMI, FLORIDA  --  TV Martí broadcasts to Cuba have increased to a six-times-a-week schedule by using a private aircraft, officials say, setting in motion a key component of the Bush administration's plan to accelerate a transition to democracy on the communist-ruled island. The transmissions from the civilian aircraft, contracted by the U.S. government and flying out of Key West, come as Cuban leader Fidel Castro remained out of the public eye since he underwent surgery.

    The new flights, which will take place Monday through Saturday evenings, are part of a $10 million allotment by Congress for an airborne broadcasting project that would make it more difficult for Havana to jam the U.S.-funded TV Martí programs. ''The transmission from this plane is the fulfillment of the president's commitment to break the Cuban dictatorship's information blockade on the Cuban people, and will increase their access to timely and accurate information that they need at this critical time,'' Pedro Roig, director of the agency that runs TV and Radio Martí, said in a statement.

    A U.S. military C-130 aircraft had been broadcasting the TV signals for only four hours a week since hurricanes destroyed the broadcasting blimp in Cudjoe Key. The new airplane was described only as a twin-engine G1. ''No special equipment is necessary'' to receive the station's signals, said Alberto Mascaro, TV Martí's chief of staff. “It's an over-the-air signal so all that is needed is a television.'' The addition of broadcasts, which had been expected at the end of the month, was speeded up because of Castro's health crisis. A statement read on Cuban TV Monday said Castro, who will be 80 on Aug. 13, had undergone ''complicated'' surgery to stop intestinal bleeding.

08 - 07 - 2006

CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE: FIDEL CASTRO DOES NOT HAVE STOMACH CANCER

     SUCRE, BOLIVIA  --  CUBA'S VICE PRESIDENT on Saturday said Fidel Castro does not have stomach cancer and is recuperating well from surgery. "He is coming along well. He does not have stomach cancer," Carlos Lage told reporters during a visit to Bolivia for the opening of a constitutional assembly. "He's been made well by the operation and is recuperating favorably."

    Castro announced Monday that he was undergoing surgery for intestinal bleeding and was handing over power to his brother. Doctors in the United States said Castro's condition could be life-threatening but since the details of his symptoms were not released it was hard to say what caused the bleeding: severe ulcers, a colon condition called diverticulosis or even cancer.

    Havana has provided no details and released no pictures of Castro - fueling speculation on his condition in a host of countries. Cubans were told Tuesday in a statement attributed Castro that most details of his health would be kept "a state secret" to prevent the island's enemies from taking advantage of his condition. Lage was in southern Bolivia as the Andean nation kicked off a convention to write its constitution.

FIFTEEN ISRAELIS, EIGHT LEBANESE KILLED AS FIGHTING RAGES

      KYRIAT CHMONA, ISRAEL -- A Hezbollah rocket killed 15 people in northern Israel, and Israeli airstrikes left at least eight civilians in Lebanon dead Sunday, as fighting persisted amid efforts to bring an end to the war. The strike on Kfar Giladi was the deadliest single Hezbollah rocket attack on northern Israel since hostilities began last month. The rocket hit a group of soldiers at the small kibbutz near the Lebanon border, but Israel has not confirmed who died. The hit on Kfar Giladi was part of a barrage of 160 rockets on northern Israel.

    Israeli Army Radio reporter Hadas Shteif described the scene in Kfar Giladi. "This was the most difficult thing I could have imagined in my career. There are nine bodies here covered in blankets, around us cars are going up in flames," Shteif told the AP. "On one side is the cemetery, on the other side are the nine young bodies waiting for burial." Six rockets also landed in Kiryat Shmona, critically wounding nine people, Israeli officials said. At least 10 Katyusha rockets struck open areas across Galilee in northern Israel, but there were no immediate reports of injuries, an Israeli police spokesman said.

    Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it has captured a Hezbollah militant involved in kidnapping two Israeli soldiers last month. The kidnapping sparked the 26 days of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed nearly 800 people, mostly in Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces said the detained militant confessed to his role during interrogation by the Israeli military. "We are confident that we will gain information and make some progress into identifying the whereabouts and the well-being of our two soldiers," IDF spokesman.

