Musical Interlude - Alma Llanera

Leftists are in Denial - Health Care Rationing is Inevitable

NY Times: BOSTON — A hospital that serves thousands of indigent Massachusetts residents sued the state on Wednesday, charging that its costly universal health care law is forcing the hospital to cover too much of the expense of caring for the poor.

The hospital, Boston Medical Center, faces a $38 million deficit for the fiscal year ending in September, its first loss in five years. The suit says the hospital will lose more than $100 million next year because the state has lowered Medicaid reimbursement rates and stopped paying Boston Medical “reasonable costs” for treating other poor patients.

“We filed this suit more in sorrow than in anger,” said Elaine Ullian, the hospital’s chief executive. “We believe in health care reform to the bottom of our toes, but it was never, ever supposed to be financed on the backs of the poor, and that’s what has happened in Massachusetts.”

The central charge in the suit is that the state has siphoned money away from Boston Medical to help pay the considerable cost of insuring all but a small percentage of residents. Three years after the law’s passage, Massachusetts has the country’s lowest percentage of uninsured residents: 2.6 percent, compared with a national average of 15 percent.

Low-income residents, who have benefited most from expanded access to health care, receive state-subsidized insurance, one of the most expensive aspects of the state plan. But rapidly rising costs and the battered economy have caused more problems than the state and supporters of the 2006 law — including Boston Medical — anticipated.

According to the suit, Massachusetts is now reimbursing Boston Medical only 64 cents for every dollar it spends treating the poor. About 10 percent of the hospital’s patients are uninsured — down from about 20 percent before the law’s passage in 2006. But many more are on Medicaid or Commonwealth Care, the state-subsidized insurance program for low-income residents.

One of the state’s reimbursement rates to Boston Medical, dropped from $12, 476 in 2008 to $9,323 by 2009, the suit says.

Wendy E. Parmet, a professor at the Northeastern University School of Law, said the suit was “a step in a wider minuet” as state lawmakers, health care providers and other stakeholders try to figure out how to make the new law work in the long term.

“I think it’s going to be a very hard lawsuit for them to prevail on,” Professor Parmet said of the hospital. “I think they’re trying to bring another weapon into what is essentially, in many ways, a political and economic battle going on in the state about how to pay for health care, and making sure their voice gets heard.”

The suit comes as Congress looks to Massachusetts as a potential model for overhauling the nation’s health care system. Even before the suit, the state’s fiscal crisis had cast doubts on the law’s sustainability.

To help close a growing deficit, the Democratic-controlled Legislature eliminated coverage for some 30,000 legal immigrants in the new state budget. Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat, is seeking to restore about half of the $130 million cut, but lawmakers have expressed reluctance, saying that doing so would require cuts to other important programs.

State officials expressed surprise at the lawsuit, saying that Boston Medical received $1.5 billion in state funds in the past year and should not be seeking more in the midst of a fiscal crisis.

“At a time when everyone funded and served by state government is being asked to do more with less, B.M.C. has been treated no differently,” said Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, the state secretary of health and human services, in a prepared statement. “We are confident that the administration’s actions in this area comply with all applicable law and will be upheld.”

State officials have suggested that Boston Medical could reduce costs by operating more efficiently. The state has also pointed out that the hospital has reserves of about $190 million, but Tom Traylor, the hospital’s vice president of federal and state programs, said the reserves could only sustain the hospital for about a year.

“The magnitude of the loss here can’t be solved on the program-cutting or expense-cutting side,” Mr. Traylor said. Professor Parmet said the hospital’s dissatisfaction with the new law should be a warning to Congress that “insurance alone doesn’t solve the problems” of the health care system. In fact, she said, it might exacerbate the financial problems of safety-net hospitals in the short term.

Katie Zezima contributed reporting

Only Socialists Need Apply

AP: CARACAS, Venezuela -- Union leaders on Wednesday condemned a warning by President Hugo Chavez's oil minister that workers in Venezuela's petroleum industry should be socialists or face suspicions they are conspiring against the government.

State-run Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, has followed a strongly pro-Chavez line since a 2002-03 oil strike that unsuccessfully sought to force Chavez from office and brought thousands of firings at the company.

Union leaders now are accusing the government of not respecting workers' rights to their own political views.

In a televised speech to workers Tuesday, Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said employees who do not join socialist community groups organized by the governing party would be suspected of "conspiring against the revolution."

This and other comments, including Ramirez's assertion that he wouldn't negotiate a collective labor contract "with any enemy of Chavez," drew outraged responses from some union leaders.

