Newsletter36

Bolivarian Government of Venezuela

Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs

Embassies of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the World

Vol. 3: Issue 36, 5th September, 2017

Weekly Newsletter Tintori in court

Lilian Tintori is involved with alleged money laundering after 200 million bolivars were found in her vehicle

Inside This Issue 1. Tintori in court today 2. Venezuela protests to Spain, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom for the permanent interference by Ambassadors and their governments

International representative of the political group Popular Will, Lilian Tintori, must attend court in Caracas, which summoned her to clarify from where the 200 million bolivars in cash that were found in her vehicle came from.

Tintori is investigated for alleged money laundering, after finding that money inside sealed boxes that only public and private banks in the country have access to. The 200 million bolivars cover the minimum salary of a Venezuelan worker for 66 years, which is the salary of eight hundred months of work.

3. Venezuela donates $5 million to Harvey victims in Texas 4. BRICS Summit Underway in Xiamen, China 5. Vietnam: 72nd Independence

Tintori is the wife of Leopoldo Lopez, sentenced to 14 years of prison for crimes of public instigation, criminal association, damage on public property and arson.

6. Venezuela may put its oil in other markets

Popular Will is a group involved with terrorist actions, that in 2014, caused the death of 43 people and this year, between April and July, caused the violent death of more than 100 Venezuelans. Tintori is accused of seeking financing for this group.

7. East Africa Community (EAC) to Use Energy As Integration Factor

www.chavezvive.info.ve

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Venezuela protests to Spain, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom for the permanent interference by Ambassadors and their governments The Venezuelan Foreign Minister submitted a formal complaint to the ambassadors of Spain, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom with regards to their views on the ban of opposition member Lilian Tintori from leaving the country.

The urgent convocation was due to "the permanent interference of these ambassadors and their governments in the internal affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and in the functioning of its democracy in the operation of its public powers," said Arreaza.

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister denounced that last Saturday 2nd September 2017, the ambassadors of Spain, Germany and Italy accompanied Tintori to the airport when the opposition member tried to leave the country "even though she is subject to a judicial process in Venezuela for wrongs admitted also by her.

The investigation into Tintori, in whose personal vehicle they found 200 million bolivars in cash, is still ongoing and was banned from leaving the country until she is brought to justice. The activist explained that the money was earmarked for family emergencies, including the hospitalization of her grandmother, who she says "has no [medical] insurance due to her old age of 100 years."

Arreaza has stated that the ambassadors "were used by Mrs. Tintori fully aware of the judicial process that weighed on her which she also admitted herself." "She had prepared a press conference which means that she went to the airport accompanied by ambassadors, knowing that she would not be able to leave Venezuela" due to the judicial process, he added.

For her part, Tintori said through her Facebook account that Venezuelan authorities banned her from leaving the country in order to prevent her from "talking about the humanitarian crisis that is in Venezuela�. During her international tour she intended to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UK Prime Minister Theresa May. www.mppre.gob.ve

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Venezuela donates $5 million to Harvey victims in Texas

Venezuela announced Wednesday the 30th of August 2017 that it will donate US$5 million to aid recovery efforts in the US states of Texas and Louisiana, which have been battered by the country’s worst hurricane in decades. "Let's not allow war or threats to be imposed, but instead let's impose solidarity. We will always be with the people of the United States and the peoples of the world in difficult times," Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said.

Arreaza explained Venezuela will work with local officials in Texas and Louisiana to determine how best to distribute the funds. He said the Foreign Ministry had also offered to send Venezuelan aid workers to the disaster zone, including doctors and emergency personnel.

In addition, Arreaza indicated that a percentage of all gasoline sales from Citgo will be dedicated to the construction of homes for victims of Hurricane Harvey, which has devastated much of Texas and Louisiana, including the US’ fourth largest city, Houston. Citgo is the US subsidiary of Venezuelan state oil firm PDVSA, and is based in Houston.

