“On Saturday night we arrested, in Anzoátegui state (in western Venezuela), specifically in the town of El Tigre, another Colombian drug trafficker requested by Interpol Bogotá,” El Aissami explained.

His brother, paramilitary kingpin Hector German Buitriago Parada, alias “Martin Llanos,” former commander of the Colombian paramilitary group Rural Self-Defense Forces of Casanare (ACC), was also arrested as part of a joint operation between Colombian and Venezuelan authorities.

Last January 24, during an event to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the ONA, El Aissami announced that Venezuelan police and military authorities have arrested 76 drug traffickers to date, many of whom have been delivered to judicial authorities of the requesting countries, including Colombia, the U.S., France, Italy, and the Netherlands.

“Caballo” becomes the 77^th kingpin arrested by Venezuelan authorities in the last six years. In 2011, Venezuelan arrested 21 individuals linked to trafficking, according to an ONA report.

Colombian President Thanks Venezuela

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos thanked the Venezuelan government for having arrested the two Colombian paramilitary leaders, Nelson Orlando and Héctor Germán Buitriago Parada.

“I want to congratulate the police; it is a very important blow. I also want to thank the Venezuelan authorities for this close collaboration that has had the desired results, because we had been looking for this individual [alias Martin Llanos] for a long time, and it is a very important result for the peace of all Colombians,” Santos said.

AVN / YVKE Mundial / Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / February 7, 2012

During the meeting, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced that the ALBA Bank will receive contributions of 1 percent of international reserves by each of the eight member states. He said that, in the case of Venezuela, this represents $300 million, an amount that will be used to create a common fund for the organization, paving the way for greater financial independence for the region.

The Venezuelan president also highlighted the importance of the Orinoco Oil Belt, which he called the “principal engine of Venezuela’s integral development and cooperation with the economic independence of the Bolivarian Alliance of the Peoples of Our Americas [ALBA] and Latin America.”

Chávez announced “there is oil for 200 years” in the Orinoco Oil Belt, and that Venezuela is expected to increase oil production this year from 3 to 3.5 million barrels per day, making the country better able to meet commitments under ALBA and other programs.

Haitian President Michel Martelly participated in the summit as an observer and analyzed the possibility of formally integrating his country into the group, which was created in 2004 by Cuba and Venezuela.

The Venezuelan president also mentioned formal requests to join ALBA by Suriname and Saint Lucia, whose heads of state arrived in Caracas on Sunday, the last day of the summit.

Declaration to Honor the Cuban Five Approved

During the summit, the eight heads of state and government approved a special declaration to honor the Cuban Five, a group of men arrested 13 years ago by the U.S. government for fighting terrorism.

The declaration demands freedom for Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González and René González, as an act of social and humanitarian justice. It also rejects their politically-motivated sentences, which were made amid judicial irregularities.

The Cuban Five were monitoring anti-Cuban terrorist organizations in U.S. territory, including those linked to terrorist Luis Posada Carriles.

In attendance at the ALBA summit were the presidents of Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela, as well as the prime ministers of Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Correo del Orinoco / Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / February 6, 2012

“The Caracazo” 

The precursor to the rebellion of February 4, 1992, was the “El Caracazo,” a series of popular revolts on February 27, 1989, that preceded the Bolivarian Revolution. “El Caracazo” has been remembered as “by far the most massive and severely repressed riot in the history of Latin America” (see the book States of Violence edited by Fernando Coronil and Julie Skurski).

“El Caracazo” mobilized an estimated one million people in Venezuela – particularly the urban poor – to revolt against the established bipartisan regime and the neoliberal “shock” policies of the International Monetary Fund that were implemented by the government of President Carlos Andres Pérez.

February 4, 1992: Hope Restored

In February of 2010, current President Chávez described in detail what this revolution was about in one of his columns, “The Lines of Chavez”:

He wrote: “February 27^th, 1989: the most transcendental political event of the 20th century in Venezuela and the revival of the Bolivarian Revolution. The same year the Berlin wall fell, the Venezuelan people awoke and rebelled against the International Monetary Fund and neoliberalism, categorically denying the fallacy of “the end of the world”: a new history was beginning in Venezuela with the rebellion of the poor, with the consciousness of struggle and battle personified in the victims of inequality and exclusion. A new history was witten with the blood of the heroic people of Venezuela.”

Cultural Activities to Celebrate F-4   

To celebrate the Bolivarian Revolution and its achievements, the Embassy of the Bolivarian of Venezuela to the U.S. will present a lecture by the president of the National Institute of Statistics, Dr. Elías Eljuri, entitled: “The Bolivarian Revolution and the Success of Social Policies in Venezuela.”