"It's an irresponsible statement," said union leader Froilan Barrios, who is aligned with Chavez's political opposition. He said workers were planning meetings to determine a response. "We won't accept it."

Union leader German Cortez echoed that sentiment, saying oil workers in western Zulia state are planning demonstrations next week to call for a collective contract.

PDVSA has been expanding its social role in recent years, doubling its payroll to 80,000 since 2004 and taking on duties ranging from food distribution to training Olympic athletes.

Some analysts say the political pressure adds to inefficiency at a company already weighed down by excess responsibilities and a shortage of skilled personnel.

New employees who may be attractive to the government for their political leanings often lack the experience of about 20,000 skilled workers who were fired following the strike, said Patrick Esteruelas, an analyst with the Eurasia Group in New York

"PDVSA's growing politicization doesn't bode well for its future as a company that can juggle all these new responsibilities," Esteruelas said.

Chavez has made a point of bringing the oil industry strongly under government control in recent years. After nationalizing four major oil projects in 2007, he seized more than 70 foreign and domestic oil contractors in May, many of which operated boats and docks on western Lake Maracaibo.

Cortez, who represents workers in Lagunillas, one of the most affected areas, said "very few" of the nationalized companies are operating because about a third of the 8,000 workers affected are waiting to be absorbed by PDVSA.

Zelaya calls for Revolution

Noticias 24: The deposed President of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, said from Guatemala that "the Honduran people have the right to insurrection" to overthrow the President in fact, Roberto Micheletti.

"Do not leave the streets, that is the only place they have left us, the people have the right to insurrection, strike, takings, demonstrations," said Zelaya in a joint press conference with Guatelmalan President Alvaro Colom. He then emphasized, "they haven't beaten me, nor do I plan to give up.. we are preparing my return, I won't give you the hour or the day, so as not to alert anyone."

"Nobody owns obedience to a government usurper who takes power by arms, and the people have the right to insurrection to oppose such methods. Insurrection is a legitimate process and forms part of one of the highest concepts of democratic feeling," he insisted.

In the case of the possibility of advancing elections in the country as a solution to the crisis he said, "if you want to have them tomorrow, you can have them... but I think the rpesidents have made clear their sentiments that they are not going to recognize any political system installed by the regime of fact," he explained.

These declarations come the same day that Costa Rican President Oscar Arias called for a Saturday meeting with the commissions seeking to mediate a solution to the political crisis.

Zelaya said that he expects that the, "coupsters drop their cynical and brutal actions," during the meetings, and confirmed that he won't be attending in person.

"The only thing that can be negotiated is the time and the hour of the exit of the coupsters," he stated.

This Monday when he was in Managua, Zelaya stated that unless his demands are met, other measures will be taken, but in Guatemala he did not answer questions as to what concrete measures he will take if they are not met.

"I understand the wishes of President Zelaya to return and reinstall himself in the Honduran Presidency at the soonest moment possible, but my experience tells me that he needs to be a little more patient," commented Arias.

The United States also asked Zelaya to demonstrate patience.

"We have asked all parties, particularly President Zelaya and the regime of fact to work together to arrive at a peaceful solution that will restore the democratic order," expressed the voice of the Dept. of State in Washington, Ian Kelly.

Upon his arrival in Guatemala, the deposed President said that this country should look at itself, "in the mirror of what has happened in Honduras... (where) the military, behind civil authorities, broke the democratic process."

Before arriving in the Guatemalan capital, Zelaya had travelled to the Unsited States, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua in search of supporters.

In San Jose, Arias, recognized that Saturday it will be seen "if we can advance, try and resume the agendda of the last meeting."

The previous Friday various commissions abandoned the Costa Rican capital without arriving at any concrete accords.

According to the Venezuelan Hugo Chavez, Guatemala could be the next Central American country to suffer a state coup, and that the Guatemalan armed forces have already demonstrated intentions to overthrow Colom.

---

This all begs the question... if Zelaya says that the Honduran people have the right to overthrow Micheletti, then they also have the right to have overthrown Zelaya, which is exactly what they have done. So what's his problem?

How the Pakistani's Fight the Taliban

If a tree falls in a forest...

Welcome to Barinas, The Chavez Family Estate

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — An American photographer working for The New York Times was briefly detained by agents from the security detail of a Venezuelan state governor, who seized his camera and erased his photos.

