Chavez on Democracy Now!

Hugo Chavez details on an interview with Democracy Now! today some details of the discount Venezuela is offering the poor of the U.S. through Venezuelan Citgo. A pilot program in Chicago has apparently already begun and other programs in Boston and New York will be starting in November.
Today's program also has both Wangari Maathai and Ken Wiwa on.

A message from SINALTRAINAL

The Colombian union has posted the following announcement on its website, www.sinaltrainal.org:

SINALTRAINAL LEADER LUCIANO ENRIQUE ROMERO MOLINA ASSASSINATED

It is with deep pain that we inform you of the death of comrade
LUCIANO ENRIQUE ROMERO MOLINA, a leader of SINALTRANAL who was
assassinated in the city of Valledupar, Cesar. Luciano was seen alive
at approximately 9pm on 10 September, then on the morning of 11
September his dead body was found tied up, tortured and with 40 knife
wounds. He was living under the PROTECTIVE MEASURES scheme of the
Inter-American Human Rights Commission of the Organisation of American
States.

LUCIANO was 47 years old. He leaves 4 children and his partner Ledys
Mendoza. He had worked for 20 years at NESTLÉ - Cicolac in Valledupar.
He was sacked from there 22 October 2002, for a supposed cease of
[work] activities that was declared illegal by the Ministry of Social
Protection. There is a demand for comrade Luciano Romero's reinstatement
in process through the First Labour Court of the Valledupar Circuit. The
demand is against NESTLE DE COLOMBIA S.A., CICOLAC LTDA. and DAIRY
PARTENS AMERICAS MANOFACTURING COLOMBIA LTDA. "DPA COLOMBIA LIMITADA".

LUCIANO was an outstanding leader of SINALTRAINAL and currently was
our representative on the Foundation Committee of Solidarity with
Political Prisoners [Fundación Comité de Solidaridad con los Presos
Políticos - [FCSPP] from where he carried out activities of solidarity
and humanitarian assistance for the detainees. on different occasions.
From the end of 2004 he stayed several months in Gijón, Spain in a
protection and solidarity programme; and he had returned to Colombia
at the beginning of this year.

We repudiate this horrendous murder that adds LUCIANO ENRIQUE ROMERO
MOLINA to the interminable list of assassinated union leaders in
Colombia, [carried out] within the strategy of State Terrorism and
through the persecution unleashed by the corporations to exterminate
the trade union movement.

We condemn once again the government of Álvaro Uribe Vélez and his
deceitful "peace process" with the paramilitary groups, which as we
see continue massacring the unarmed population, with their crimes
protected by total impunity thanks to the "Justice and Peace Law".