08 - 06 - 2006

MEXICO ELECTORAL COURT REJECTS FULL PRESIDENT VOTE RECOUNT

     MEXICO CITY, MEXICO  --  MEXICO'S TOP ELECTORAL COURT on Saturday rejected a full recount in the disputed presidential election, ordering a partial count instead, angering leftist protesters camped in the capital demanding a new vote-by-vote tally over their fraud allegations.

    Dozens of supporters of candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pushed against the gate of the Federal Electoral Tribunal as its session ended, chanting: "If there is no solution, there will be a revolution!" One forced his way through, waving a Mexican flag and yelling "Bandits!" In Mexico City's central plaza, where thousands of protesters have been camped out for a week demanding a new count of the July 2 election, chants of "vote-by- vote" drowned out the judges' statements as the session was broadcast live on a large TV screen. The silver-haired Lopez Obrador, who is known for giving passionate, confrontational speeches, planned to speak in the Zocalo on Saturday evening, his aides said.

    The electoral court voted unanimously to order a partial recount of nearly 12,000 polling places - about 9% of the more than 130,000 nationwide - and called for electoral judges to oversee the process. Lopez Obrador's representatives walked out of the session in protest. The recount will begin Wednesday and was expected to last five days.

ISRAELI COMMANDOS SUCCESSFULLY ATTACK TERRORIST COMMAND POST IN TYRE

     TYRE, LEBANON  --  ISRAELI COMAMDOS battled Hezbollah  guerrillas in a raid on an apartment building in this southern port city Saturday, while warplanes blasted south Beirut. The fighting across the country killed at least eight Lebanese and an Israeli soldier, and a Hezbollah  rocket volley killed three Israeli women. The raid in Tyre was the latest Israeli commando operation deep inside Lebanese territory aimed at taking out Hezbollah  strongpoints even as heavy fighting raged closer to the border.

    Both Israel and Hezbollah  claimed victory in the Tyre battle - with Israel claiming it took out a key guerrilla unit involved in firing long-range rockets into Israel - including one Friday that hit the town of Hadera some 75 kilometers (50 miles) south of the border in the deepest Hezbollah  strike yet. The commandos landed from the sea and progressed through an orchard before dawn, cutting through a barbed wire fence to advance on the apartment building where a fierce gunbattle broke out with those inside.

    At least five Lebanese - including a soldier at a nearby checkpoint - were killed in the raid, the Lebanese military and rescue workers said. Brig. Gen. Noam Feig, Israel's deputy navy commander, said the commandos killed four Hezbollah  guerrillas inside the apartment who were directly involved in the Hadera attack. Five more Hezbollah fighters were killed in a gunbattle on the way out, while eight Israeli soldiers were injured, including one who underwent surgery at the scene, Feig said.

08 - 05 - 2006

FIDEL CASTRO BACK SOON, HEALTH MINISTER SAYS 

     HAVANA, CUBA  -- CUBAN DICTATOR FIDEL CASTRO is recovering from surgery and will return to office soon, the health minister said on Friday as uncertainty grew over the future of the island he has ruled for nearly half a century.  "We know Comandante Fidel will recover soon and will be back with us soon," Jose Ramon Balaguer said during a visit to Guatemala.

    State media said earlier that Castro's brother Raul had firm control of the communist-ruled country while he was in hospital.  Fidel Castro, 79, handed over power temporarily to his younger brother on Monday after surgery for gastrointestinal bleeding.  The news has created a tide of speculation over whether his rigid rule was about to end. It was the first time since his 1959 guerrilla victory that Castro, one of the most iconic and controversial world leaders of the past 50 years, had delegated power to anyone else.

    In Cuba, where he has dominated almost every aspect of life, and across the Florida Straits in Miami, home to many thousands of exiles who have yearned for his demise for decades, people have anxiously awaited developments.  The Roman Catholic Church meanwhile called on Cubans to pray for Castro's recovery.  Balaguer's assurances followed a dearth of information over the state of affairs. Neither Castro brother has been seen in public since the veteran revolutionary's surgery was announced.  