Times spokeswoman Catherine Mathis said Monday that the incident occurred while photographer Scott Dalton was shooting photos at a public event on Thursday where Barinas Gov. Adan Chavez — the eldest brother of President Hugo Chavez — was speaking.

She said the agents tried to push Dalton into a public bathroom, and that when he resisted, "they took his camera and erased all of the photos on it, before returning the camera."

Officials in the governor's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Zelaya Already Plans Another Costa Rican Hissy-Fit

Zelaya's first Hissy-fit performed on June 28th before Oscar Arias
Translated from Noticias 24 - Costa Rican President Oscar Arias confirmed Tuesday that the deposed Manual Zelaya and Government of Fact Representative Roberto Micheletti will arrive in Costa Rica to begin Thursday, in his house, a dialogue seeking to overcome the political crisis in Honduras.

Arias said that he conversed this Tuesday by telephone with Zelaya and Micheletti, and also with the American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to assume his post as "facilitator" seeking an end to the crisis arrising from the coup d'etat of the 28th of June.

"Many sides invited me to be a facilitator in sit-down negotiations," said Arias, and who advised that Zelaya would arrive in Costa Rica Wednesday evening and Micheletti Thursday morning.

"I feel satisfied in knowing that one can help resolve a conflict that has resulted in two deaths in Honduras", stated Arias, indicating that several Honduran participants will unite in a dialogie at his home in San Jose.

Arias said that both leaders will unite in talks with a small committee in his home, in the residential neighborhood of Rohrmoser, in the western sector of San Jose.

"I feel honored that Costa Rica and I can help," said Arias who had energetically condemned the coup in Honduras and had threatened to break diplomatic relations with Tegucigalpa if Zelaya were not restored.

Arias returns in this manner to his diplomatic papers in the international arena, like in the 80's, when his proposals to end the civil wars in Central America and earned him the Nobel Peace Prize.

Zelaya Accepts the Costa Rican mediation of Arias of the Honduran crisis but Manuel Zelaya admitted after this morning's meeting with Hillary Clinton, that one possible solution to the conflict in his country would be the celebration of the anticipated elections, provided they are presided over by the legitimate government that he represents.

After the meeting with the American Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, Zelaya announced his intentions to travel tomorrow to Costa Rica and begin conversations with the actual government, in which Costan Rican Oscar Arias would serve as mediator.

Zelaya indicated that he had no "objection" to the celebration of elections, although he made clear that the actual government of Roberto Micheletti is not legitimately authorized to convene.

"If they want to hold them tomorrow, they can do it. I have no objections about the election system, but the Government of fact is using force which is not legitimate in an electoral process, it only disfigures it."

Zelaya stated that the "only government that can hold legitimate elections is the government voluntarily elected by the people," which only he represents.

The deposed governor was accompanied to the Department of State by his chancellor, Patricia Rojas, and the Ambassador of the Organization of American States (OAS), Carlos Sosa.

In addition to Clinton, he had a meeting with the Adjutant Secretary of State for Latin America of the United States, Thomas Shannon.

In the meeting, he communicated the ---- of the Roberto Flores named for the United States, who had aligned himself with Micheletti and behind the coup makers.

In his place, Zelaya named Enrique Reina. He also stated that the reason for the meeting with Micheletti is to "plan the exit of the coupsters"

Regardless, at the beginning of his accepting the mediation, Zelaya assured Tuesday in Washington (in the press conference) when he meets in San Jose with the government of fact Roberto Micheletti, it won't be to negotiate, but to "plan the exit of the coup makers."

"This isn't a negotiation, this is to plan the exit of the coup makers from the country," said Zelaya, and charting negotiations about his reintegration into power.

"There are things that will not be negotiated in any manner: the reestablishment of the democratic order and restoration of the deposed president," he emphasized.

In this sentiment, Zelaya deplored the operators who grabbed power on the 28th of June, behind which the Honduran Congress named Micheletti to substitute him in the presidency.

"If to the presidents, you are going to be subject to military men, we will be regressing 100 years... We are not going to return to those times when presidents had to go to bed fully dressed with suitcases packed," he said.

Zelaya is obviously NOT as conciliatory as the English speaking press makes him sound. The stage is now set for Zelaya to use the talks as a megaphone to stir up further unrest in Honduras. There will be no peaceful resolution to this crisis. These talks and the forthcoming events of the next seven months have the singular purpose of stirring up popular discontent in Honduras in anticipation of the November elections, and discrediting the defacto government abroad. Nothing more, nothing less. Oscar Arias is merely one more in a long line of Hugo Chavez's "useful idiots".

