Venezuela Beats Colombia in World Cup Qualifying Match

Venezuela defeated Colombia yesterday in the South American qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup. The game was played in Cachamay Stadium in Puerto Ordaz, located the eastern state of Bolivar.

Colombia was one player short at the end of the game, due to a yellow card. The Venezuelan team took advantage of their extra man to win the game 2 – 0.

Substitute striker Nicolas Fedor, seen at left, was the first to score. Left-footed midfielder Juan Arango delivered the second goal on a free kick late in the game. Venezuela is currently in 8th place, just behind Colombia.

The vinotinto is keeping the dream alive! Stay tuned as they play Bolivia in June. Read a New York Times article about yesterday’s game.

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In Caracas, Revolutionary Metrocable Moves Forward

The “Metrocable” that is set to revolutionize transportation in crowded Caracas will open next month. It will reportedly travel 1.8 kilometers through the following neighborhoods: Parque Central, Hornos de Cal, La Ceiba, El Manguito y San Agustín.

What’s so cool about the Metrocable, you ask? For one, it whisks travelers overland through the clouds to reduce traffic congestion and pollution. It also helps reduce travel time to work for low-income residents in the city’s peripheral areas.

A Reuters article yesterday suggested that this project is well-liked in San Agustín. It prompted one resident to call Hugo Chavez “the only president who has really worked for the poor.” This sentiment is reflected in the statistics: a recent UN study shows poverty has dropped by 16.5% in the last five years.

And while the Venezuelan leader has been known to tout those numbers, he stressed earlier this year that the newest government-funded transportation project was designed for the good of all citizens:

None of the projects promoted by the Venezuelan government does [have political colors]; they will benefit all Venezuelans.

The technology and materials used to build the Metrocable were purchased from Austria and Brazil. The project may have been inspired by an existing aerial transportation system in Medellin, Colombia. Investments total $149 million, and it should create 200 direct jobs and 250 more indirect ones. It will carry 1,500 people an hour for a total of 15,000 commuters every day. See more pictures of the construction phase here.

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Venezuela Begins 2009 on a Humanitarian Note

Remember last January, when the first days of 2008 saw six hostage releases in Colombia brokered by President Chavez? Well, Venezuela is again starting the year off by showing its dedication to humanitarian causes.

Last Friday, Caracas sent an emergency shipment of 74 tons of food, water, and medicine to Zimbabwe to help stop a cholera outbreak that has claimed about 1,500 lives. Rescue workers were also sent, the AP reoprted.

Justice Minister Tarek Al-Aissami (seen at right) said “it is a modest effort in the face of this terrible calamity that one African country is suffering today.” He continued: “this is about human beings who are losing their lives, and only solidarity, love and help can permit this country to recover. …the Bolivarian government will do everything in its power to help this country, much like any other that requires our solidarity.”

Venezuelan officials have also been calling for a swift end to the violence in Gaza. To read a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, click here. Or, listen to a speech by Chavez here (in Spanish).

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Venezuela Reacts to Colombia Hostage Rescue

Yesterday’s rescue of 15 hostages in Colombia was celebrated widely.

U.S. citizens Keith Stansell, Marc Gonsalves, and Thomas Howes returned safely to Texas, and Ingrid Betancourt was reunited with her children. Watch BBC footage of the happy return here.

The Venezuelan government expressed satisfaction with the liberation, according to Bloomberg. Here are some excerpts of a statement released in Spanish by the Ministry of Foreign Relations on its website:

“The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez Frías, has undertaken intensive efforts in favor of a humanitarian accord in Colombia. His mediation brought the first liberations of Colombian citizens held hostage by the FARC. …Hence we appreciate and share in the happiness brought by the liberation and reunion in all its magnitude.

Our government reiterates its public appeal to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to liberate the captives it still holds. We hope as well that this will open a path to a humanitarian accord, the dismantling of the war, and the achievement of peace.”

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Ingrid Betancourt and 3 U.S. Men Rescued in Colombia

Breaking news! We just heard that the government of Colombia has announced that it “rescued” 15 captives held by the FARC in Colombia.

The freed captives include French-born politician Ingrid Betancourt and U.S. military contractors Marc Gonsalves, Tom Howes, and Keith Stansell (pictured here).

This would have happened a lot sooner if Uribe had not canceled the humanitarian mediation by President Chavez! He brokered the release of six civilian hostages in January and February of this year.

UPDATE: read articles by the AP, Reuters, BBC, and Al Jazeera.

ANOTHER UPDATE: more from the New York Times, Bloomberg, and AFP.

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President Chavez’s Message of Peace Welcomed Abroad

After Venezuela’s President Chavez said last Sunday during a weekly televised address that Colombia’s FARC guerrillas should lay down their arms and release all hostages, positive reactions are being heard from around the globe.

