The Minister of Interior and Justice, Tareck El Aissami reported that a three year investigation by the National Commission for Police Reform found that of the total number of incidents in Venezuela, 20 percent of crimes were committed by police. He made statements in a speech at the General Council of Police yesterday in the city of Barinas, which included the participation of governors from the states of Mérida, Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Zulia, Portuguesa and Barinas, the last of which was host as well as the provider of security for the event. The minister explained that one of the most sensitive results produced by this investigation is that crimes involving police participation are those that involve more violence, including homicides, kidnappings, extortion.
For the eighth consecutive day workers from Ferrominera Orinoco, in the state of Bolivar, halted work as a measure of protest against the non-payment of labor liabilities and the failure of collective agreement. Rubén González, secretary general of Sintraferrominera, reported that during the eight days "they have not processed any kind of iron ore and not one part of the productive process of Ferrominera Orinoco has declined. He added that employees continue awaiting the cancellation of their liabilities to return to work. "For us it is almost inconceivable that the company intimidates workers who try to exercise their rights; but apart from that they are conducting an illegal process of non-compliance," said González. He explained that workers are awaiting solutions to their demands, "and that a discussion roundtable can provide a solution to the conflict. I've always appealed in this case to Minister Rodolfo Sanz to look for alternatives."
The Venezuelan government is preparing to adopt and implement economic measures "in the short term" to correct imbalances and address the global financial crisis, including the issues of currency exchange and production incentives, said the Ministry of Finance on Monday. The ministry's head submitted a proposal to President Chávez last Saturday, according to a communiqué issued on Monday, to address the country's falling revenues that have resulted from the collapse in oil prices, reported Reuters. "A set of measures aimed at correcting imbalances in the Venezuelan economy in the face of the global financial crisis was presented, on Saturday August 15, by the Minister (...) to President Hugo Chávez Frías, for approval and implementation in the short term," said a Ministry of Finance communiqué. According to the text, it would primarily stimulate agriculture, while in regard to the foreign exchange regime, it would look to "attack" the imbalance between the official exchange rate and "parallel market swap" rate. The country has had exchange controls since 2003 and the dollar is currently traded officially at 2.15 bolivars, while the parallel rate is three times that amount.
The deputy foreign minister for Latin America and the Caribbean, Francisco Arias Cárdenas, noted that the installation of the first base of so-called Peace and Love, "Cipriano Castro", has military and civilians united because "it is a civil-military alliance in the fight against the U.S. bases in Colombia." Arias Cárdenas announced at a press conference in the town of Urena in Táchira state that Venezuela will seek to prevent and avoid the establishment of a base attacking the Latin American continent. "It was preparation for what they are now trying to set up and we must prevent, which is a basis from which attacks on our continent may be launched. This is not a story or a joke, what is being imposed on Colombia, and we are not alone here, we all have to concern ourselves with stopping this atrocity," he said. "If Uribe carries on with those in power, if Uribe insists, as he appears to be, in installing bases as his military spokespeople were saying as recently as yesterday; well, we, the people of Colombia and Venezuela, will oppose that intention with force," he said. "Because it is not just about how you all will not be able to work to earn food or gasoline, it is that they are going to destroy the gas stations from which gasoline goes to Colombia, it is about oil wells stopping production, it is about damaging the Venezuelan economy, and this is not a problem only for Venezuela," he said.
Vehicular congestion and "incalculable losses" for businesses in Mariño and Maneiro was the result of the blackout yesterday at 2:55 pm. The cut in electricity in the two municipalities was due, as reported by Seneca, to "a flaw in the main center for the substation Pampatar and another in the Morroco substations." In the press release the company responsible for electricity supply in Nueva Esparta said the problem lasted an hour and a half. In some areas of Porlamar light came back at that time, but not in Pampatar where they were without electricity from 3 p.m. until 6:45 pm. On May 4th Avenue during the blackout, the merchants closed their businesses to protect from possible theft, as did the store manager of Poker, Milad Menem. One of the commercial centers most affected was Sambil Margarita, where 280 vendors took added security measures.
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