All that is required for evil to win, is for good men to do nothing. Oscar Arias, a good man, is actively engaged in helping other to "do nothing," as Hugo Chavez's continues to carry out acts of subversion against the legitimate de facto Honduran government of Roberto Micheletti. All of Mel Zelaya's legitimacy ENDED the day he was expelled from Honduras, on June 28th, 2009. And it's time the rest of the world TOLD HIM SO!

AP Analysis (in Spanish)

Central America's Resident Hippie Guru to Mediate Honduras Dispute

Hillary Clinton announced today that Nobel Peace Pipe Smoker Oscar Arias will mediate between Mel Zelaya and the Honduran government to resolve the political crises arising from the ex-president's treason and subsequent exile. Mr. Arias is famous for banning the Contras from Costa Rica during the Reagan Administration and also completely abolishing the Costa Rica Armed Forces and turning the country into a nirvana for environmental tourism.

Óscar Rafael de Jesús Arias Sánchez (born 13 September 1940) is a Costa Rican politician who has been President of Costa Rica since 2006. He previously served as President from 1986 to 1990 and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his efforts to end civil wars then raging in several Central American countries.

He is also a recipient of the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism and a trustee of the Economists for Peace and Security. In 2003, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Criminal Court's Trust Fund for Victims.

He is a member of Collegium International, an organization of leaders with political, scientific, and ethical expertise whose goal is to provide new approaches in overcoming the obstacles in the way of a peaceful, socially just and economically sustainable world.

Time to place bets to see whether Latin America's resident despot, Hugo Chavez, begins to either rattle his sabre or lavish shiploads of free petroleum on Costa Ricas eco-friendly coast.

OAS Turns Blind Eye Towards Democracy's Demise in Caracas

fedecamarasoea06julio
by noticias24

Henry Ramos Allup, the secretary-general of the opposition Acción Democrática (AD) party and member of the Unified Panel, visited Caracas metropolitan mayor, Antonio Ledezma and a group of workers on hunger strike at Caracas's office of the Organization of American States (OAS).

The political leader said that the OAS has turned a deaf ear to Venezuela's situation, "which is deeper, more serious and older than the case of Honduras."

"The promptness and speed of the Organization of American States, upon request of some member countries which are committed to the implementation of a political project in Latin America, to take decisions in the case of Honduras have surprised us. On the contrary, in the case of Venezuela (…) the OAS has turned a deaf ear to a dramatic situation," said Ramos Allup from the OAS headquarters.

The Truth About Honduras

While Chavez Fiddles w/Honduras, Venezuela Burns with Increasing Poverty

Economy

Based on the official data, more and more families failed to get out of poverty in 2008; the exclusion status of more people moved faster and fewer people are on their way to overcome this situation.

These were the findings of a method devised to measure poverty, recently introduced by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

According to the official data, chronic poverty, defined as poverty which strikes homes with at least one unmet basic need and inadequate income, hit 12.6 percent of families ending last year, i.e., 805,144 dwellings. In 2007, the impact was a bit lower –over 12 percent or 750,931 homes.

This group has the most troubles to overcome poverty. But also the situation for the people on their way to leaving social exclusion is worse.

The INE reported that structural poverty, with regard to households in an improving social situation, shrank last year. The state-run agency noted at 2008, such predictor stood at 10.6 percent, from 11.1 percent, which means 677,182 families on their way to getting rid of social exclusion.

While in terms of poverty, a backlash could be a good sign, this is not the case. As a matter of fact, a reduction of structural poverty means that fewer homes have enough income and, as for the findings submitted by the INE, more of these homes are downhill.

Chain exclusion
The data on the comprehensive method of poverty submitted by the agency note that circumstantial poverty increased to 17.7 percent ending last year, for a total of 1,131,417 dwellings which can barely meet their basic needs.

On the contrary, in 2007, circumstantial poverty in 2007 accounted for 15.4 percent, based on the INE data.

But the non-poor are not free from the relapse precisely in a year when the Venezuelan state received unprecedented windfall oil revenues. The government agency highlighted in its annual report that the proportion of homes which do not experience the plight of poverty declined, compared with 2007.

About 59 percent, or 3,762,623 families, were considered non-poor at 2008, versus 61.5 percent the prior year.

The integrated poverty method is used to assess the severity of poverty in a country. This is done by crossing the data on poverty based on the income, and poverty defined by Unmet Basic Needs (UBN).