ISRAEL WEIGHS REPLY TO HUGO CHAVEZ

     TEL AVIV, ISRAEL  --  THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT  will ponder calmly on next steps in the diplomatic crisis with Venezuela, following the recall Thursday of the Venezuelan chief of mission by President Hugo Chávez. "We are studying the situation and no decision is expected for several days. We will not rush up," Dorit Shavit, the head of the Department for Latin America, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    According to the high-ranking official, Chávez's decision caused "discomfort and indignation" in Israel for being unilateral. It does not show a neutral stance by the Venezuelan president. Nor is it empathetic at all with the Israeli people. Chávez explained that he recalled the Venezuela chief of mission to Israel because of the "genocide" against Lebanon and Palestine.

JEWISH COMMUNITY COMPLAINS ABOUT ALLEGED ANTI-SEMITE CAMPAIGN IN VENEZUELA

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IN VENEZUELA  expressed Friday "deep grief for the killing of innocent civilians" in Lebanon and rebutted an "anti-Semite campaign" presumably launched on the government media. The Confederation of Venezuela's Israeli Associations (CAIV) expressed also "dismay for the arbitrary bias of government agencies towards one of the struggling parties," in a press release published Friday in major newspapers.

    The Jewish community spoke up one day after the decision made by President Hugo Chávez to recall the diplomatic representative in Israel due to the "genocide" against the Lebanese people under the aegis of the United States. CAIV denounced and refused the "attempts at transferring the conflict in the Middle East to Venezuela, as well, as anti-Semite expressions disguised as anti-Zionist, on government and pro-government media that encourage hatred and discrimination."

08 - 04 - 2006

HEZBOLLAH LEADER THREATENS TO FIRE ROCKETS INTO TEL AVIV 

     BEIRUT, LEBANON  --  Hezbollah’s leader offered Thursday to stop rocket attacks on northern Israel in return for an end to airstrikes throughout Lebanon. However, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah also vowed to fire rockets into Tel Aviv if Israel strikes Beirut proper. Israeli warplanes have repeatedly bombarded Hezbollah strongholds in southern suburbs of Beirut.

    "If you bomb our capital Beirut, we will bomb the capital of your usurping entity... We will bomb Tel Aviv," he said in a taped televised speech.  In issuing the threat, Nasrallah offered his first opening toward diminishing the three-week-old conflict, which has taken more than 500 Lebanese lives and killed more than 50 Israelis.

    "Anytime you decide to stop your campaign against our cities, villages, civilians and infrastructure, we will not fire rockets on any Israeli settlement or city," he said in a taped video statement broadcast on Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV and carried simultaneously on all other Lebanese and Arab satellite channels. Speaking directly to Israelis, Nasrallah said, "The only choice before you is to stop your aggression and turn to negotiations to end this folly." Parts of the speech were carried on Israeli television channels, with Hebrew translation.

HUGO CHAVEZ SEEKS CLOSER TIES WITH AFRICA

     NAIROBI, MALI  --  Hugo Chávez and his Malian counterpart Amadou Toumani Toure Wednesday initialed energy accords, but disclosed no details on the pacts, AP reported. Venezuela is seeking closer ties with other South American nations and some African countries, amidst increased tensions with the United States. Chávez said he intended to evaluate, together with Toure, any possibilities for oil exploitation in Mali. He plans to ink an agreement to assist Mali in oil prospection and drilling. Chávez is the first Venezuelan President who pays an official visit to Mali.

    "We believe Mali could be the axis for cooperation with Africa. This is the view the Venezuelan President has," said Rebecca Bello, Venezuelan ambassador to the West African nation. Venezuelan ministers of Energy and Petroleum, Rafael Ramírez; Science and Technology, Yadira Córdova and Communication and Information, Willian Lara, held working meetings with their Malian counterparts. Chávez Thursday is visiting Benin, in the continuation of a two-week world tour took him to Russia, Belarus, Iran and Vietnam, among other countries.

