Voltaire Network

Sarah Wagner

U.S. journalist living in Venezuela

89 articles

English 86 Español 3

Colombia’s Guerilla Force Says Top Leader Was Captured in Venezuela

by Sarah Wagner

Colombia's Guerilla Force Says Top Leader Was Captured in Venezuela

Caracas (Venezuela) | 6 January 2005
Venezuelan authorities are currently investigating allegations made by the Secretary of the High Command of Colombia’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), as well as the Colombian and Venezuelan media, that say that Venezuelan police officers, together with Colombian intelligence forces, captured the FARC’s foreign minister, Ricardo Granda.
According to the FARC, Granda spent the 8th and 9th of December attending the Second Bolivarian People’s Congress in Caracas. The conference was a (...)

Venezuela leads Economic Growth in Latin America

by Sarah Wagner

Venezuela leads Economic Growth in Latin America

Caracas (Venezuela) | 17 December 2004
According to preliminary reports released by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Venezuela registered the largest level of economic growth in Latin America, from a negative balance of 9.7% in 2003 to a positive balance of 18% in 2004. The economy of Latin America and the Caribbean also exceeded expectations with an average regional growth of 5.5%, a figure that surpasses world average growth of 4%.
“Oil -rich Venezuela’s economy will expand at almost 20% - (...)

Venezuela and Cuba Sign New Cooperation Agreements

by Sarah Wagner

Venezuela and Cuba Sign New Cooperation Agreements

Caracas (Venezuela) | 16 December 2004
Relations between Cuba and Venezuela, already close, were deepened with the signing of a new trade agreement. This agreement will eliminate tariffs and import duties and promote investment as well as technical and educational cooperation between the two countries.
Also, Chavez and Castro signed an agreement that would commit their two countries to apply the principles of the Bolivarian Alternative of the Americas (ALBA) in all future agreements. The ALBA is a project that Venezuela has (...)

Chávez and Inter American Press Association go Head to Head

by Sarah Wagner

Chávez and Inter American Press Association go Head to Head

Caracas (Venezuela) | 7 December 2004
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Frías announced the enactment of the Law of Social Responsibility for Radio and Television, “in order to democratize the oligarchicy-controled media and to begin to halt the media terrorism which supports coup d’états, fascism, and terrorism.”
The Law of Social Responsibility for Radio and Television gives the government the authority to restrict broadcast content. The primary justification is to shield children from potentially harmful materials including (...)

Participatory Democracy in Venezuela, part 3

Problems and Opportunities for Citizen Power in Venezuela

by Sarah Wagner

Problems and Opportunities for Citizen Power in Venezuela

Caracas (Venezuela) | 7 December 2004
Merely echoing the virtues of participatory democracy will do little to advance its cause
. The potential for decentralized governance to increase accountability, enhance participation, redistribute power, wealth and resources, improve administrative performances, decrease bureaucracy, and to respond to the social needs of the people is enormous. Participatory democracy has the potential to engender an active civil society, a socially just economy, and a democracy which serves to (...)

Participatory Democracy in Venezuela, part 2

The Legal and Practical Basis of Citizen Power in Venezuela

by Sarah Wagner

The Legal and Practical Basis of Citizen Power in Venezuela

Caracas (Venezuela) | 3 December 2004
"The tragedy of modern democracies is that they have not been able themselves to become truly democratic." Jacques Maritain

Venezuela’s Chavez, on World Tour, Strengthens Ties with Spain

by Sarah Wagner

Venezuela's Chavez, on World Tour, Strengthens Ties with Spain

Caracas (Venezuela) | 24 November 2004
On the first of a two-day state visit to Spain, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez had harsh words for what he described as the imperial and neoliberal scourge of Latin America. In a speech to the students of the University of Alcalá de Enares, Chávez argued that Latin America and Spain need to break with US economic dominance. In the ceremony that followed at the Madrid campus of the university, Chávez was awarded the International Medal of Alcalá de Enares (Complutense).
The new Spanish (...)

Participatory Democracy in Venezuela, part I

Citizen Power and Venezuela’s Local Public Planning Councils

by Sarah Wagner

Citizen Power and Venezuela's Local Public Planning Councils

Caracas (Venezuela) | 15 November 2004
Despite the overwhelming number of democratic transitions in Latin America during the 1980s, as well as the apparent consolidation of electoral democracy, a cursory examination of the region shows that their societies continue to be plagued by poverty, social exclusion and corruption. In order to address these deficits, one must acknowledge that democracy is more than free and fair elections; it is also about creating a healthy civil society, an active political culture, and providing ample (...)

Venezuela

Chavez and Uribe Discuss Oil Pipeline from Venezuela to the Pacific Ocean

by Sarah Wagner

Chavez and Uribe Discuss Oil Pipeline from Venezuela to the Pacific Ocean

Caracas (Venezuela) | 11 November 2004
On November 10th Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez met with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in Cartagena de las Indias to strengthen relations between the countries and discuss the possibility of constructing an oil pipeline through Colombia via el Río Meta. The pipeline would stretch over 1,000 kilometers, (625 miles), connecting the Venezuelan city of Maracaibo with the Colombian Pacific province of Chocó.
Venezuela, the world’s fifth largest producer of oil, is looking to diversify its (...)

Venezuela

Electoral Council Certifies Chavista Victory Two Disputed Governor’s Races

by Sarah Wagner

Electoral Council Certifies Chavista Victory Two Disputed Governor's Races

Caracas (Venezuela) | 9 November 2004
At 12:40 a.m. Friday, the National Elections Council (CNE) issued the final results of the regional elections held on Sunday, October 31. As of yesterday, the states of Carabobo, Miranda, and Yaracuy were still in contention due to the narrow margins separating the candidates.
Candidates allied to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez amassed victories in 20 of the 22 governships up for grabs (out of a total of 23), including six governorships previously controled by the opposition. The key (...)

Venezuela

Gubernatorial Vote in Contention in Venezuela’s States of Carabobo and Yaracuy

by Sarah Wagner

Gubernatorial Vote in Contention in Venezuela's States of Carabobo and Yaracuy

Caracas (Venezuela) | 4 November 2004
Venezuelans went to the polls Sunday, October 31 to vote for governors and mayors during the regional elections. Despite relatively high absention, the CNE’s preliminary results show Chavista victories that are unlikely to be reversed in 18 of the 20 states, and that Yaracuy and Carabobo are still too close to call, although Chavistas lead in both.
Even though the National Electoral Council (CNE) has promised to provide the final election results by the end of the week, the preliminary (...)

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