The rate poverty per income ended the second half of 2008 at 27.5 percent; the UBN measurement stressed that 23.4 percent of Venezuelan dwellings have been targeted by exclusion for that period.

Low income
According to the data provided by the government agency, last year the poorest homes in the country recorded an average monthly income of USD 401.82, whereas the food basket amounted to 417.77.

By means of comparison, the monthly income of households in better conditions averaged USD 1,981.82.

As less money was aimed at keeping 5.04 people on average per poorer home, the number of members of a family with high income averaged 3.11 ending last year.

Translated by Conchita Delgado
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Meanwhile...

Politics
In a year and a half, the Venezuelan government has reported on USD 624 million out of the public expenditure for Honduras, according to the latest survey of the Economic Research Center (Cieca).

The financial aid started in January 2008, when the Central American country became a member state of Petrocaribe. That year, based on Cieca's report, Venezuela disclosed the funding of USD 67.71 million. In 2009, USD 215.87, or 50 percent of the oil bill, was added.

In January 2008, the Venezuelan government also aired the pardon of the Honduras debt, amounting to USD 30 million.

Chavez Forces a Violent Confrontation in Honduras

Michelettisedirigeahonduras
by noticias24

Nicaragua mobilizes troops and sends them towards the Honduran border as ousted President Zelaya attempts to forcibly land a Venezuelan airplane in Honduras at 7 pm tonight and retake control of the country.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) - The ousted Honduran president is flying home despite a military order to keep his plane from landing.

Manuel Zelaya left Washington's Dulles Airport on a small Venezuelan jet, hoping to land in the Honduran capital, where he faces an arrest warrant from the government that ousted him. Along with him are several ambassadors and the United Nations General Assembly president.

Other planes were leaving Washington separately to avoid a direct confrontation, trailing Zelaya to see what happens in the skies over Honduras before deciding where to land. They include several Latin American presidents flying with the secretary-general of the Organization of American States. If they can't land in Tegucigalpa, they'll probably go to El Salvador.

Thousands of protesters descended Honduras' main airport ahead of Sunday's showdown. Police helicopters hover overhead, and soldiers are standing guard.

Thousands of protesters descended on the airport in the Honduran capital in anticipation of the showdown. Police helicopters hovered overhead. Inside the airport, soldiers outnumbered travelers and commercial flights were canceled. Access roads were cut off by police checkpoints, with soldiers standing guard alongside.

"The government of President (Roberto) Micheletti has ordered the armed forces and the police not to allow the entrance of any plane bringing the former leader," the foreign minister of the interim government, Enrique Ortez, told The Associated Press on Sunday.

Flying with Zelaya were several of his ambassadors and U.N. General Assembly President Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann, a leftist Nicaraguan priest and former foreign minister who personally condemned Zelaya's ouster as a coup d'etat.

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said in Washington that the safety of Zelaya's flight could not be guaranteed, and pleaded with the Honduran military forces to avoid bloodshed. "If there is violence the whole world must clearly know who is responsible," he said.

If Zelaya's plane is allowed to land, the others will land as well, Correa said. If not, Correa, the presidents of Paraguay and Argentina and Jose Miguel Insulza, the secretary-general of the Organization of American States, planned to land in El Salvador.

Honduras' new government has vowed to arrest Zelaya for 18 alleged criminal acts including treason and failing to implement more than 80 laws approved by Congress since taking office in 2006.

Despite a Supreme Court ruling, Zelaya had also pressed ahead with a referendum on whether to hold an assembly to consider changing the constitution, and critics feared he would press to extend his rule.

But by sending soldiers to shoot up the presidential residence and fly Zelaya into exile a week ago, the Micheletti government has brought itself universal condemnations from the United Nations and OAS.

No nation has recognized the new government; President Barack Obama has united with conservative Alvaro Uribe of Colombia and leftist Hugo Chavez of Venezuela in criticism.

The OAS had given the Honduran government until Saturday to reinstate Zelaya, and sent two emergency missions to Honduras in hopes of heading off an escalation. But Micheletti pointedly rejected the group's demands.

The poor Central American country's Roman Catholic archbishop and its human right commissioner urged Zelaya to stay away, warning that his return could spark bloodshed. The interim government said it would arrest Zelaya and put him on trial despite near-universal international condemnation of the coup that removed him as he campaigned to revise the constitution.

The OAS suspended Honduras as a member late Saturday. Micheletti preemptively pulled out of the organization hours earlier rather than comply with an ultimatum that Zelaya be restored.

