Tag Archives: Vice President

Oct
19
2012
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In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 10/19/12

Venezuela Chavez Maduro In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 10/19/12

Courtesy of: AP

Less than a week after winning reelection, Chávez swore in his new Vice President, former Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and six other cabinet ministers. On Monday Chávez will submit his fiscal year 2013 budget to the National Assembly, largely based on his socialist model. According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), Venezuela’s inflation rate will reach almost 20 percent by the end of the year. The country’s international reserves are also far below an optimal level. Recent political polarization is threatening freedom of speech in Venezuela, as a new report reveals “mistreatment, detentions, insults, confiscation of equipment, and fundamental rights violations” against journalists, camerapersons, and others in the press. Meanwhile, Chávez has begun to develop Venezuela’s defense industry with plans to build drones with the help of China, Russia and Iran. Chávez breaks diplomatic ties to Paraguay with his decision to expel their diplomats following the ouster of his ally, former President Fernando Lugo. Simultaneously, Chávez’s ties to former Brazilian President Lula are strained after Lula said in a recent interview that Chávez should prepare for his succession. In most recent news, the Venezuelan National Assembly stirs up controversy as they take steps to regulate cable TV.

Venezuela’s Chavez swears in vice president, 6 other ministers in post-election shake up, The Washington Post

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez swore in his new vice president and six other Cabinet ministers on Saturday, less than a week after winning a new mandate to extend his self-styled Bolivarian revolution.

Venezuela’s 2013 budget bases on socialist model, El Universal

The Venezuelan Government on Monday will summit to the National Assembly a FY2013 draft budget that will be based on the socialist model.

Venezuela Official Inflation Just Under 20%, Latin American Herald Tribune

CARACAS — According to the government’s National Institute of Statistics (INE), Venezuela’s September inflation came in at 1.6%, above the value in August of 1.1%. Factoring in September’s rate, inflation for the first nine months of the year has been 11.5%. One-year inflation stands at 19.98%.

Venezuela’s international reserves far from optimal level, El Universal

Venezuelan international reserves remain below the optimal level (USD 26.8 billion) established by national authorities.

Polarization threatens freedom of speech in Venezuela, El Universal

The Venezuelan Press Block (BPV) presented a report on Sunday at the 68th Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) General Assembly, held at the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, denouncing increased aggressions against journalists, due to political polarization in Venezuela.

Venezuela serious about producing drones, UPI.com

CARACAS, Venezuela, Oct. 16 (UPI) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is pursuing plans to develop a home-grown defense industry topped by a drone built reportedly with Chinese, Iranian and Russian help.

Venezuela’s government expelling the last of Paraguay’s diplomats in Caracas, envoy says, Fox News

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuela’s government has decided to expel Paraguay’s remaining diplomats from the country, the top envoy at the Paraguayan Embassy said Wednesday. Charge d’affaires Victor Casartelli said that he and three other Paraguayan diplomats in Caracas were told by Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry to leave within three days.

Venezuela’s oil exports to Asia to jump to 2.8 million bdp, El Universal

State-run oil holding Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa) is in negotiations with India’s Reliance Industries and Oil & Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) for investments in the Ayacucho and Boyacá oil fields, informed on Wednesday Pdvsa’s Corporate Planning Executive Director, Fadi Kabboul, at a press conference in India.

Venezuela’s Chavez should prepare for succession: Lula, Chicago Tribune

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Venezuela’s newly re-elected president, Hugo Chavez, should start preparing to hand over power, former two-time Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in a newspaper interview published on Thursday.

Venezuela’s National Assembly to regulate cable TV, El Universal

The Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) is to make a law for the regulation of subscription television services, informed the President of the People’s Power and Media Committee of the AN, Darío Vivas, deputy for the ruling party United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

 
Oct
12
2012
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In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 10/12/12

colgate 300x196 In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 10/12/12

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Sunday’s reelection of Chávez disappointed many Venezuelans, but, with gubernatorial elections in December, Henrique Capriles and the opposition still may pose a threat to Chávez’s political aims in the future. Meanwhile, Chávez hails his reelection as evidence of Venezuela’s “perfect” democracy, despite the unfair playing field. Chávez also criticizes U.S.-Syria policy in his first press conference after the election, while vowing to deepen his socialist revolution in Venezuela. Yet his victory spurs further emigration as Venezuelans predict more economic woes. On Wednesday, Chávez named Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro as his new Vice President to replace Elias Jaua. And with the end of 2012 only three months away, the Venezuelan inflation rate is expected to rise to 21 percent by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Chávez’s reelection raises worries among manufacturers from Coca-Cola to Colgate, with the threat of currency devaluation looming.

