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Published on 28 March 2016 by venezuelanalysis.com.
Caracas, March 28, 2016 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Haitian-Venezuelan political leader and solidarity activist Fritz Saint Louis, 54, was shot dead in his home by masked gunman on Saturday evening.
According to a statement by the Public Prosecutor’s office, Saint Louis was reportedly inside his home located on the outskirts of Caracas in Santa Lucia del Tuy, “when a group of armed men entered and, without a word, shot the politician various times, causing his immediate death.”
Saint Louis’ son, Louis Nervil Fritz Jr., 23, was also injured in the incident, suffering a shot to the arm.
Two suspects in the case, Victor Jose Cisneros (22) and Henry Anthony Torrealba (23), reportedly died in a shootout with police on Sunday afternoon, while three others were arrested by authorities. Police recovered two 16mm shotguns without serial numbers alleged to have been used in the murder.
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Published on 5 April 2016 by Granma.
CARACAS.—Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro approved funding of over $1.4 billion dollars this Monday, April 4, to strengthen the 2016 Cooperation Plan signed with Cuba in health, education, culture and sports.
The head of state signed the document during a meeting of the Cuba-Venezuela High Level Joint Commission, held at the Miraflores Palace, reported Prensa Latina.
Maduro highlighted the efforts made by his government to ensure a truly socialist healthcare system. “The right wing media devote themselves to silencing what is being done for the benefit of Venezuelans,” he stated.
The Venezuelan leader also approved the Cuba-Venezuela binational plan to strengthen the Misión Barrio Adentro (Inside the Neighborhood Mission) health care program.
He noted total investment of $1.428 billion dollars, as well as 6.954 billion bolivars in the case of health, which will be used to strengthen and expand the medical assistance provided through the Misión Barrio Adentro.
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Published on 16 March 2016 by teleSUR.
The rapporteur has been critical of the Venezuelan state without first requesting information from the government.
Venezuela spoke out against the rapporteur for freedom of expression Edison Lanza of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights on Wednesday.
Venezuelan Ambassador to the U.S. Bernardo Alvarez told the Organization of American States that he “categorically rejects” the official for his “loss of independence and lack of impartiality in regard to the Venezuelan state.”
Lanza publicly criticized Venezuela’s freedom of expression in an “irresponsible and biased” way and failed to contact the state before publishing a negative press release.
“There is no doubt that this reprehensible behaviour is part of a national and international political-media campaign to discredit the Venezuelan state and its government on freedom of expression,” said Alvarez.
“Venezuela today is characterized by a deep respect for the right to freedom of expression in the broadest sense, protecting the exercise of that right beyond vision of private media corporations to give space to all individual and collective expression, in a country where the plurality of opinions are expressed through social media and thousands of community and alternative media,” he added.
Alvarez’s speech ended with an appeal to respect the standards of ethics in the OAS and the human rights commission.
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Published on 16 March 2016 by teleSUR.
Taking to the streets of La Paz to defend their leader, President Evo Morales, supporters say the attacks against him must stop.
More than 5,000 community representatives marched through the streets of La Paz in a major show of support for President Evo Morales.
Shouting "We stand by Evo," the crowds brought a large part of the center of La Paz to a complete standstill.
Supporters of the president decided to march to show "that we still have a voice," said Quisa Cossio, who came from the town of Viacha to take part in the event.
She was referring to the recent referendum result where the "No" campaign scored a narrow and rare victory over the government supported "Yes" campaign.
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Published 8 March 2016 by teleSUR
Venezuela's right-wing opposition launched a campaign Tuesday to remove socialist President Nicolas Maduro from power this year. The plan includes street protests for his immediate resignation, along with plans to hold a presidential recall referendum and to change the constitution so that there are immediate elections.
“We call on the entire Venezuelan people in order to force Maduro to resign as the President of the country,” the Executive Secretary of the Democratic Unity coalition Jesus Torrealba told reporters.
One of the mechanism sought by the opposition coalition is a constitutional amendment to cut Maduro's term short and hold new presidential elections. That could be requested either by the National Assembly or 2.9 million voters, paving the way for a recall referendum.
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Published on 3 March 2016 by teleSUR.
The executive order, first signed by Obama last year, imposed sanctions on Venezuela.
U.S. President Barack Obama renewed Thursday an executive order issued last March that declared Venezuela “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”
The renewal of the decree is valid for one year and was revealed in a letter from Obama to congressional leaders. In the letter, the U.S. president claims that alleged conditions that first prompted the order had “not improved.”
The executive order was first issued by Obama in March 2015 and provoked a storm of controversy inside Venezuela and a backlash throughout Latin America.
Leaders from throughout the region condemned the decree.
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Published on 24 February 2016 by Telesur English
The Bolivian government promised its supporters Wednesday that it would continue to adopt progressive political policies, despite the outcome of the country´s national referendum.
"We may have lost a battle, but not the war," said President Evo Morales, referring to the national referendum results on presidential term limits, which prevents the Bolivian leader from running for re-election in 2019.
During a press conference Wednesday, President Morales acknowledged the referendum results but promised to continue governing in the “interests of the poor and marginilazied.”
In his speech, Morales accused right-wing opposition groups of launching a coordinated media campaign in efforts to undermine and discredit his administration.
"Some media outlets fulfilled the interests of political parties," Morales stated.
Moving forward, Morales announced that various high-ranking members from his administration will meet with leaders from Bolivian social movements in order to evaluate the political implications following the referendum outcome.
Official final results will not be announced until Thursday. However, with 99.5 percent of the votes counted, the “No” side holds a three percent lead over the “Yes” with 51.3 percent versus 48.7 percent.
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Published on 24 February 2016 by Telesur English
Thousands of Argentine public sector workers have taken to the streets of Buenos Aires and will convene at the presidential palace Wednesday as part of a national strike to protest the neoliberal policies of President Mauricio Macri.
Macri has fired approximately 10,000 state workers since the beginning of 2016, with even more layoffs expected in the coming months as government ministries continue to review contracts.
Wednesday's national strike is being organized by the Association of State Workers, known as ATE, together with the Argentine Workers Union.
ATE President Hugo Godoy added that there would be marches and demonstrations in provincial capitals as well.
President Macri is ideologically disposed to reducing the public sector, arguing that private investment should be the source of new employment.
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Published on 18 February 2016 by Venezuela Analysis
A whole packet of new economic initiatives will take effect in Venezuela this week after the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, announced a series of far-reaching measures in response to the economic crisis on Wednesday evening.
In a five hour address to the nation on national television, Maduro explained the extent of the economic crisis afflicting the country as well as his government’s plan to tackle it.
The economic initiatives include changes to the country’s multi-tiered exchange rate, an increase in the domestic price of gasoline, the implementation of a new tax system, and expansion of community control over food distribution.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to continuing his government’s investment in Venezuela’s many public services known as the “missions”.
Economic Crisis
The far reaching reforms come after the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) moved to approve a state of economic emergency decree emitted by Maduro in January, overriding what it described as an unconstitutional attempt by the opposition-controlled National Assembly to block it.