The Venezuelan Penal Forum, relatives and legal representatives of political prisoners presented themselves yesterday at the office of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Caracas to once again request the presence in the country of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in order to recognize "the situation of abuses and illegalities in the cases of people arrested, charged and prosecuted for their political position." On this occasion, the third in which an organization requires the presence of the IACHR, attorney Alfredo Romero explained that alternative reasons are now included for requesting the visit. The IACHR has noted that the Venezuelan government has not consented its visit to the country; nevertheless, they propose that a particular person, foreign and impartial, come to Venezuela and write a report on the matter. Romero explained that the request is in the hands of an OAS representative who received them. "We were well received and we know that this will be forwarded to the Commission." He added that Venezuela is in an "emergency situation, where attacks against dissenting citizens are rising, jails are readjusting themselves for the purpose of housing political prisoners, there is an urgent situation which Venezuelans and the world, regardless of political positions, must be made aware of."
The Venezuelan Press Bloc issued a statement that repudiates the criminal charges against the journalist Rafael Poleo. According to the statement, "the criminal indictment against the renowned journalist Rafael Poleo, editor of "Nuevo Pais" and the magazine "Zeta", ordered by the regime of President Chávez, is one of the most recent assaults on freedom of expression in Venezuela." Given this accusation from the regime "for the alleged commission of an offense against the independence and security of the nation," Rafael Poleo would be at the gates of a Chavista prison, in danger of his physical integrity, his life.
Ruben Gonzalez, secretary general of the Workers Union of Iron Mines in the Orinoco (Sintraferrominera), was arrested in Ciudad Bolívar yesterday at the headquarters of the Directorate General of Intelligence and Prevention Services (Disip), while giving testimony as a witness in an investigation on Gilberto Villarroel, the former mayor of the town of Raúl Leoni. Recently, González led a strike in Ciudad Piar to demand retroactive payment for the discussion of the collective contract approved in May in a ceremony that included President Chávez and to which González was not invited. Unofficially, it transpired that the leader is accused of illegal assembly, instigating a crime, restricting the freedom to work and failing to comply with special arrangements for safety zones under the Homeland Security law in Articles 47 and 48. Yarudid González, daughter of arrested labor leader, said that they as his family knew they would any legal action would be turned against them, because what had already been discussed within the company - since the strike occurred on 11 August - was that orders were going to be given to capture not just González but also 17 other workers and members of the executive committee of Sintraferrominera.
Libyan leader Mohamar Gaddafi, South African President Jacob Zuma, Congolese President Joseph Kabila and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe will arrive tomorrow at the Venezuelan island of Margarita to attend the Second Summit of South America and Africa, which takes place Saturday and Sunday, organizers said today. Gaddafi is to participate in the General Assembly of the United Nations and is expected to be one of more than 50 African heads of state who will meet with the presidents of South America. The leaders will review the progress of South-South cooperation, especially in the areas of health, energy, technology and tourism. Organizers have confirmed the presence of the presidents of Ecuador (Rafael Correa), Argentina (Cristina Kirchner), Brazil (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva), Chile (Michelle Bachelet), among others. The meeting will be in one of the major hotels on the island, which was taken into custody by an impressive security operation involving the Army and National Guard (military police).
The president of the National Farmers Federation (Fedenaga), Genaro Méndez, said that in the past four years the national government has maintained a profound discrimination and denial of Fedenaga and that the National Land Institute (INTI) became an agent of persecution and intimidation. Méndez asserted that the INTI has acted with premeditation and malice, and in his opinion, it is a waste of time to use administrative means to resolve the differences with that agency. For this reason, he believes it is always advisable to go to agrarian courts. He also said that during his leadership of Fedenaga 2.5 million hectares of land were taken or expropriated, which became vacant land that yielded zero production. Méndez said the government's economic policy with respect to the countryside has been a total failure because milk production in the last decade has decreased by 15%, while for 2009 it is estimated that meat production will supply only 38% of the internal market and the national meat market may cease to exist by 2013.
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