Chavismo Wins, Venezuela Loses, The Wall Street Journal

It was around 9 p.m. in Caracas on Sunday when opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski tweeted his followers: “Calm, prudence, patience. Today was a great historic day. The people spoke.” Chávez also used his first press conference following his reelection to criticize U.S. Syria policy.

Venezuelan opposition candidate Capriles may still pose future threat to Chavez, The Washington Post

CARACAS, Venezuela — His loss in Sunday’s presidential election was resounding, but in conceding defeat before tearful followers, Henrique Capriles hinted at an active political future that may yet pose a challenge to President Hugo Chavez’s self-proclaimed socialist revolution.

Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez wins 3rd term, vows to deepen socialist revolution, NBC News

CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez scored a comfortable election victory that could extend his rule to 20 years and vowed to deepen his self-styled socialist revolution after a bitterly fought race against a youthful rival who has galvanized Venezuela’s opposition.

Venezuela’s Chavez hails “perfect” democracy, mocks tyrant image, Reuters

(Reuters) – An ebullient President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday hailed his comfortable re-election as evidence of Venezuela’s “perfect” democracy and mocked his foes’ depiction of him as a dictator.

Venezuela’s Chavez criticizes US over Syria policy, Kansas City Star

In his first press conference since winning reelection Sunday, President Hugo Chávez said he was willing to work with the opposition even as he doubles down on his socialist reforms.

Chavez Victory Spurs Exodus as Venezuelans Foresee Economic Woes, Bloomberg Businessweek

Juan Ibarra, a 35-year-old surgeon from Caracas, is preparing to emigrate after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez won another six-year term on Oct. 7.

Venezuela’s Chavez names Maduro vice-president, Reuters

(Reuters) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez named Foreign Minister and former bus driver Nicolas Maduro as his new vice president on Wednesday in a Cabinet shake-up following his comfortable re-election.

Inflation rate estimated at 21% ending 2012, El Universal

On Tuesday, the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) published the results of the performance of the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) in September, resulting in a monthly variation of 1.6% for an accrued amount of 11.5% and annualized inflation at 18%.

Colgate: not toasting Chavez’s return, Financial Times

How do you toast the victory of Hugo Chávez, Venezuela’s socialist president, who last Sunday won another six-year term, reconfirming him as one of Latin America’s most commanding political figures?

 
Sep
21
2012
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Venezuelan Presidential Race Remains Close as Chávez Shows Signs of Worry

venezuela election Venezuelan Presidential Race Remains Close as Chávez Shows Signs of Worry

Courtesy of: Reuters / Jorge Silva

As the Venezuelan presidential election approaches, a host of new issues are complicating the reelection campaign of Hugo Chávez and, indeed, the future of Venezuela.

Chávez has done his best to keep talk of his cancer out of Venezuelan media during the campaign season, repeatedly deflecting questions about his health and claiming last June that he was cured of the disease outright. But the cancellation of a series of recent campaign events, along with Chávez’s increasingly haggard appearance, has renewed concerns about the embattled president’s health. These concerns are only exacerbated by the fact that Chávez has refused to name a vice president.

Venezuelan law does not require presidential candidates to name a vice president, and Capriles has also yet to name a VP at this point. But many voters are worried that Chávez, unlike Capriles, may die relatively soon after the election and no clear successor has been named. The media considers several PSUV officers possible successors, including Vice President Elias Jaua, Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello.

Chávez, whose revolution has depended on him as its political leader and figurehead, seems unlikely to change course and name a successor before the election. As new polling data shows Capriles with a lead, naming a successor would only draw more attention away from Chávez at a time when he needs it most.

Meanwhile, the campaign rolls on. Challenger Henrique Capriles managed to turn a potential scandal into a political win last week when he immediately ousted a member of his party who was caught on tape receiving campaign funds that the government alleged to be for illegal purposes. Capriles argued that as president, such decisive action will be the hallmark of his efforts to root out corruption, which has reached unprecedented levels under Chávez. “I’ve always been an open book,” said the opposition candidate. “And I won’t allow anyone to get privileges for personal benefit.”

Meanwhile, Chávez’s appeals begin to seem more urgent, even desperate. In an apparent effort to stop the rise of his opponent, Chávez suggested that “civil war” might ensue should the opposition win in October. The comments were immediately rejected by the opposition as a scare tactic, but just days later Chávez’s supporters blocked an opposition rally, inciting violence that left at least 14 people injured.

Venezuela already suffers from serious security problems, and armed groups supportive of Chávez control neighborhoods within Caracas. The possibility of violence is real should Chávez lose and reject the election results. Viewed in that light, the president’s “civil war” comment seems less like a warning than a threat.

Chávez faces a legitimate chance of a losing on October 7. Many interested parties will be watching to see what Venezuelans decide about the future of Chávez’s socialist programs and the vast oil reserves that the government controls. The result of the vote is important, but the real question concerns what happens next.