The conference will take place on Saturday, February 4th, at 5 pm at the Bolivarian Hall, the cultural space of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Washington, DC. The presentation will be given in Spanish with simultaneous translation to English.

In Venezuela, the Ministry of People’s Power for Culture has organized several cultural activities to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the events of February 4th. The events, including a civic-military parade, exhibitions and conferences, will take place in Caracas and other states throughout the country.

Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the US / February 3, 2012

Chávez said the ALBA leaders will be present at a “great parade” to be held Saturday in the Venezuelan capital city of Caracas.

Representatives of all eight member countries of ALBA – as well as observer nations including Haiti – will be in Venezuela to participate in a summit this Sunday.

YVKE Mundial / Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / February 3, 2012

On December 6, 1998, Venezuela experienced one of the most transcendental changes in its contemporary history, when Hugo Chávez was elected with 56.24 percent of the popular vote.

On February 2nd, 1999, President Chávez assumed office and addressed the Venezuelan people for the first time in his inaugural speech in Caracas.

“Today, February second, 1999, the time for the people of Venezuela has arrived! … The resurrection of Simón Bolívar’s land has arrived… Let’s celebrate the birth of the free Venezuela, the Bolivarian Venezuela that we have always dreamed of,” Chávez declared.

In a national referendum in 1999, the Venezuelan people approved a new constitution for the republic. Another presidential election was held shortly after, on July 30, 2000, and Chávez’s political project became a reality as he was reelected with 59.5 percent of the popular vote. Subsequently, on December 3, 2006, the Venezuelan president was again reelected with over 60 percent of the vote, confirming to the world his position as one of the most paradigmatic characters of late 20th century and early 21st century.

When the Venezuelan president was sworn in at the National Assembly he said: “I swear before God, I swear before the homeland, I swear before my people that under this moribund constitution I will boost the needed democratic transformations so the new Republic can have a great charter suitable for the new times. I swear it.” The revolution, with Chávez at the helm, has given participation and power for the people, deepening social change and benefits for all.

Although he has faced attacks by right-wing sectors in Venezuela and internationally, including a 2002 coup d’état and a persistent media campaign to discredit his government, President Chávez has remained victorious through several electoral processes.

Since 1998, Venezuelan citizens have gone to the polls 16 times to vote in local, regional and national elections, all of which have been verified as free and fair by international observers and accompaniers from institutions including the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Carter Center.

Click here to read about some of the achievements of the government of President Hugo Chávez.

YVKE Mundial / Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / February 2, 2012

The Supreme Tribunal of Justice will determine the constitutional and organic character of the law, which includes 89 articles and seeks to “prevent, investigate, pursue and punish” organized crime and the financing of terrorism, as well as reinforce the safety policies of the Venezuelan state.

“This law already existed. We are incorporating 25 new articles and reforming over 30 more articles to increase sentences for organized crime,” said the socialist deputy Andrés Méndez.

Mendez accused opposition lawmakers of delaying the discussion and preventing the passage of a “strong law” to fight terrorism that is “necessary for the domestic order and peace of the homeland.”

Opposition lawmakers left the Parliament during the discussion to delay the law’s passage.

“We have held a debate with quorum, although the opposition sectors have decided to try to stop the quorum,” said National Assembly Vice President Aristóbulo Istúriz.

Ninety-two legislators remained in the session, most of them from the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

Terrorist Attacks

According to the reformed law, terrorist acts include the “perturbation or interruption of water supply, electricity or another fundamental natural resource, intended to endanger human lives.”

A terrorist attack is described as an act “aimed at seriously intimidating a population; obliging governments or an international organization to carry out an action, or abstain from doing it; seriously destabilizing the fundamental constitutional political, economic or social structures of a country or an international organization.”

Actions considered as terrorist attacks also include:

- Attacks against life and physical integrity.

- Kidnapping and taking hostages; causing mass destructions against a government or private or state-owned facilities, transportation systems, or infrastructure, including information systems, that can endanger human lives or cause economic damage.

- Fabricating, possessing, obtaining, transporting or supplying weapons and explosives.

- Releasing substances that cause fires, flooding or explosions to endanger human lives.

- Seizing aircrafts, ships or other mass transportation systems or transportation goods.

For more news and information about the National Assembly, please see our special section.

AVN / Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / February 1, 2012

On Tuesday, lawmakers in Venezuela’s National Assembly will hold a second discussion on reforms to the Organic Law against Organized Crime, according to the parliament’s secretariat.

The Organic Law against Organized Crime is aimed at preventing, investigating, perusing and punishing organized crime and the financing of terrorism in accordance with the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and international agreements signed and ratified by Venezuela.

