Chavez: A "Star" in Oliver Stone movie?

Three months ago Oliver Stone's South of the Border movie premiered and the purpose of it was to portray Chavez and other South American leaders in a different light than how they are seen in the Western media. Has Stone been correct in his judgment and objectivity? Some critics have compared this documentary to Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story.

Read this article in TIME: South of the Border': Hugo Chavez and Stone's Love Story

Perhaps this documentary does show Chavez in a different light and highlights what he meant and accomplished for Venezuela, but nevertheless this documentary should still be viewed with a critical eye as Oliver Stone's points out: "If he succeeds it will be the first time in Latin American history where he has led an entire region away from the United States economic control." We should listen carefully to his words...If, if he succeeds...but at what cost?

Watch the trailer of "South of the Border"

Chavez Closes Banks- What's next?

On Monday, Chavez shut down four banks for “financial irregularities”. Two of the banks, Canarias, and ProVivienda have been closed permanently and their assets will be sold. Together the four banks formed 5.7 % of the banking sector when they were taken over on November 20^th by the Venezuelan government. Is this another step towards complete nationalization?

On Sunday during Chavez’s “Hello President” talk show he said that he would nationalize any banks, which will not lend to the poor or help Venezuela’s development.

In his usual rhetoric he warned: "I'm telling the private bankers, 'he who slips up loses', I'll take over the bank, whatever its size."

Source

In Times of Domestic Crisis Venezuela Buys Military Equipment

December 1^st – With the help of Russia, Venezuela will build a factory to manufacture Kalashnikov AK-103 assault riffles andalso purchase military helicopters. These military purchases are a part of an agreement signed this August 15^th.

Russia’s ambassador to Venezuela, Vladimir Zaemskiy has in addition stated that replacing military equipment was a “natural process of any country”, and that Venezuela is “guided by a new concept of national defense” most likely referring to Venezuela’s and Colombia’s tense relations over the U.S military bases in Colombia which will allow for military and spy operations across South America.

Russia and Venezuela also have companies working together to exploit oil and explore natural gas but their military agreements are increasing and since 2005 Venezuela has bought $4.4 billion of military equipment from Russia as well as a $1 billion loan that Russia has given to Venezuela all for military equipment.

The question is, why isn’t Chavez trying to improve Venezuela’s domestic problems at a time when his popularity is decreasing? Perhaps it is because this way he is distracting the world and Venezuelans from the real problems.

For more see:Source

Does Venezuela have Political Prisoners?

Richard Blanco, a Caracas city administrator and an opposition party leader has been ordered to stay in prison by the Venezuelan court while waiting for his trail to begin. He is accused of hurting a police officer during a protest this August.

Relatives of Blanco and opposition leaders are saying that he is one of two-dozen political prisoners while Chavez denies that there are any political prisoners at all.

Source

Ahmadinejad-Chavez Relations Grow

Ahmadinejad visited Venezuela during his tour of South America aimed at strengthening ties with countries such as Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela.

Upon meeting president Evo Morales in Bolivia, Morales and Ahmadinejad spoke about the right of nations to have a peaceful nuclear program.

So far 270 agreements have been signed between Ahmadinejad and Chavez concerning agriculture, industry, energy and technology. However Adolfo Tayllardhat (the former deputy foreign minister) said that these accords are personal relations and the only connection between Venezuela and Iran is the fact that both of these countries are members of Opec.

Brazil’s Lula de Silva, who is seen as the “neutral” mediator of South America, said that Iran should not be isolated over its nuclear ambitions but Iran should be open to cooperation with the West.

Source

Latest on Venezuela-Colombia: Venezuelan Soldiers Destroy Bridges

Venezuelan soldiers blew up two pedestrian bridges on the border with Colombia, claiming that, illegal militia and drug traffickers used these bridges. Also Venezuela defends itself by saying these bridges were not included in any international treaty.

Colombia thought declared that this is a breach of international law and Gabriel Silva, Colombia’s defense minister, said that he will file a complaint with the UN and the OAS (Organization of American States).

Source

Confrontations between Uribe and Chavez Consolidate their Rule at Home

(Monday, November 16^th) The “level of confrontation” between Colombia’s president Alvaro Uribe and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez helps their popularity in their respective countries and also consolidates their rule is the observation by Mexican writer Jorge Volpi.

Chavez popularity has recently been decreasing due to Venezuela’s economic problems, such as the electricity and water rationing, the high inflation rate and the high crime rate.

Volpi, also said that even though throughout the whole region the U.S military bases are seen as an “inconvenience”, Chavez needs to tone down his political rhetoric in order for the situation not to escalate.

Also he added that Venezuela would not like a confrontation with Colombia, who has a better army and better mobilization capabilities. Source

What Effect do the U.S Military Bases in Colombia have on the Region?

Last week in an article published for The Hill, Berndardo Alvarez, Venezuela’s ambassador to the U.S expressed his concern over the U.S military bases in Colombia as he pointed out how they will contribute to only further regional instability that even U.S agencies have confirmed. He also said that the military strategy in recent years to solve the illegal drug trafficking and their internal conflict has had serious consequences such as refugees immigrating to neighboring countries and this agreement will only further deteriorate the crisis.

Alvarez also pointed out that the concern over the agreement also extends to the region as it was evident this August when 11/12 member states belonging to the Union of South American States (UNASUR) expressed dissatisfaction with the agreement. The agreement does not exactly guarantee that the operations from the bases (such as regional intelligence operations) won’t violate the sovereignty of any of the neighboring countries.

For more see: Source

Uribe: "Unbreakable Affection" between Venezuela and Colombia

Colombia has released the four members of Venezuela’s national guard detained on Friday, on what Colombia claims was their territory. However Venezuela’s National Guard General Orlando Mijares said that the rivers are international and fall under an agreement made between these two countries.

This is the latest concerning the disagreement and accusations between these two countries and if one simplifies Chavez wants the U.S military bases to move out of Colombia and Uribe accuses Chavez of being involved with the FARC.

Uribe said that sending the troops back was a message of “unbreakable affection” between these two countries whose relationship keeps worsening. Source 1 Source 2

Chavez to "Bomb Clouds"

Due to a serious drought in Venezuela caused by El Nino phenomenon, Venezuela’s government has had to impose water and electricity rationing. Venezuela uses hydroelectric projects to produce electricity. Cubans are due to arrive in Venezuela and help to fly the airplanes over the Orinoco river in a procedure known as clouds seeding (firing silver iodine at clouds). How effective this method has been so far in other places is up for debate. Chavez’s government has been criticized for imposing water rationing in Caracas and bad planning. However Venezuelans should feel safe with such a thoughtful president who has a plan as on Saturday he said: “I’m going in a plane; any cloud that crosses me, I’ll zap it so that it rains.”

See: Source