BOOK REVIEW
Building on her earlier book “Chavez Code” (Olive Branch Press, 2006), Eva Golinger has written “Bush vs. Chavez, Washington’s War on Venezuela,” a riveting, comprehensive rundown on continuing U.S. assaults against the Venezuelan government of President Hugo Chavez. Golinger is a lawyer living in Venezuela who grew up and was educated in the United States.
This week in labor
The Bush administration continues, on all fronts, to abandon enforcement of job safety and health standards. Recent Congressional hearings shed light on the administration’s almost total disregard of ergonomic injuries. The lax attitude was displayed in testimony by Labor Secretary Elaine Chao who tried on May 7 to defend the administration’s budget proposals for enforcement of rules to prevent ergonomic injuries, widely seen as totally inadequate.
Separatism threatens left gains in Latin America
The approval of autonomy by voters in Bolivia’s Santa Cruz department on May 4 stimulated legislators from the right wing New Time Party in Venezuela’s oil rich Zulia state to propose a commission to study the feasibility of separate status there.
Opinion: Thoughts about Israel at 60
Feelings about the state of Israel occupy a broad spectrum of world opinion, from adoring admiration in some quarters to hate veering into outright anti-Semitism from some others.
Fourth Fleet threatens peace and democracy in Latin America
Latin American leaders have been critical of the Bush administration plan to reestablish the U.S. Fourth Fleet which will, according to a Department of Defense press release, operate “in the Caribbean, and Central and South America.” The Fourth Fleet, originally established in 1943 during World War II to patrol and protect maritime traffic from the Nazis, was disbanded in 1950.
Corruption, social debt rule in Colombia
Colombian armed forces killed Raul Reyes in Ecuador on March 1, along with 24 others. That ended the present prospect for prisoner exchanges between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Colombian government. Reyes had served as the principal FARC negotiator.
Fidel and biofuel
In all the news reports about food costs, shortages, and riots, don’t expect the corporate media to remind you that it was none other than Fidel Castro who foresaw these events over one year ago.
Society's bullets
Although the police pointed the guns that killed Sean Bell and wounded two of his companions, it is the society that put the bullets in the guns.
Temporary worker program blocked by Congressional Hispanic Caucus
The all-Democratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which includes 17 Latino members of Congress, has dug in its heels in an effort to bring relief to undocumented workers and their families who are currently being subjected to immigration raids. But in return, it is becoming the target of heavy pressure from the hotel, resort, seafood and other industries.
Violence and capitalism: Workers correspondence
One section of the Declaration of Independence states that 'all men [and women] are created equal,' but does that statement reflect reality? How many times have I heard the mantra: “Pull yourself up by your own boot straps. If you want it bad enough you can get it.'