The reform of the law was approved in a first discussion in 2011, and is designed to improve actions to fight organized crime nationwide. The legislation currently in force has been valid since September 27, 2005.

Today’s parliamentary session is expected to be held at 2:00 pm local time (1:30 pm EST).

For more news and information about the National Assembly, please see our special section.

YVKE Mundial / Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / January 31, 2012

According to these results, President Chávez’s popularity has increased by 14 points over the last 11 months.

The survey, conducted from January 15 to 22 of this year, confirms that expectations about personal and family finances have risen slightly since last year; 65 percent of the Venezuelan population believes that the economic situation will improve.

The survey showed that 59 percent of Venezuelans believe the Bolivarian Revolution has improved the country’s economic and social situation. Regarding the health of the president, 72 percent said they think he is fully recovering. Meanwhile, 51 percent of those polled agree that President Chávez should be reelected in October.

See the full survey here.

AVN / Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / January 30, 2012

The Minister of the Interior and Justice Tareck El Aissami explained: “The police corps will no longer buy arms or munitions freely. Now they will need our consent based on protocol, the number of functionaries, the registry of munitions, and whether they are going to be used for training or in an official capacity.”

Regarding the sale of arms and munitions, the minister explained that the security measures developed by the government include the closure of all gun stores within Venezuela, saying that articles used to threaten human lives cannot not be sold freely.

“As of March, every last gun shop remaining in Venezuela – and there are less than 80 – should be closed. That is to say, in Venezuela, the perverse chapter of the commercialization of firearms and munitions is over,” El Aissami said.

At the opening of the International Seminar on Arms and Munitions Control and Disarmament taking place this week at a hotel in the capital city of Caracas, the minister added that among the irregularities observed in the use of arms by the police is the fact that arms are not assigned to each officer, but rather are rotated.

“This evidently does not favor clarity in the matter of how the arms are used, among other issues,” he said.

El Aissami said that for the moment, no drastic measures will be announced regarding weapons possession, however, he indicated that the government’s security policies are ultimately aimed at disarming the civilian population.

“Of course we are not going to dictate drastic measures prohibiting carrying arms because we know that there is a cultural problem that we must tackle first. That is something we must do through campaigns and raising awareness among the population with the support of the media,” El Aissami said.

In this sense, El Aissami said the media is essential in constructing a new culture that favors and promotes peace.

For this, he said the issue of ethics in the media should be broadly debated in order to forge cooperation regarding the promotion of a culture of peace and the eradication of language and content that incites violence.

AVN / Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / January 26, 2012

Shortly after the death of the prosecutor general, lawmakers and citizens gathered at the legislative palace in Caracas on Wednesday night to express their support, solidarity, and deep admiration for the distinguished Venezuelan politician.

Attorney General Escarrá, who represented Venezuela’s populous state of Aragua in the National Assembly from 2005 to 2010, earned a degree in political science from the Universidad Central de Venezuela and graduated cum laude in law from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello. He was also a professor of law.

His judicial experience led him to be chosen as a member of the presidential commission on constitutional reform, and he served as vice attorney general before being named prosecutor general.

In his legislative work as a member of the National Assembly, Escarrá served two terms, and offering indispensable support for initiatives such as the Law on Communal Councils and the reform of the Law on the Supreme Tribunal of Justice.

Expressions of Solidarity

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez lamented the death of the prosecutor general, whom he called “a great soldier for this country.”

Lawmaker Juan Carlos Alemán said: “Venezuela weeps for the terrible loss of Carlos Escarrá, a fellow deputy, a man of the people, hard working, humble, simple, and with no privileges. A man that in all situations was always ready to lend a hand to a friend, to offer advice.”

Another socialist representative in the National Assembly, Zulay Martínez, said “I am concerned and very sad, but we must now reflect on the great conscience that Carlos Escarrá gave this country, his example and his teachings, because we always knew him to be full of courage and valor, and with a great commitment to the country.”

“He was the best professor,” said Karla Díaz, a former student of Escarrá’s at the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, speaking outside the parliament building. “At an academic level, he has a very important legacy. His lectures were essential. He gave courses on administrative law. But the most important thing was the human relationship he had with his students, because it was about friendship, closeness. He had an excellent human quality.”

An official statement released by the Office of the Prosecutor General reads: “In almost five months as Prosecutor General, he did a commendable job worthy of revolutionary admiration and pride. He assumed as a personal challenge the revindication of the rights of pensioners and retirees, he helped to deepen and consolidate people’s power from the institutional side and to firmly defend our great country.”

YVKE Mundial / Press Office – Embassy of Venezuela to the U.S. / January 26, 2012