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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101115/ap_on_bi_ge/lt_venezuela_chavez
Venezuela's Chavez defends general amid scanda
CARACAS, Venezuela – President Hugo Chavez on Sunday praised a top general who suggested the military would not accept an opposition victory in Venezuela's next presidential election, further angering critics who argue the officer demonstrated disrespect for democracy.
In a newspaper column, Chavez referred to Gen. Henry Rangel Silva as "a revolutionary soldier," and said that he planned to promote him to general in chief of defense for "his merits and virtues."
The self-proclaimed socialist leader harshly criticized Jose Miguel Insulza, secretary-general of the Organization of American States, for calling Rangel Silva's remarks "unacceptable," and accused the OAS chief of meddling in Venezuela's domestic affairs.
"His unfortunate statements are nothing more than disrespect for our sovereignty," Chavez wrote.
In a recent interview, the Ultimas Noticias newspaper quoted Rangel Silva as saying that Venezuela's military would not accept an opposition victory in the country's 2012 presidential election. The general also told the newspaper that military officers support Chavez's drive toward socialism.
Rangel Silva's comments have raised the ire of opposition politicians, who have long accused Chavez of imbuing soldiers with his socialist ideology in violation of constitutional norms establishing the apolitical nature of Venezuela's military.
Government adversaries argue Chavez is dangerously dividing Venezuela's military by demanding that military personnel embrace his socialist policies, noting that the former paratroop commander has forced soldiers to salute their superiors by shouting: "Socialist homeland or death! We will be victorious!"
Critics fear Rangel Silva and other top-ranking military officers could reject an opposition triumph at the polls in 2012 and keep Chavez in office, effectively turning one of South America's oldest democracies into a dictatorship.
During his Sunday television and radio program, "Hello President," Chavez said that he planned to promote the general on Tuesday.
"I will have the honor and pleasure of promoting ... Gen. Rangel Silva while the anti-patriotic opposition lashes out at patriotic generals like him," he said. "What they attempt to do is create divisions within the armed forces."
Chavez denies that he plans to retain power by force. He promises to defeat any opposition candidate by winning more votes.
Teodoro Petkoff, editor of the opposition-friendly newspaper Tal Cual, alleged that Chavez is attempting to prepare the military to ignore an election defeat.
Petkoff — one of the president's most outspoken critics — predicted that Chavez would lose the next election and warned that violent upheaval could occur if the military were to ignore the result.
"It's a brainwashing venture, making officials get accustomed to think their job is not to recognize the election results," Petkoff said Sunday during a program broadcast on the opposition-leaning Globovision television channel. "When the president of the republic is defeated, the armed forces will have to decide if it's convenient to prop up the head of state amid an ocean of blood."
Venezuela's coalition of opposition parties has agreed to field a single candidate in 2012, but it has not decided on when or how to choose the contender.
I am hopeful and optimistic BUT realistically expect this to go to ARBITRATION. Even this would bring a modicum of closure.
What is KRY doing ?
KRY is and has been exhausting any and every means possible to get the agreement, prior to the now formerly communicated April 2011 deadline for filing arbitration. Doing so also, as many have reiterated here, bolsters KRY arbitration case when it comes to this.
Obtaining the JV does NOT look particularly promising at this point (to me) given RM's remarks and none of the anticipated developments coming to fruition thus far in this quarter. Knowing HUGO it would be just like him to wait until the last second before making a direct statement be it positive or negative for KRY(and even then we may hear nothing).
The enchilada is that big and his disdain for Canadian (Western) management commensurate. Hugo will certainly pursue arbitration, and only then conceding a settlement to KRY/JVC when it's obvious he would lose the arbitration with unacceptable compensation to KRY. TIME is Hugo most prolific weapon and best ally. Time to drain KRY's resources, and TIME to drain KRY's supporters/investors hope for a positive outcome.
I hope I am wrong.
Chavez popularity at 7-year low as campaigning starts for Venezuela vote, pollster says
By FABIOLA SANCHEZ Associated Press Writer
President Hugo Chavez's allies launched their campaigns Wednesday for crucial congressional elections that come just as recession, crime and inflation have pushed the socialist leader's popularity to a seven-year low.
A survey by the Venezuelan polling firm Consultores 21 indicates just 36 percent of Venezuelans approve of Chavez's performance, the lowest figure since 2003, when Chavez survived an opposition-led strike that devastated the economy, pollster Saul Cabrera said.
The results suggest Chavez allies could face a difficult struggle to keep control of the National Assembly in the Sept. 26 election.
The survey of 1,500 people nationwide in late June and early July had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points, said Cabrera, who is vice president of the polling firm. He said the poll was financed by a group of private businesses, which he declined to identify.
Chavez's popularity has suffered a decline of 12 percentage points over the past year and a half, Cabrera told The Associated Press.
Critics accuse Chavez's government of severe incompetence and corruption, and many people are unhappy that Venezuela's oil-driven economy remains in a recession while all other South American countries are seeing growth.
Venezuela's inflation rate, at more than 30 percent, is the highest in Latin America.
Cabrera said other problems such as unchecked violence also are contributing to disenchantment with the government.
The new poll indicates Chavez is still popular among the poorest segment of Venezuelans, garnering about 60 percent support in that group, but he no longer has a majority in the other four income categories, Cabrera said.
The pollster said that in spite of Chavez's low popularity level, the president remains a "formidable political competitor" against an opposition that — while it has made some gains — still has not shown sufficient strength to fully capitalize on the situation.
Chavez, who is up for re-election in 2012, has warned his supporters that opposition control of the National Assembly would undo some of the government's efforts toward socialism.
The National Assembly has been predominantly pro-Chavez since the opposition boycotted legislative elections in 2005.
Opposition parties they took to the steets along with Chavez supporters Wednesday as the election campaign officially began.
Several opposition candidates campaigning near the National Assembly building in downtown Caracas were scattered by National Guard troops who fired tear gas at them for purportedly causing a public disturbance. There were no injures or arrests reported.
Those hedge funds that are still afloat, I would imagine is looking for areas to attentuate their losses (especially with th no short rule in effect).
Any chance this large depreciation in PPS is a concerted effort to drive this stock in to the grave ? It was done with wamu. why would that not be the reason here ? Does this make sense also?