Venezuelan Students Protest at the OAS in Washington, DC

Dear Journalists,

The following is press bulletin from the students who protested in front of the Organization of American States' Administrative building in Washington, DC, on this date of October 1, 2009:

Estudiantes Venezolanos en el Exterior - Washington, D. C.
Venezuelan Students Abroad - Washington, D. C.

4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW ▪ c/o Venezuela:Perspectives ▪ Washington, DC 20016
estudiantesvenwashington@gmail.com ▪ (202) 415-2370 and (202) 557-8554

Contact: Carla Bustillos estudiantesvenwashington@gmail.com Ph: (202) 415-2370

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Washington, D.C., October 1, 2009

Re: TODAY’s Venezuelan Students Abroad Protest and Document Submission to the Organization of American States in Washington.

Over 30 students protested today, October 1, 2009, in front of the OAS Administrative Building in Washington, D.C. and submitted the attached document which called for the OAS to take firm action on the issue of political prisoners in Venezuela.

The document was personally and respectfully received by Dr. Santiago Canton of the OAS-Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and by Mr. Raul Alconada of the OAS-Department of Democratic Sustainability. A copy of the document was also handed out to over 100 OAS staff members and visitors as they entered or exited the building during lunch time.

Thus, the group’s protest resulted effective in making OAS officials acknowledge the current democratic and peaceful struggle students in Venezuela and around the world have endured for the protection of the social and human rights of Venezuelans. Additionally, effective was their highlight of the individual names of those 40+ who are illegally imprisoned for engaging in peaceful political activism or for disagreeing with government policies and politics.

The following is link to pictures taken during the students' protest:
http://news.webshots.com/album/574902676NBllau

Estudiantes venezolanos protestaron y entregaron documento ante la OEA en Washington

http://media.noticias24.com/0910/carta01.html

Cordially,

Maru Angarita
My blog is: http://maruangarita.blogspot.com/

Protest in front of the OAS in Washington, DC on October 1

Revised

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Venezuelan Students Abroad Protest in Washington - OAS

Venezuelan Students Abroad and sister organizations will gather THURSDAY, October 1, 2009,from 12:00 to 2:00 PM, at the entrance of the Organization of American States Administrative Building in support of 160 students holding a hunger strike at the OAS Office in Caracas, Venezuela.

For the past six days, a growing number of Venezuelan students in Caracas have joined a hunger strike calling for an investigation of rights abuses by the Chavez government. "Political prisoners in Venezuela are denied due process, and are thrown in notoriously dangerous prisons under inhumane conditions," according to Venezuelan Students Abroad, which said that "the treatment violates the democratic principles enshrined in Inter-American Democratic Charter which Venezuela ratified as a member State of the OAS." Around 40 Chavez critics remain in prison, most of them awaiting trial on protest-related charges, according to the Venezuelan Penal Forum, a local human rights group.

The student organization and sister organizations will ask the OAS to take action immediately against political persecution in Venezuela. In addition, it will ask that the OAS review the cases against political prisoners, and other humans rightsabuses under the government of President Hugo Chavez. The protesters will deliver a letter by student protesters in Venezuela, and will join them in demanding that the OAS send a mission to Venezuela to study political persecution.

###For more information or to schedule an interview, please callCarla Bustillos at (202) 415-2370 and (202) 557-8554, or email her atestudiantesvenwashington@gmail.com.

Dear Journalists,

As reported by Associated Press Journalist Fabiola Sanchez in the article below Venezuelan students and supporters are protesting in Caracas. Venezuelans are demanding that the OAS Human Rights Commission visits Venezuela which Chavez has been blocking since 2002. There is a protest that will take place in front of the Organization of American States building in Washington, DC, scheduled for October 1 at 12:00 Noon - 2:00 PM:

Hunger strike over prosecutions grows in Venezuela By Fabiola Sanchez

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/30/AR2009093004383.html

Student protestor Julio Rivas has become a new national hero by his integrity and responsibility towards human rights in Venezuela. Hugo Chavez seems to be arresting those who disagree with him.

http://caracas.eluniversal.com/2009/09/28/pol_ava_julio-rivas-pide-no_28A2803731.shtml

Quotable
"I am on hunger strike for (Caracas Prefect) Richard (Blanco) and for all political prisoners. I was in jail for a few days but there are some people who have been for five years in prison."
Student activist released on Monday Julio César Rivas

http://english.eluniversal.com/2009/09/29/en_pol_esp_student-activist:-i_29A2809211.shtml

Secretario Ejecutivo de la CIDH habló con Julio Rivas, vocero de los estudiantes

http://www.noticias24.com/actualidad/noticia/92921/el-secretario-general-de-la-cidh-hablara-hoy-con-una-delegacion-de-estudiantes/

Provea pidió al Gobierno que permita la visita de la CIDH
http://www.eluniversal.com/2009/09/29/pol_ava_provea-pidio-al-gobi_29A2812331.shtml

Cordially,

Maru Angarita
My blog is: http://maruangarita.blogspot.com/
Resources:
www.washingtonpost.com
http://www.gentiuno.com/articulo.asp?articulo=8170
http://www.daniel-venezuela.blogspot.com/
www.oas.org

Venezuelan Students are on Hunger Strike

Update:

Estudiantes Venezolanos en el Exterior - Washington, D. C.
Venezuelan Students Abroad - Washington, D. C.