Hurricane Harvey has already claimed at least 31 lives, while leaving over 30,000 people in need of aid. The storm is expected to be the most expensive in US history, with private weather firm AccuWeather estimating it will cost US$190 billion – that’s equal to roughly 1 percent of US GDP. “Parts of Houston, the United States' fourth largest city, will be uninhabitable for weeks and possibly months due to water damage, mold, disease-ridden water and all that will follow this 1,000-year flood,” AccuWeather head Joel Myers said.

Venezuela’s decision to aid Harvey victims came less than a week after US President Donald Trump unveiled new sanctions against Caracas, including financial bans targeting the government and PDVSA. Venezuela has labelled the sanctions “illegal”, and warned they will hurt ordinary Venezuelans.

President Donald Trump will donate $1 million of his fortune to recovery efforts in Texas, though the White House says he hasn't determined which group or groups will receive the contribution.

www.venezuelanalysis.com

By Ryan Mallett-Outtrim

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BRICS Summit Underway in Xiamen, China

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the group to promote trade liberalization and an open world economy.

As the 9th BRICS Summit gets under way in the Chinese city of Xiamen, President Xi Jinping urged the group to promote trade liberalization and an open world economy.

Xi added that he still had “full confidence” in the BRICS countries’ development despite claims that the bloc’s relevance had faded due to slower growth. “The development of emerging market and developing countries ... will diligently grow the world economic pie,” he said.

Xi asked member countries to put aside any differences they may have to enhance mutual trust and strategic communication in his opening remarks at the meeting of emerging economies, adding that the "construction of a tall building starts with a foundation. We have laid the foundation and put in place the framework for BRICS cooperation."

BRICS leaders will be joined by observer countries Thailand, Mexico, Egypt, Guinea and Tajikistan, and officials will discuss a “BRICS Plus” plan to possibly expand the bloc to new members.

Egypt and Kenya were invited to the 2017 Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) summit hosted by China.

The head of state also explained that the Belt Road Initiative was not a tool to advance any geopolitical agenda.

"I am convinced that the BRI CS will serve as a new platform for all countries to achieve win-win cooperation and that it will create new opportunities for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

The two African countries are among five countries – including Tajikistan, Mexico and Thailand – invited as guests to the annual conference.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazil's Michel Temer, South African President Jacob Zuma and Russian President Vladimir Putin are all attending the meeting.

The September 3 to 5 summit being held in Xiamen city was described by the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in March as the BRICS Plus conference due to the invitation of nonmembers.

The 10-year-old group has grown significantly since it made its debut on the international stage amid the economic boom of developing countries. The BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – will explore new strategies for strengthening their economies.

He explained that the invitation is not an attempt to expand the group, but to broaden their discussions, local media report.

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www.telesurtv.net

Vietnam: 72nd Independence

Vietnam celebrated its independence day, with Vietnamese Prime Minister Xuan Phuc welcoming diplomats in the capital of Hanoi to mark the occasion. Phuc recalled that on this day 72 years ago, the first Vietnamese president, the Communist revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, established the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

He also highlighted the country’s “Do Moi” (renovation) policies that first were initiated in 1986 with the goal of creating a "socialist-oriented market economy", that he said are contributing to “great economic and social success.”

The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro Moros, on behalf of the Government and the Venezuelan people, expresses his warmest congratulations to the Brother People and Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on the occasion of the Commemoration of the 72th anniversary of their Independence Day .

Venezuelans, in the most faithful revolutionary and anti-imperialist tradition proudly join in this historic celebration, remembering the multitudinous demonstration in Ba Dinh Square, and the great leader and President Ho Chi Minh in the moment of reading to the people the Proclamation of independence and thus close an era of colonialism and oppression. Today, socialist Vietnam flourishes at the impulse of its people and for that reason, Venezuela is convinced that in the search for a pluri-polar and multicentric world of social welfare, equality and justice, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam will have an unquestionable role to the height of the historical example of its founders.

Venezuela finds the opportunity to reiterate its will to strengthen political ties, bilateral cooperation and friendship, in accordance with a world free from imperialism and in accordance with the fundamental principles of respect for the sovereignty and self-determination of the people.

