Caracas on the line - The reaction to Chavez' FARC hostage release

8Mb 64kbps mono 17 mins.

Kiraz Janicke, based in Caracas is on the phone to Latin Radical for the latest developments in the media war against the government of President Hugo Chavez. Chavez' success in negotiating a successful hostage release, without military intervention stuck in the craw of the US and the government of Columbia. Columbian embassies and Consulates have organised demonstrations against the FARC around the world (including Australia) in an effort to discredit the Chavez government and torpedo his promotion of peace talks between the FARC (which controls over 30% of Columbia) and the Columbian government. Meanwhile, Chavez has evicted the US drug enforcement officials of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) with a rise in big drug busts by Venezuelan authorities, commended by the UN monitoring authority. Right wing paramilitaries are infiltrating into Venezuela across the Columbian border to disrupt land reform programs by Venezuelan peasant farmers.

Finally, how to join an Australian brigade to Venezuela, and see for yourself.