HUGO CHAVEZ RECALLS VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL

     CARACAS, VENEZUELA  --  On arriving from his tour of Asia and Africa, Hugo Chávez reported that the Venezuelan ambassador to Israel was recalled.  "It is outrageous to witness how the Israeli state continues using gringo airplanes and its big power to cut apart so many innocents in Lebanon," he lamented.

    "All we can do is speaking up in favor of peace and justice." "The US Empire has launched a coercive campaign to prevent Venezuela's incorporation into the United Nations (UN) Security Council. They are trying to avoid our election," the ruler warned. "The Government of (US President George W.) Bush has refused to let the Security Council to take action in order to stop Israel' genocide against Lebanon. In this way, the empire has been unmasked."

08 - 03 - 2006

HEZBOLLAH FIRES MORE THAN 200 ROCKETS 

     NAHARIYA, ISRAEL  --  Hezbollah  rockets struck Israel in record numbers and deeper than ever Wednesday, pushing the three-week total over the 2,000 mark and killing a Boston-born man fleeing on his bicycle toward shelter.

    The barrage, which followed a two-day lull, came despite the Israeli army chief's claim that the offensive in south Lebanon had eroded Hezbollah 's firepower.  Al-Manar, reported the guerrilla group used its longer-range Khaibar-1 missiles, which Israel says were supplied by Iran . The Khaibar rocket debuted last week when the town of Afula was targeted.

    The army said more than 230 rockets had hit Israel by Wednesday night. The highest previous daily total was 157 on Sunday. Officials said the military killed hundreds of guerrillas and hit their supplies of medium and long-range rockets. Having significantly increased its ground operation with the Baalbek raid, Halutz said the army also would consider renewing its air strikes deep in Lebanon .

HUGO CHAVEZ MEETS WITH MALIAN RULER TO SIGN OIL ACCORD

     NAIROBI, MALI  --  Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Wednesday met with his Malian counterpart Amadou Toumani Toure during a brief official visit to the African country to enter into oil and cotton agreements. Under the agreements, Venezuela is to send crude oil or byproducts to Mali, said the Malian Foreign Affairs Ministry in a communiqué, as quoted by Reuters. No details on the accords were disclosed. A Venezuelan proposal to purchase the whole Malian production will be assessed, but the communiqué clarified that a number of issues have to be studied.

08 - 02 - 2006

HUGO CHAVEZ CONCERNED ABOUT CASTRO'S HEALTH PROBLEM 

     HANOI, VIETNAM  --  HUGO CHAVEZ Tuesday told reporters in Hanoi that he contacted Havana over the phone, following announcement that Cuban ruler Fidel Castro temporarily ceded power to his brother, Raúl Castro, because of health problems. Chávez would not elaborate on his phone conversation, but confirmed that Castro "temporarily" transferred power to Raúl Castro because of "digestive problems," Efe reported.

    The Venezuelan ruler added that officials in Havana ensured that Castro would be back in office "in a few weeks." The Cuban leader's secretary, Carlos Valenciaga, read a letter Monday night that he said was from Fidel Castro announcing the news. In it, the Cuban ruler said that stress had forced him into surgery and that he would be in bed for several weeks after the operation. Castro, who has led Cuba since the 1959 revolution, turns 80 on August 13.

    "This kind of news is worrisome. I hope from the bottom of my heart that Fidel Castro recovers as soon as possible, so that he can be with us always," the Venezuelan ruler added. "Long live Fidel Castro!" Chávez exclaimed before reporters in Vietnam, where he is paying a two-day official visit ending Tuesday. Chávez' next stop in his world tour is Mali.

MEXICO CITY BROUGHT TO A HALT

     MEXICO CITY, MEXICO  -- SUPPORTERS of leftist presidential runner-up Andrés Manuel López Obrador blocked traffic and ground much of downtown Mexico City to a halt Monday as they set up a tent city along a two-mile stretch of a major commercial thoroughfare. The camps stretched the length of the Paseo de la Reforma, from famed Chapultepec Park to the Zócalo, in the heart of the city's historic center. The six-lane boulevard became a pedestrian mall dotted with tents.