Caracas, September 2, 2017

Hanoi, Vietnam

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Venezuela may put its oil in other markets

Venezuela says UN report is manipulated

Venezuela has other markets to allocate the oil it currently supplies to the United States, oil expert Fernando Travieso reported. The United States is the main destination of Venezuela's oil, and Washington's fourth supplier behind Canada, Saudi Arabia and Mexico.

In 2016, Caracas sold to Washington an average of 741 thousand barrels per day of crude oil, according to the American Department of Energy.

The Asian market would be the first option for Venezuela to redirect its oil exports, a destination for which it now sends about one million barrels a day. Washington has not confirmed that it will cut the purchase of Venezuelan oil, but approved a Decree that affects the finances of Venezuela’s National Oil Company (PDVSA) and the Venezuelan economy.

The Venezuelan government described on 30th August 2017, as "unfounded" and "manipulated" the report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

"It is a pathetic demonstration that this Office, and especially the High Commissioner himself, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, have taken the path of denouncing the participatory democracy that exists in Venezuela," said the Venezuelan ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Jorge Valero. www.chavezvive.info.ve

www.chavezvive.info.ve

Opposition will activate 977 voting centers for its primaries

Without the validation of the National Electoral Council, the Democratic Unity Roundtable will hold these elections to choose its 23 candidates for the regional elections scheduled for October.

The Democratic Unity Roundtable confirmed that it will activate on Sunday, 977 voting centers to hold its primary elections. The ultraconservative coalition will open 3 thousand 110 tables in the 20 regions that will go to primaries, announced the technical commission created for this event.

The Venezuelan opposition could only reach a consensus in 3 of the 23 regions that will go to elections. Nearly 200 candidates will be competing for one of the 23 internal positions for the elections. The Venezuelan government will provide support to the platform of the opposition, specifically in the area of security, to guarantee the votes. www.chavezvive.info.ve

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East Africa Community (EAC) to Use Energy As Integration Factor

THE East African Community (EAC) is moving towards getting energy solutions for the regional block as part of the integration factors.

The meeting was attended by members from partner states except South Sudan and was a follow up of the first meeting that was held on June 10, 2016.

Addressing the board members, the Chairman of the Executive Board and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Uganda, Dr Steven Isabalija, hailed the continued support of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) to the EAC in the energy sector, specifically in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The EAC Deputy Secretary General, (Productive and Social Sectors), Mr Christophe Bazivamo, informed the second executive board meeting of the East African Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (EACREEE), that as t h e EAC integration was business oriented, energy was key to promoting trade in the region.

He acknowledged the challenges faced by EACREEE in its early stages of operation and urged collective efforts among stakeholders in addressing the same. The Principal of CEDAT, Professor Henry Alinaitwe, thanked the EAC Council of Ministers for selecting CEDAT to host EACREE and commended the support of UNIDO and ADA towards the Centre.

A communiquĂŠ made available by the EAC Secretariat here from Kampala, Uganda where the meeting was taking place had the secretary noting that for some time now the region's development was troubled by low access rates of energy, where high price of the services and poor cooking solutions were partly to blame for the situation.

Professor Alinaitwe revealed that since its inauguration, CEDAT has been working with several stakeholders to advance the Centre's activities.

"Low energy access rates, expensive electricity and poor cooking solutions have been hampering the region's development," Mr Bazivamo was quoted as saying. He reminded the meeting that the original plan of EAC was to have EACREEE as an EAC institution, but due to financial constraints, other innovative ways were devised and hence College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) was selected to host EACREEE as a Centre of Excellence.

The meeting took note of the progress report and of the challenges experienced by CEDAT in the implementation process, especially in regard to the registration of EACREEE as a legal entity handling programmes that are regional in nature.

The meeting agreed on the need for formulation of a Roadmap/Transitional document on how and when the Centre will graduate from being hosted in CEDAT to be a fullyfledged Centre of EAC.

The secretary disclosed that efforts were underway for the EAC through the Inter -University Council of East Africa to ensure effective management of the EAC Centres of Excellence through the harmonisation of management guidelines.

Against the above observations and to take matters forward, the meeting requested the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with CEDAT to work on the transitional roadmap in line with decisions of the 33rd Meeting of the Council of Ministers. www.allafrica.com

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