Zelaya has urged loyalists to support his arrival in Honduras in a peaceful show of force.

"We are going to show up at the Honduras International Airport in Tegucigalpa ... and on Sunday we will be in Tegucigalpa," Zelaya said Saturday in the taped statement carried on the Web sites of the Telesur and Cubadebate media outlets. "Practice what I have always preached, which is nonviolence."

Zelaya supporters said they got the message as they converged on the airport.

"We have no pistols or arms, just our principles," organizer Rafael Alegria said. "We have the legitimate right to fight for the defense of democracy and to restore President Zelaya."

Large crowds of Zelaya's critics have staged their own daily demonstrations to back Micheletti, the congressional president who was named by lawmakers to finish out the final six months of the Zelaya's term.

Most of the ousted leader's supporters come from the working and middle classes of this impoverished nation, while his opponents are based in the ranks of the well-to-do - although the increasingly leftist approach of the wealthy rancher had eroded his popular support.

6pm update - Rumours are that Zelaya's plane, and those of other international organizations supportive of Zelaya's restoration, have been denied access to Honduran airspace and are headed towards neighboring El Salvador.

They'll be Coming for ya Real Soon, Rush Limbaugh!

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - The head of Venezuela's telecommunications regulatory agency said Friday that 240 radio stations will have their licenses revoked for failing to update their registrations with the government.

A total of 86 AM radio stations and 154 FM stations have failed to turn in required documents, which will lead to the "recovery of all those concessions by the state," said Diosdado Cabello, who heads the telecommunications agency.

Cabello said the radio stations should "shut down their equipment right away because we're going to open administrative proceedings, and that involves seizure of equipment." He said stations using their frequency without government authorization could face sanctions.

The government last month began a process of updating the registration of TV and radio stations under a law regulating broadcasters, and demanded that all outlets file information with the regulatory agency by June 23 including details about assets and ownership.

Cabello, a close ally of President Hugo Chavez, said the radio stations that stand to lose their licenses "are not interested in updating their information" and aren't complying with the law. It remained unclear what recourse the stations might have.

The move comes amid tensions generated by investigations against opposition-aligned television channel Globovision that could lead to its closure.Cabello said the government has also opened investigations into a group of unidentified broadcasters for airing segments by two non-governmental organizations supporting private property rights.

Regulatory officials notified Globovision on Friday that it is targeted in the new probe, the fifth in six months, said Ana Cristina Nunez, a lawyer for the channel. She said the agency ordered the channel to stop showing the commercials, calling it "one more act of intimidation."

Venezuela has many newspapers and radio stations that remain highly critical of Chavez's government. But Globovision has become the lone opposition channel on the open airwaves since another station, Radio Caracas Television, was forced off the airwaves in 2007 when Chavez refused to renew its license. That channel has since moved to cable.

Chavez has clashed repeatedly with private media outlets he accuses of plotting against him. He has also expanded the government's involvement in the media during his presidency.

The government now controls six television channels, including the Caracas-based international network Telesur, two national radio networks and other smaller media outlets including 600 radio stations and 72 community TV stations, said Marcelino Bisbal, a communications professor at Caracas' Andres Bello Catholic University.

WANTED for Crimes Against the Honduran Constitution

The Honduran government has filed an arrest warrant for Mel Zelaya with INTERPOL so that he can be extradited and tried for crimes against the Honduran constitution and people.

World's Oligarchs Demand Job Security

...and the right to rule the peasant populations of the world with impunity.

Now either restore our brother, Manuel Zelaya, to power in Honduras so he can finish raping you, or we'll kick you out of all our clubs like the OAS and UN, and never let your leaders join them again.

How dare you disobey our will and try and fire a tyrant w/o our permission and in violation of OUR rules! How dare you attempt to overthrow one of us who was merely trying to rewrite your Constitution so that he could become dictator for life! Impudent peons...

Some Celebrate Zelaya's Expulsion

Supporters of the New Government RallyWhile Police Crack Down on Ex-president Zelaya's Supporters Meanwhile, Sec. of State Hillary Clinton is manecheanly hedging on calling Zelaya's expulsion a "coup" or not, so as to entice the Hondurans into taking the former president back in return for hundreds of millions of increasing devalued dollars in aid, loans and grants that the country is normally scheduled to receive.

Update - Honduras new President Roberto Micheletti tells Chavez that 7 and a half million Honduran soldiers await the Bolivarian invaders...