Tag Archives: Hillary Clinton

Jul
1
2011
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In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 7/1/11

In this week’s round up… Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez breaks his silence, admitting he had surgery in Havana to remove a cancerous tumor; Chavez’s absence from Caracas raises questions about the future of the ruling party, PSUV, and his ability to continue to govern from abroad; Despite the President’s health crisis, the Chavez government continues its attacks against the free press, launching yet another questionable investigation against TV giant Globovision; and Venezuela has faltered in its fight against human trafficking.

 

Snap analysis: Chavez’s cancer surgery rocks Venezuela, Reuters

President Hugo Chavez’s announcement that he had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor has shaken up Venezuelan politics ahead of what was already looking like a tight race for the 2012 election. In an emotional speech from Cuba where he said he is recovering, the 56-year-old socialist did not give a timetable for his return to Venezuela and did not name a temporary leader. Here are some implications of his announcement:

Health Woes Cause Chávez to Postpone Key Summit, The Wall Street Journal

Venezuela postponed a regional summit to celebrate its 200th anniversary of independence, a move that is fueling widespread speculation that President Hugo Chávez is gravely ill. Mr. Chávez, holed up in a hospital in Cuba since June 10, was slated to host the two-day summit of Latin American and Caribbean leaders on the resort island of Margarita on July 5 and 6.

Venezuela To Probe Coverage Of Prison Riot By Local TV Network, The Wall Street Journal

Venezuelan authorities announced Thursday an investigation into the last major television station in the country openly critical of the government for allegedly attempting to fan civic unrest with what officials called misleading coverage of a prison riot. Globovision, which has been targeted by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in the past, faces a fine of 10% of gross revenue and could be taken off the air for up to 72 hours for its reports of the ongoing inmate uprising that officials say aimed to generate public unease and disorder.

 

Venezuela’s endeavors against human trafficking deemed insufficient, El Universal

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton released the “2011 Trafficking in Persons Report.” A total of 184 countries, including the United States, were examined in the paper and it is concluded that as many as 27 million people might be living in slavery throughout the world.

 
Jun
29
2011
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Trafficking in Persons 2011 Report

The US State Department has included Venezuela on a list of nations that could face sanctions along with Cuba, Costa Rica, Panamá and the Dominican Republic for their lack of action in combating human trafficking. The 11th edition of the Trafficking in Persons Report did not see much progress in Venezuela’s efforts to  combat human trafficking, for which it can face a number of sanctions ranging from the suspension of non humanitarian and non commercial aid to the US opposing IMF or World Bank financing.

According to the report presented by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, “Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Venezuelan women and girls are found in conditions of sex trafficking within the country, lured from poor interior regions to urban and tourist centers, such as Caracas, Maracaibo, and Margarita Island”.

The report also stated a number of reforms that must happen in order for Venezuela to get on the right track when it comes to combating human trafficking. These reforms include:

  • Modifying its current laws in order to prohibit and adequately reprimand any type of human trafficking
  • Intensifying its efforts to investigate and prosecute cases of forced prostitution and slave labor
  • Prosecuting and jailing the traffickers
  • Providing better specialized assistance to the victims
  • Identifying the victims among vulnerable groups
  • Improving the current databases in regards to these types of felonies

The listing of Venezuela in the report is likely to further deteriorate the already fragile diplomatic relations between both countries. Both countries lack the representation of ambassadors in their territories. Furthermore, the US imposed economic sanctions on the state owned oil company, PDVA, for their dealings with Iran.

 
Aug
3
2010
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Connie Mack Asks Obama, Clinton, Pelosi and Reid to List Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela as Sponsor of Terrorism

This article was originally posted by Sunshine State News

A day after writing to Hugo Chavez that he intended to continue the fight for the American government to list Venezuela as a state sponsor of terrorism, Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack of Florida did just that, sending a letter to President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. 

“I write to you today to urge you to immediately finalize the steps required to designate Venezuela  as a state sponsor of terrorism,” wrote Mack. “Hugo Chavez has politically, materially and diplomatically supported international terrorist groups, threatening the freedom, security and prosperity of the United States and our allies. We must stop all interaction with the tyrannical regime of Mr. Hugo Chavez.

“As a beacon of freedom, the United States must stand firm against those who harbor terrorists, threaten our allies, and rebuke the freedoms we are committed to protect,” continued Mack. “Hugo Chavez’s solidarity with internationally recognized terrorist groups, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), endangers stability in the region and prompts national security concerns for our nation.

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