Colombian Minister Santos statements represent a threat to sovereignty of the region

Caracas - ABN
03/03/2009

The recent statements made by the Minister of Defense of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos represent a threat to the stability and sovereignty of the countries of the region, it reads a communiquee emitted on Tuesday by the Venezuelan Ministry of People's Power for Foreign Affairs.

"The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is deeply concerned about and rejects the irresponsible statements issued by Colombia’s Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos since they represent a threat to the stability and sovereignty of the countries of the region"...full statement here

Chavez Demands Extradition of Terrorist Posada Carriles from US

HAVANA - ACN

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez reiterated on Friday his country’s extradition request to the United States on terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, who escaped a Venezuelan jail, after the bombing of the Cubana flight 455 in Barbados 1976.

Chavez also requested the extradition of former Venezuelan President Carlos Andrés Perez who is blamed for the bloodshed during the Caracazo uprising, reported Prensa Latina.

President Hugo Chavez said that US President Barack Obama should hand over Posada Carriles, a fugitive from Venezuelan justice, and accused of masterminding the midair explosion of a Cuban passenger airplane in 1976 that killed all 73 persons aboard.

Full story here

ALBA Oil Fleet Purchases First Tanker

CARACAS - Periodico 26

TRANSALBA Transport Co. received its first tanker ship, the Petion, named after Haitian national hero Alexandre Petion, announced Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) on Monday.

The company said the Panamex type vessel has a 72,700 ton deadweight, and will be destined to transport crude oil from the refinery in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela and the Camilo Cienfuegos Refinery in Cuba, reported Prensa Latina.

A second tanker, with the name Sandino, is expected to be delivered in March. By having its own fleet the TRANSALBA transportation costs will drop.

Full story here

Nicaragua to Open ALBA Oil Refinery

Managua - PL

The Nicaraguan authorities will open on February 26 the first phase of "The Supreme Dream of Bolivar" oil refinery, announced media on Tuesday.

Multinoticias Canal 4 TV station aired statements by Francisco Lopez, director of state-owned PETRONIC, announcing the conclusion of the first stage of the oil refining complex, which is being built with the help of Venezuela, as part of the Bolivarian Alternative for the People of the Americas (ALBA).

Full story here

Cuban Justice Minister Denounced U.S Blockade at the UN

HAVANA - ACN
03/03/2009

Cuba's Justice Minister, María Esther Reus, denounced the economic, financial and commercial blockade of the U.S against Cuba at the 10th session of the UN’s Human Rights Council.

Reus said she hopes someday she will be able to announce in Geneva that the blockade has been lifted and that the five Cuban anti-terrorists held in American jails have been released, reported Prensa Latina news agency.

Full story here

Human Rights Record of US in '08

Xinhua - China daily
02/26/2009

BEIJING -- The Information Office of the State Council published a report titled "The Human Rights Record of United States in 2008" here on Thursday.

The State Department of the United States released its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2008 on February 25, 2009. As in previous years, the reports are full of accusations of the human rights situation in more than 190 countries and regions including China, but mentioned nothing of the widespread human rights abuses on its own territory. The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2008 is prepared to help people around the world understand the real situation of human rights in the United States, and as a reminder for the United States to reflect upon it s own issues.

Full story here

Venezuelan Government rejects accusations made by the U.S. Department of State

Caracas - ABN
02/26/2009

Due to the report emitted on Wednesday by the United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, denouncing alleged corruption cases, pester the freedom of the press and human rights violations in Venezuela, without presenting a single proof, the Ministry of People's power for Foreign Affairs made public a statement rejecting and condemning United States meddling in Venezuela.

Full statement here

Wall Street Continues to free fall, The Dow brakes the 6k barrier

New York - Agencies

03/02/2009

Wall Street open today with a strong negative tendency and the Dow Jones Industries had loss almost 2% shortly after the opening bell, after learning The US Government has to rescue the insurance giant AIG once again, which registered record losses last year.

The Dow Jones index shrank 132 points, closing with 6.930 units, level not registered since October 1997, dropping from a high of 14.000 units last year. The Nasdaq reversed 1,3% and the S&P also loss 1,9%. Ouch!

ALBA Member Countries Create Permanent Commission

HAVANA - ACN
03/02/2009

The member countries of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), the bloc that is working for regional integration and cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean, have approved the creation of the Permanent Commission of this organization.

The agreement was reached during a recent session in Caracas, Venezuela, of the 8th Meeting of the ALBA Political Commission that was attended by delegations from Cuba, Bolivia, Dominica, Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Full story here

International Event on Globalization Begins in Havana

HAVANA - ACN
03/02/2009

The 11th International Encounter of Economists on Globalization and Development Problems that begins on Monday in Havana will be the most important of its kind held so far.

"The current global economic crisis makes it the most important so far,"said the president of the organizing committee, Roberto Verrier.

According to Verrier, some 1,500 delegates from 60 countries as well as representatives from 27 international institutions, including the United Nations and a special envoy from the President of the UN General Assembly, will participate in the meeting.

Other important personalities that will take part in the event include Dominican President Leonel Fernandez and his Honduran counterpart Jose Manuel Zelaya as well as US Nobel laureates for Economy Robert Mundell, Robert Engle and Edmund Phelps.

Verrier added that 10 presidents of Central Banks, almost 20 Ministers of Economy, the UNESCO Deputy Director and the President of the ALBA (Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas) Bank are also in Havana for the meeting.

"We will analyze the topic of the global economic crisis in two working sessions, on Monday and Tuesday. Then, on Wednesday, we will discuss ways in which social movements and economists from developing countries can contribute to facing this crisis," Verrier explained.

According to the president of the organizing committee, other topics to be discussed include trade, the Doha Round, ALBA and regional integration.

The 11th International Encounter of Economists on Globalization and Development Problems will conclude next Friday.