French Foreign Minister Pascale Andréani said that Chavez’s words may help restart the humanitarian effort in which Venezuela has been a key player. That initiative led to the negotiated release of six captives earlier this year (pictured above).

In Colombia, President Uribe also welcomed Chavez’s message of peace, as did Cesar Gaviria, a former president who attempted to broker a peace agreement between the FARC, paramilitaries, and the military.

Representatives in the U.S. also approved of the statements. Some call them a “reversal,” but others point out that Chavez’s call for the end of armed conflict in Colombia is not new. Read more here about his consistent calls for peace.

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Venezuela Back in the Saddle on Colombia Peace Effort

Venezuela continues to be a source of hope for people around the world who are pushing for peace in Colombia. Two successful hostage releases were brokered this year by President Chavez, and even though that process was derailed, the country continues to advocate for a negotiated settlement to the conflict.

Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico (pictured at right, on horseback) is in Venezuela today to discuss the case of three U.S. defense contractors held captive in Colombia since 2002. The men are Keith Stansell, Marc Gonsalves, and Thomas Howes.

Governor Richardson told reporters in Caracas, “I think President Chavez can help and can play a role in this issue.” He added that he had been asked by the families of the hostages to intervene on their behalf.

To read related news articles, click here and here.

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Venezuelan Music Tip: Reggae Roundup

In musical circles, Venezuela was once known for the llanera ballads of its rural plains. But in today’s urbanized 21st century Venezuela, you are more likely to hear reggae and ska.

These pop sounds are influenced by rock and Caribbean rhythms, and boast lyrics that explore themes relevant to today’s youth: love, partying, politics, racial issues, national pride, and the chaos of city life. Here is a quick guide to some good reggae and ska bands in Venezuela.

Veteran ska group Desorden Público (pictured above) was formed in Caracas in 1985, and has become one of Venezuela’s most famous bands. Mention the song “Allá cayó” to any Latin American rock music fan, and they are sure to know it. Behind the dozen or so albums already released by the group is a philosophy of racial and social equality.

Like Desorden Público, Sin Sospechas writes lyrics that express a strong social consciousness, and their sound is a “musical mestizaje“: a blend of different influences, both local and foreign. Los Mentas bill themselves as “rockabilly,” which sounds like sped-up ska. Their new release is called “Sopa, Seco y Jugo.” Finally, the more laid-back sounding reggae band Papashanty Saundsystem is gaining fans fast, and is on tour in Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico this spring.

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Venezuela Stands up for Sovereignty

Read all about it!

In recent days, news came of two major triumphs: the overturning of ExxonMobil’s $12 billion asset freeze against Venezuela’s state oil company, and a resolution by the OAS rejecting Colombia’s deadly military raid into Ecuador. At the heart of both issues is the question of sovereignty.

First, in the dispute with ExxonMobil, Venezuela went to court to stand up for its decision to bring oil projects in the Orinoco region under the legal framework for majority state control of the oil industry that was established in the 1970s. ExxonMobil challenged that decision in UK courts, but a judge ruled the firm’s move was inappropriate.

A second headline is the OAS resolution to reject Colombia’s March 1st raid in Ecuador, which killed a top guerrilla leader as well as two dozen others, including 4 Mexican university students. The resolution was approved unanimously by the 34 member states of the OAS. OAS representatives are pictured here applauding the decision.

Venezuela took the lead in denouncing the breach of sovereignty by Colombia. This is due to the fact that Venezuela shares a 1,500 mile-long border with Colombia — one of the longest common borders in the hemisphere. Also, refugees and communities displaced by the violence in Colombia are increasingly granted asylum in Venezuela.

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New Hope for Colombian Refugees Living in Venezuela

The Caracas-based newspaper El Universal reports today that Colombian refugees in Venezuela will soon be eligible for micro-financing loans through a new program run jointly by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the government-run Banco del Pueblo Soberano (Sovereign Bank of the People).

William Spindler of the UNHCR announced the signing of the new micro-financing agreement last Friday. He explained that it gives low-interest loans to Colombian refugees and asylum seekers in the border states of Zulia, Táchira and Apure in order to promote self-employment projects in agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, and commerce.

The loans total about quarter of a million dollars, and are distributed among some 10,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers as well as 200,000 unregistered Colombians. Not only will beneficiaries receive start-up capital, they will also be eligible for training courses in business management, accounting, and other areas. The aim of the program is to stimulate economic development along the border of Venezuela and Colombia.

This is not the first pro-refugee initiative undertaken by UNHCR and the government of Venezuela. Last February, Venezuela began issuing refugee identification cards to Colombians displaced by violence. The state of Apure alone received 2,800 requests for such cards, which gave children the right to attend school. Last summer, UNHCR opened two new offices on the Venezuelan border.

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