The number of students nationwide who have joined the hunger strike demanding the release of political prisoners has risen to 160 since last Thursday. In Caracas, at the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS), there are already 78 students on strike. According to Niomar Oropeza, a reporter for El Observerador, the roster of striking students is as follows: 8 in San Cristóbal, 2 in Nueva Esparta, 6 in Mérida, 10 in Maracaibo, 25 in Valencia, 14 in Aragua and 12 in Anzoátegui.
A delegation of the Association of University Rectors visited students on hunger strike at the OAS headquarters in Caracas this afternoon. The rector of the Andres Bello Catholic University, Father Luis Ugalde supported students who are on hunger strike and recommended the government allow the visit of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. "We came to support the students because they are fighting for a fundamental human right," he said. "I would recommend the government to recognize the constitutional right to protest, without criminalizing dissent. Secondly, I would authorize American Commission on Human Rights to come to Venezuela, because we know that they cannot come without a permit from government and this is also a fundamental right between civilized and democratic nations in Latin America."
Lawyers for the student Tamara Sujú, Alfredo Romero and Gonzalo Himiob, had a telephone conversation with Santiago Cantón, Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in the OAS, together with student representation. Attorney Alfredo Romero explained that as a result of the Tuesday meeting, "we have succeeded in making the whole world aware that in Venezuela there are political prisoners. There is much progress." He explained that there are already proposals related to the hunger strike and he is confident that "some sort of solution will be reached soon." "This war that the students are waging is stronger than any weapon or international diplomacy," he said. Meanwhile, lawyer Gonzalo Himiob agreed that the student protest has been central in denouncing the existence of political prisoners. "It's vital that people remain optimistic, remain hopeful. We are winning very important human, democratic and pacifist battles," he said. He asked the health centers to assist students in need and stated that Mr. Hannibal Millan joined the committee as a representative of the mothers and parents of students.
The public prosecutor presented to Interpol an arrest warrant for former President Carlos Andrés Pérez, as part of ongoing investigations into the deaths and torture that occurred in Venezuela in February 1989 during the "Caracazo", said Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz. The prosecutor explained that the arrest warrant for Carlos Andrés Pérez must be considered code red under Interpol's protocol. But she acknowledged that this is no guarantee of actually capturing and eliciting the surrender of the former Venezuelan president. "Moreover, there is no pending extradition that can be requested through diplomatic channels" that he be captured and returned to the country. "This can not be done because he hasn't even been charged since he was already out of the country at the time the warrant was issued," said Ortega Díaz on a program broadcast by Venezolana de Television.
Most of the staff of PDVSA will decide which of the nine platforms vying for leadership of the Federation of Oil Workers of Venezuela will be the winner. Yesterday the option 1-20 of the worker's class will warned that they will give 72 hours after the elections are held on 1 October to demand PDVSA officials to begin discussing the collective contract. José Bodas, a candidate for president of federation, said his platform will win and will undertake labor action so that state responds to labor liabilities owed to the workers and "acknowledge the collective agreement" after the "abuses and violations of labor laws and the law concerning working conditions.
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