Commentary on the economic , geopolitical and simply fascinating things going on. Served occasionally with a side of snark.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Global protest Updates February 27 , 2014 - Venezuela -- Arrests in Venezuela protest deaths , Chief prosecutor says five more domestic intelligence agents were related to deaths of two Caracas protesters ( 24-year-old university student Bassil Da Costa and government supporter Juan Montoya . ) ..... Thailand -- Thai PM hears negligence charges , Charges of negligence from the anti-graft commission could lead to impeachment for Yingluck Shinawatra
People raise their hands during a protest against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Feb. 26, 2014. Venezuela's opposition refused Wednesday to take part in talks that were called by the government in a bid to halt three weeks of protests that have left 14 dead.Leo Ramirez/AFP/Getty Images
Five more members of a Venezuelan national intelligence agency were arrested on murder charges related to the shooting deaths of two people during anti-government protests, according to the country's chief prosecutor.
Chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega said Wednesday in a statement that the five agents were present at street clashes Feb. 12 in Caracas where 24-year-old university student Bassil Da Costa and government supporter Juan Montoya died. They were among the first of at least 16 killed during recent protests.
On Monday, Ortega said three others from the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service had been arrested on similar charges.
Senior government officials initially blamed protesters for the deaths.
The protests began with students and were soon joined by tens of thousands of others in several cities, upset over economic problems and heavy-handed government response to the protests.
Venezuela's foreign minister, meanwhile, is visiting nations in the region to lobby for the dispute to be taken up by the Union of South American Nations instead of the Organization of American States. Venezuelan leaders contend the OAS is dominated by Washington.
"Venezuela does not agree that this issue should be taken to the Organization of American States," Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said after meeting with Bolivian President Evo Morales in La Paz.
Jaua was also planning to visit Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, all of which have leftist or left-leaning governments, and Paraguay.
Panama had proposed a special meeting of the Washington-based OAS to discuss Venezuela's situation.
What about the murder of Genesis Carmona ? When do her killers get charged with her murder ?
The photos of Ms. Carmona included her official portraits as a beauty queen and dramatic pictures of her being carried after she was shot Tuesday by a man driving a motorcycle. Some photos were from inside the hospital in Valencia where she was treated before she died on Wednesday.
According to a statement released by Miguel Cocchiola, the mayor of Valencia, the capital of Carabobo, Ms. Carmona was one of several people attacked while marching on Tuesday. Twelve others were injured, the mayor said.
In this photo, Ms. Carmona is holding a sign during a protest.
Esta chica fue asesinada con un tiro en la cabeza ese dia, vergonzoso lo de la “guardia civil” @gomez_andre@jada81
In a statement and in an interview with reporters, Mr. Cocchiola urged law enforcement authorities to determine who was behind the attack that killed Ms. Carmona and injured the others.
“It is the duty of the prosecution to establish responsibilities immediately on the death of the young Genesis Carmona, and the authorities to call for peace, the cessation of violence,” the mayor said in an interview with reporters, as he also stressed that the right to protest was enshrined in the country’s Constitution.
According to Ms. Carmona’s friends, this is the last photo she took.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will be given 15 days to answer the accusations against her.Al Jazeera
Thailand's anti-graft commission on Thursday summoned Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to hear charges of negligence for allegedly mishandling a government subsidy program.
But Yingluck was a no-show at the anti-corruption agency hearing, sending her legal team instead because she was visiting her home province of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.
The charges from the National Anti-Corruption Commission could lead to Yingluck’s impeachment.
Wittaya Arkompitak, deputy secretary of the anti-graft commission, told Reuters that officials had struck a deal with the pro-government demonstrators to allow officials access to the building through a back entrance.
"If her legal team hears the charges against her, she has 15 days to present evidence and after that the NACC will deliberate the case further," Wittaya told Reuters.
Yingluck has denied negligence and accused the agency of bias, noting that a rice corruption case involving the previous administration had made no progress after more than four years.
"Yingluck has not received fair treatment from the NACC," Prompong Nopparit, a legal adviser to Yingluck's Puea Thai Party, told Reuters.
"The agency only gave 21 days to examine the case against her whereas a rice investigation involving the Democrat Party has dragged on for years. Standards should be the same for the Democrat Party and for Yingluck."
After Yingluck failed to appear, anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said he was willing to appear in a live TV debate with the prime minister. He has refused for weeks to engage in any form of talks.
"I'm ready to be the people's representative and talk politics with Yingluck," he told supporters. "Just tell me when and where. ... Give us two chairs and a microphone and transmit it live on television so the people can see."
The rice subsidy program — a flagship policy of Yingluck's administration that helped win the votes of millions of farmers — has accumulated losses of at least $4.4 billion and has been dogged by corruption allegations. Payments to farmers have been delayed by many months.
The Red Shirts have generally kept a low profile during the anti-government protests, but as Yingluck's government comes under greater threat of legal action that might force it from office, they have said they will respond in force, if necessary.
The volatile situation has worsened recently, with shootings and grenade attacks on anti-government protest sites. Twenty-two people have died and hundreds have been hurt in the political violence.
The deaths of four children in attacks this past weekend caused widespread shock and sorrow, but seem to have only hardened the positions of both sides.
A grenade believed to have been fired from a M79 launcher exploded in the parking lot of public TV broadcaster TPBS on Wednesday night, damaging several cars but causing no casualties. Thai media reported that another two grenades were apparently fired at the nearby offices of the government's emergency peacekeeping task force but failed to explode.
Thailand's army, which is generally sympathetic to the current anti-government protesters, announced Wednesday that it would set up checkpoints in Bangkok to help maintain safety.
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