The TransAfrica delegation of prominent African-American activists participated in the opening of a Bolivarian School dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. Bill Fletcher, who heads the delegation, drew parallels between MLK and President Chavez.
Global rating agency Fitch Ratings assigned a "B-" (outlook stable) rating to Venezuela's 30-year bonds issued on Jan 7th. Reiterated that Chavez will survive recall referendum.
A delegation of African-American activists visiting Venezuela, criticized the news media for what they describe as a "disinformation campaign" against the country and against President Hugo Chavez.
Bill Fletcher, president of the TransAfrica Forum, actor Danny Glover, and SEIU union vice president Patricia Ford are heading a delegation of African-Americans on a week-long visit to Venezuela to see results of the peaceful revolutionary process led by President Hugo Chavez.
As Venezuela continues to import 70% of the food it consumes, president Hugo Chavez is demanding the central bank the release of a billion dollars from the country’s soaring international reserves to fund agricultural development.
Venezuela's Vice-President rejected comments made by US State Department spokesman Adam Ereli, linking presidents Chavez and Castro in efforts to destabilize Latin American governments.
Money laundering, black market operations and financing of anti-Chavez opposition, are among the hypotheses behind the import of up to 21 million dollars in cash by presumed opposition financier Italcambio, circumventing currency controls.
Responding to new U.S. government accusations, vice-president José Vicente Rangel denied that the Chavez government was supporting leftist political movements, such as Evo Morales' party in Bolivia or the Colombian guerillas.
President Chavez met with cabinet members to assess the results of government social programs and to launch a new program to eliminate homelessness among children, one of Chavez's unfulfilled campaign promises.
Colombian authorities and media accuse Venezuelan National Guard troops of attacking peasants in Colombia. Venezuela's foreign minister and the head of Venezuelan military operations in the region deny the charges.
CITGO President and CEO Luis Marin announced that the PDVSA subsidiary doubled its income and net profits for the year 2003. CITGO may take over PDVSA operations in North America and the Caribbean.
Venezuela's energy ministers attended the Liquefied Natural Gas Ministerial Summit, where they ratified Venezuela's commitment to continue being reliable and safe provider energy, and a top LNG player in the region.
Venezuelan authorities requested help from Interpol for the capture of anti-government rebels facing terrorism charges. The suspects are seeking US political asylum. Anti-terror treaty may force US to deport terrorists.
Venezuela's dropping unemployment, low sovereign risk points, and the increase in cement and electricity consumption, are signs of economic recovery a year after the political strike/lock-out and sabotage of the oil industry.
German Varela and Jose Antonio Colina, two of the suspects in the terrorist attacks against Spanish and Colombian diplomatic offices in Caracas, escaped authorities and requested asylum in Miami.