     City police made no attempt to interfere with the largely peaceful ''permanent assembly,'' which López Obrador organized to press his demand for a recount in his narrow loss to conservative Felipe Calderón in the July 2 presidential election. Calderón's camp accused Mexico City Mayor Alejandro Encinas of cooperating with the demonstrators and called for police to clear the demonstrators. But Encinas, a member of López Obrador's Party of the Democratic Revolution, or PRD, called for calm as he sought negotiations with the protest organizers.

    ''We're going to act with moderation and intelligence in confronting difficult times on the national political scene, with the understanding that this is a national problem, not just a problem for Mexico City,'' he said. A spokesman for Mexican President Vicente Fox indicated that the PAN-led government wouldn't get involved unless the city requested its help.

08 - 01 - 2006

VENEZUELA THREATENS AGAIN TO CUT OIL SUPPLY TO UNITED STATES

     TEHRAN, IRAN  -- While Venezuelan ambassador in Washington Bernardo Álvarez recently sent a letter to US Senator Richard Lugar with reassurances that Venezuelan oil supply to the United States would not be disrupted, in Tehran Venezuelan Energy and Petroleum minister Rafael Ramírez, who is accompanying President Hugo Chávez in his world tour, threatened to cut oil sales to the US. Venezuela is set to cut oil exports to the United States in the event that Washington hostilities against Caracas continue, Ramírez said Sunday, as quoted by Iranian official news agency IRNA, Reuters reported.

    "We have a clear policy: if the United States wants to engage in a hostile stance against Venezuela, then we will stop oil sales to that country," the Venezuelan minister said in a statement translated into Persian. "If Iran were attacked, they would definitely act like us," he added. "We cannot continue to export crude oil to the US and be the target of hostilities from that country," Ramírez underscored following a meeting with his Iranian counterpart.

    Ramírez, who is also the CEO of Venezuelan state-run oil holding Pdvsa bitterly criticized the US policies in Iraq, as well as Washington stance against Iran and other oil exporting countries. "The situation is Iraq is dreadful. The hostile reaction of the United States against Iran and other oil producers and exporters is the origin of high prices," Ramírez reasoned, according to AFP. Iran and Venezuela are member countries of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and they both have an anti-US stance.

RECORD CROWD RALLIES FOR LOPEZ OBRADOR

     MEXICO CITY, MEXICO  --  A record 1.2 million people poured into this city's central square on Sunday in another show of force by backers of leftist Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his demand for a recount in the July 2 election that gave a narrow victory to conservative Felipe Calderón. The turnout was less than the two million López Obrador had promised two weeks ago, when he brought 1.1 million followers to the Zócalo, the city's central square.

    But police said it was the largest demonstration in Mexico's history, and analysts said it was enough to lend momentum to López Obrador's case, which currently is being considered by Mexico's federal election tribunal, which must declare a winner by Sept. 6. ''The electoral tribunal has to rule independently, but they have to be aware of public opinion,'' said John Ackerman, a law professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

    López Obrador said he would not hold another mass march, but instead would organize 47 ''permanent assemblies'' of supporters who would hold around-the-clock vigils throughout the city until the tribunal rules. ''We will be here until we have a recount of the votes that gives us a legitimate president,'' López Obrador told the cheering crowd. The crowd estimates were made by the city's public safety department, which reported no incidents of violence.

'HUGE' RUSSIAN PIPELINE OIL SPILL 

     MOSCOW, RUSSIA  --  Russian officials said Monday there had been a "huge" oil spill in an export pipeline in the Byransk region, which is near Russia's western border with Ukraine and Belarus. Oleg Mitvol, deputy chief of the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources, said the oil spill was "huge," affecting a 10-square kilometer (6 mile) area. He said more than 50 cubic meters of oil had been spilled.

Mitvol added that he was on his way to the affected area, and that rescue teams were already there. He also said that there was no immediate danger to people living in the affected area.

"Judging by information reaching the ministry from representatives of environmental organizations ... the consequences of the accident may be an environmental catastrophe in the region," a statement Natural Resources Ministry quoted by The Associated Press said. The 2,485-mile-long pipeline has the capacity to ship over 1.2 million barrels a day and generally works at or close to its full capacity, AP said.