VENEZUELAN state institutions have made an appropriate and firm response in line with law that is to prevail throughout the investigation into the assassination of Public Prosecutor Danilo Anderson, who was investigating individuals suspected of participating in the 2002 coup, Vice President José Vicente Rangel stated.

In a public communiqué dated November 27, Rangel counterattacked the opposition media campaign, which is attempting to discredit official investigations into the terrorist attack. According to his note “[opposition] political leaders and the media are placing the assassination of the public prosecutor on the same plane as the death of those citizens suspected to have been involved in the attack.”

On November 24, on being stopped in his vehicle, lawyer Antonio López Castillo resisted arrest and killed Inspector Antonio Pavón, in charge of this case. A few hours later, the police discovered assault rifles, pistols, an AT-4 rocket launcher, explosives, cluster bombs, tear gas, a large stock of army supplies, and bullet-proof vests at the lawyer’s home.

In this operation, López Castillo’s parents: Haydeé Castillo, a former senator in the COPEI opposition party, and her husband Antonio López, who was likewise carrying illegal weapons, were detained. Juan Guevara, former inspector of the Judicial Technical Police, and his cousin Otoniel Guevara, an ex police commissioner, were also arrested.

The are also seeking Rolando Guevara, Juan’s brother and former chief of the Homicide Division of the Judicial Technical Police, thought to be implicated in the attack.

In the face of these events, the Venezuelan government is preparing to implement an anti-terrorist plan.

Following a presidential decree by President Chávez, the National Defense Council (Codena) is to activate the new plan, which includes a special panel of judges, protective measures for government officials, and the strengthening of security at ports and airports.

At the judicial level, there are to be three control tribunals and two appeal courts to hear cases of terrorism. This measure is being adopted in order to facilitate such procedures.

The fleeting fascist coup of two years ago is once again being heatedly discussed in Venezuela’s revolutionary circles with the aim of seeing justice done and fulfilling constitutional laws.

Isaías Rodríguez, the Venezuelan Attorney General, is to ask the Supreme Court (TSJ) to annul the absolution of the soldiers responsible for that destabilizing action (April 11, 2002), which lasted for just 48 hours thanks to the demands of the people and the loyalty of the majority of the army.

In a conversation with José Saramago, Portuguese author and Literature Nobel Prize winner, Rangel claimed that CIA involvement in the April 2002 coup is a well-known fact. He added that “Aznar’s government was similarly involved.”

In his three-day official visit to Spain, Hugo Chávez engaged in a series of activities, the most significant of which was his meeting with President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. Chávez pointed out that this is a “new chapter,” in reference to former president Aznar’s backing of the coup.

The Spanish media affirmed that Chávez left behind a veritable political storm because the Popular Party, headed by Aznar, demanded that Miguel Angel Moratinos, Spanish minister of Foreign Affairs, retract his charge that former president José María Aznar of supporting the April 2002 coup in Venezuela.

President Chávez also visited Moscow, the Russian capital. The Russian ministers of foreign affairs, defense, agriculture, energy, trade, culture and communications, and industry and mining accompanied the Venezuelan president and the mayor of Caracas in their tours. In Moscow, Chávez also met his counterpart Vladimir Putin for the third occasion.

This visit opens up new perspectives for relations between Venezuela and Russia. Alí Rodríguez, Venezuelan minister of foreign affairs, pointed out “this, together with other efforts at the international level, would enable us to attract new Russian investments to Venezuela, improve international relations with other countries and strengthen political and cultural ties.”

Although Venezuela’s armaments purchase from Russia is one of the most publicized by the so-called mainstream media, Alí Rodríguez pointed out that other energy and trade agreements will leave a profound mark on both economies, as it is a matter of increasing the trade balance by utilizing diverse strategies. One of these strategies will enable Russian companies to submit tenders for Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) projects.

“Russia’s position in relation to Venezuela has always been very clear. They condemned the coup and promptly, as it should be, acknowledged the transparency of President Chávez’ victory in the August 15 referendum,” Rodríguez gratefully affirmed.

In Iran, the Venezuelan president met with Mohammed Jatami, the country’s president. “Iran and Venezuela have several common interests and goals. For this reason, we have to strengthen our political and commercial relations at the highest level,” President Jatami noted. Chávez expressed his admiration for the anti-imperialistic nature of the Iranian revolution and its firmness towards the United States. He added that, as in the case of Venezuela, Iran is opposed to a system of unilateral power over the world. Iran’s building of new cement and tractor factories, its relations with OPEC and defense of oil prices, and its advances in the petrochemical industry, are some of the crucial issues discussed with Chávez, Venpres informed.

The Venezuelan president’s tour culminated with an official visit to Qatar on Tuesday 30, where Chávez and the emir Sheik Hamad ben Khalifa al-Thani examined the oil market, an official source quoted by AFP claimed.

Both leaders discussed ways of reinforcing cooperation between their countries.

Venezuela and Qatar are members of the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Carlos Ríos, the Venezuelan ambassador in Doha, pointed out, “we consider this a very positive visit,” adding: “there is to be an exchange of delegations from both countries within the next weeks to define our ideas and future projects.”

(Granma)  December 2, 2004