For Immediate Distribution

The Venezuelan Students Abroad - The Washington, D.C. members and members of sister organizations will gather THURSDAY, October 1, 2009,from 12:00 to 2:00 PM, at the doors of the Organization of American States Administrative Building to manifest our support for those students and former political prisoners holding a hunger strike at the OAS Office in Caracas, Venezuela.

Please join us in raising awareness on the repetitive attacks against democratic political participation and on fundamental human rightsthat take place in our country. Political prisoners in Venezuela aredenied due process, and are thrown in notoriously dangerous prisons under inhumane conditions. This treatment given to critics of thegovernment or of government policies by Venezuelan authorities goes against the democratic principals articulated in Inter-AmericanDemocratic Charter which Venezuela ratified as a member State of theOAS.

We ask that the OAS in recognition of the respect it owes to thepeoples of Latin America and to its Democratic Chapter take actionimmediately against political persecution Venezuela. Thus, we furtherask that it reviews the demands of these students and former politicalprisoners, as their cases exemplify how extreme political discrimination has been in Venezuela under the government of PresidentHugo Chavez.

Furthermore, we will present the authorities of the OAS with a letter from those in Venezuela and will join them at demanding that the OAS send a mission to Venezuela to study the issue of political prisoners,and political persecutions.

Contact Information:

E-mail estudiantesvenwashington@gmail.com , Phone +1 202 4152370 and +1 202 5578554


Manifest from students on hunger strike - English version

http://maruangaritablog2.blogspot.com/2009/09/amigos-por-favor-hacer-llegar-todos.html

Several Venezuelan students are on hunger strike at the Organization of American States' offices in Caracas protesting several Chavez's abuse of power and political prisoners. Political prisoners have joined the hunger strike:

Gallery of pictures
http://fotos.noticias24.com/galerias/vista/772

Forero y Simonovis se suman a huelga de hambre
http://www.eluniversal.com/2009/09/27/pol_ava_forero-y-simonovis-s_27A2799451.shtml

Presos políticos en la DISIP se sumaron a la huelga de hambre iniciada por los estudiantes
http://www.globovision.com/news.php?nid=128577

http://www.unionradio.net/Actualidad/#&&NewsId=27124


Maru Angarita
My blog is: http://maruangarita.blogspot.com/

Video of Chavez supporting FARC

Dear Journalists,

The following video of Hugo Chavez supporting FARC is currently circulating the Internet worldwide. It shows real images, and Chavez's monologue calling for support of this group:

Warning the following video is too crude to watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNDqqgRv-nQ&feature=related

The following articles written by Ambassador Adolfo Taylhardat are commentary of infamous Oliver Stone's movie promoting Chavez, and the recent UNASUR conference.

Humm, I wonder how much money Stone earned for completing the narcissist project. Was Oliver Stone is need of money to get involved on a quick-cash deal?

Al sur de la frontera/South of the Border
http://www.eluniversal.com/2009/09/16/opi_art_al-sur-de-la-fronter_16A2743247.shtml

¿Unasur o Desunasur?

http://www.eluniversal.com/2009/09/23/opi_art_unasur-o-desunasur_23A2772295.shtml

The following situation has been taking place for the last several months, and bloggers have reported it:

Venezuela exploring uranium deposits with Russia by Fabiola Sanchez

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/27/AR2009092700506.html

Cordially,

Maru Angarita
My blog is: http://maruangarita.blogspot.com/
Resources:
http://www.thedialogue.org/
http://www.thedialogue.org/page.cfm?pageID=43
://www.freedomwatchusa.org/citgo-added-to-lawsuit-targeting-chavez/
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2099295850099752410GsTXlV
http://europeancourier.org/DiegoArria.htm
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=081221195421.djlgnze8&show_article=1
http://www.urru.org
www.noticias24.com
http://alekboyd.blogspot.com/2006/03/sequoia-smartmatic-e-voting-fiasco-in.html
http://www.eluniversal.com
http://english.eluniversal.com
http://www.iht.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
http://g400mas.blogspot.com/
http://www.analitica.com
www.daniel-venezuela.blogspot.com/
http://www.venezolanosenlinea.com/
http://venezuelavigilante.com
http://www.globovision.com/
http://www.gentiuno.com/
http://www.marthacolmenares.com
www.venezuelareal.org
http://www.thehrf.org