Portal:Venezuela/News and Headlines

Before flying back to Venezuela from Santiago where he attended the Iberian-American summit, Chavez has defended his performance and his controversial speech. He upset the usual complacent sensibilities at the talking-shop by calling former Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar a fascist who was deeply involved in the coup d'etat against Chavez government in 2002. Both the King of Spain and current President Jose Luis Zapatero closed ranks with Aznar, accusing the Venezuelan President of disrespecting an elected leader. President Chavez' final salvo before returning home was to publicly ask the King whether he personally knew about the coup d'etat against Venezuela. The Venezuelan President insists that the Aznar government openly supported the coup in Venezuela, stating that the Spanish Ambassador at the time was one of the first to applaud the coup while he, the Venezuelan President, was being held prisoner. "It is very difficult to think that the Spanish Ambassador would be at the Palalce supporting the coupsters without His Majesty's authorization because it is he who directs foreign policy." Pro-government supporters have reacted angrily to the incident accusing the Spanish King and the Spanish government of continuing to treat Venezuela like a colony. VHeadline.com

In a press release, issued today, Sunday, November 11, the Hugo Chavez International-Foundation for Peace, Friendship & Solidarity (HCI-FPFS) says it has learnt from credible sources of a plot to assassinate the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. According to HCI-FPFS sources, the plot (code-named "Operation Cleanse Venezuela") is designed to be put into action before Venezuela's referendum on Constitutional amendments scheduled for December 2. The HCI-FPFS says that CIA agents are working with other foreign secret service organizations on at least three concrete subversive plans to destabilize the government of President Chavez with the objective of obstructing the Referendum. VHeadline.com

In a forum about the constitutional reforms at the Caracas Pedagogic College, student leader Yon Goicochea was punched and lesioned by a group of government followers. The act ended in a big clash, and the ex-guerrilla leader, 85-year-old Pompeyo Márquez, was also verbally attacked by chavistas. El Universal Daily News

Students rallied towards the National Assembly to protest against the constitutional reform proposed by Chavez. After a brief clash with the police, the students reached the Assembly and deliverd a document demanding more time to discuss the proposals. BBC News

Representatives of PODEMOS, a government political party, protested in the Supreme Tribunal of Justice against the intended changes to the national constitution, and asked the National Electoral Council for the postergation of the aprobatory referendum. El Universal (Spanish)
The erected monument for Che Guevara in the Pico El Águila is destroyed by unknown people.

The Government inaugurates a monument in honor of the Che Guevara in the Pico El Águila, located in Mérida.

The Government delays the application of the new time zone, alleging technical difficulties and the delayment of the concerning laws.

The famous composer, pianist, arrenger and orchestal conductor Aldemaro Romero died in morning hours, in Valencia.

The Government announces that the time zone of the country will change by 30 minutes next September. The hour will accommodate the Meridian 66 (UTC -4 1/2), which was used from 1912 to 1965. ABN

Guido Antonini Wilson, a Venezuelan-US entrepreneur claiming to be on the Chávez's entourage, arrived in Argentina on a private flight hired by Argentinian and Venezuelan state officials carrying 800,000 dollars in cash without declaring them in Venezuela or Argentina. The police decommissioned it and a whole scandal has started between Argentina and Venezuela about the use of Venezuelan money to finance politics in Argentina and corruption within the Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. and Venezuela in general. The New York Times

The Caracas Metro suffers its first accident in its 24 years of public service, when two trains collided in the Plaza Sucre station, leaving one dead and fourteen wounded. El Universal.com(Spanish)

The TV channel RCTV begins formal transmission of its programming via cable and satellite, and to an international broadcast. The channel is number 103 in DirecTV, 13 in Inter, 5 in NetUno and 3 in SuperCable. Reuters

The Copa América 2007 finishes in the Estadio José Pachencho Romero in Maracaibo. Brazil achieved its eighth title in the tournament, with a victory 3 - 0 over Argentina. Read more

The Copa América 2007 begins in Venezuela, with the inaugural matches between Peru vs. Uruguay and Venezuela vs. Bolivia.