PE denuncia situación de los derechos humanos en Cuba, Venezuela y Nicaragua/ Political persecution and authoritarianism in Venezuela

El Parlamento Europeo (PE) expresó hoy su preocupación por la situación en Nicaragua y Venezuela ante los ataques a organizaciones defensoras de los derechos humanos y en Cuba por el trato a los disidentes ( información completa)/ In the light of the intimidation and harassment of a number of opposition figures in Venezuela, including Manuel Rosales, the elected mayor of the city of Maracaibo, Parliament expresses its "profound concern at the deterioration in the situation and in the quality of democracy in Venezuela", which is being threatened with collapse by "the growing authoritarianism" displayed by President Chávez ( full information)

Venezuela Activates First Offshore Gas Well/ Chávez activó primer pozo de gas costa afuera

State-owned oil giant Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., or PDVSA, has "for the first time" activated an offshore gas well, an event that President Hugo Chavez hailed as a "historic act."(full information)/ El primer pozo de gas costa afuera -que llevará el nombre Cruz de Mayo- fue puesto a prueba la noche de este martes por órdenes del presidente de la República, Hugo Chávez. (información completa)

Venezuela plans to open micro bank in Angola/ Planean abrir sucursal del Bandes en Angola

Venezuela plans to open a branch of development bank Bandes in Angola next year to provide micro-credit, its ambassador to the southern African state said on Thursday ( full information)/ El Ejecutivo tiene planeado abrir una sucursal del banco de desarrollo Bandes en Angola el próximo año para otorgar microcréditos, dijo el jueves el embajador venezolano en la nación africana (información completa)

Digging a Grave for Venezuela's PDVSA/ El Sepulcro Para PDVSA

After ten years of doing everything that is unthinkable to push the domestic oil industry to death’s door, the Chávez administration has ordered that a grave be dug where what is left of PDVSA will be interred: the Law Reserving Goods and Services Associated with Primary Hydrocarbon Activities to the State, approved yesterday, May 5, following its first debated by the redder-than-red deputies of the National Assembly ( full información)/ Luego de diez años de hacer todo lo indecible para llevar a la industria petrolera nacional al punto de agonía sin retorno, el Gobierno de Chávez mandó a cavar el sepulcro donde acabarán los restos de PDVSA: La Ley Orgánica que reserva al Estado los bienes y servicios conexos a las actividades primarias de hidrocarburos, aprobada este martes 5 de mayo en primera discusión, por la Asamblea Nacional ( información completa)

Ex-mayor accused of embezzlement in Venezuela/ Imputado ex alcalde chavista

Venezuelan prosecutors filed embezzlement and other charges Wednesday against a former Caracas mayor who supports the government of President Hugo Chavez. The allegations come as opponents accuse the government of targeting corruption probes against them, including a prominent opposition leader who has taken asylum in Peru and a former defense minister jailed on accusations that funds went missing on his watch ( full information)/ La Fiscalía decidió investigarlo por los delitos de peculado doloso (hurto de caudales del erario) -que implica una pena de 3 a 10 años de prisión-, malversación genérica (uso de dinero público para destinos distintos a los presupuestados) y evasión de licitación ( información completa)

Venezuela readies law to seize some oil services/ Govn't to take over oil services provided by private firms

Venezuela's Congress on Tuesday gave initial approval for state seizure of a group of oil service companies, upping the ante in a months-long dispute over billions of dollars in unpaid debts. The legislation would extend President Hugo Chavez's control over the OPEC nation's oil industry as state oil firm PDVSA struggles to make ends meet amid the tumble of crude prices from highs near $150 per barrel last year ( full information)/ Chávez made the announcement some hours after the National Assembly passed in a first debate a bill that will allow the government "to decree the total or partial expropriation of shares or companies" related to goods and services "essential to the oil industry," EFE reported ( información completa)

Crecen las protestas de trabajadores estatales en el país/ Venezuela's Chavez faces growing labor strife/

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez faces growing protests by government workers this year as falling oil prices cut into economic growth and force spending cuts. Unions representing workers from the education and health sectors to the vital oil industry are demanding that the socialist government, the country's top employer, raise wages despite a growing cash shortfall (full information)/ Sindicatos de sectores desde salud y educación hasta la vital industria petrolera demandan que el Gobierno socialista, principal empleador del país, aumente salarios y compensaciones a pesar del creciente déficit de ingresos ( información completa)