The Venezuelan opposition yesterday released a recording which they claim shows evidence of corruption and internal factionalism within the government. However journalist Mario Silva, supposedly in the recording, said it was a “set-up”.
In a heated debate before the National Assembly on Tuesday, several politicians from opposition political party Primero Justicia were accused of corruption, and one opposition legislator broke ranks with the opposition coalition.
In this interview, Martínez discusses the recently formed "Committee Against the Criminalisation of the Popular Struggle", in reference to the attacks and murders carried out against social activists, often with impunity.
Venezuela’s National Assembly elected Carlos Escarra as the new Comptroller General of the Republic yesterday, making him the country’s highest anti-corruption authority.
By Edward Ellis - Correo del Orinoco International, Jul 17th 2011
Academic life in the United States can be very agreeable. The life of a professional scholar normally implies good pay, not overly strenuous hours and job security. Do your job, don’t make too many waves and enjoy the ride into a solid upper-middle class retirement. Perhaps it’s the fear of threatening this comfortable existence that has kept so many intellectuals over the years in the US from taking up causes of social justice... A glaring exception to this trend, of course, has been the MIT linguistics professor Noam Chomsky.
By Jorge Martín - In Defence of Marxism, Jul 10th 2011
In the first of a series of articles, José Martín discusses and analyses the challenges facing the worker's control movement in the state of Bolivar. Having attended the national "Class Struggle" conference, Martín percieves an increasing polarisation between left and right, but most importantly "an open clash" between the revolutionary wing of the Bolivarian movement and reformists and bureaucrats.
By Fernando Vegas Torrealba - Correo del Orinoco International, Jul 8th 2011
Some of my friends in the US and internationally have had some concerns about recent events in Venezuela. From here in Venezuela, however, it seems there may be some misinformation, something common, of course, in mass media. One of these issues is the case of Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni, who was indicted for corruption and placed in detention for her illegal actions and abuse of her judicial power.
Two weeks after deadly rioting sparked an ongoing siege in Venezuela’s notorious El Rodeo jail, authorities say they have arrested two of the prison’s directors on drug and arms trafficking charges.
In this interview, TheRealNews.com's Paul Jay interviews Venezuelanalysis.com founder Gregory Wilpert on the recent release of a "Rule of Raw" report on crime and corruption in Venezuela. Wilpert calls into question the so-called "experts" cited by the report's authors as well as the selective use of sources in preparing said report. Wilpert also puts the report into a context of ongoing government efforts to overcome Venezuela's social, political, and economic ills.
Four pro-government public servants, including two ex mayors, have been disqualified from political activity for one year due to acts of corruption during the exercise of their previous positions. A fifth, an opposition legislator, has also been disqualified.
