South America

Cocaine-laden plane seized

From correspondents in Asuncion, Paraguay

November 26, 2004

PARAGUAY police captured a leading Brazilian drug trafficking suspect after a gunbattle with the occupants of a cocaine-laden plane near the border with Brazil, authorities said.

Anti-narcotics police said a load of about 880kg of cocaine was seized, the biggest haul in Paraguay since 370kg of cocaine was confiscated near the Bolivian border in 1990.

The Brazilian suspected was identified as Ivan Mezquita and authorities said he was captured with four other Brazilians on Wednesday as the light plane made a refuelling stop on a farm about 700km north of Asuncion, Paraguay's capital.

Shots were traded as drug agents swarmed around the plane on a small landing strip near the Paraguayan community of Carmelo Peralta, said anti-narcotics chief Aldo Pastore. The farming area is located close to the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso Do Sul.

All five men were detained, Mr Pastore said, speaking by telephone with The Associated Press. BDWN

Peru's Congress Rejects Censure Of Cabinet Ministers

LIMA -(Dow Jones)- Peru's Congress late Tuesday rejected a censure motion against Prime Minister Carlos Ferrero and Transportation and Communications Minister Jose Ortiz.

Only 36 members of Congress voted to censure Ferrero, while only 32 voted to censure Ortiz.

More than half of the 120 members of Congress would have to vote in favor of a censure motion of a minister, which would led to an automatic resignation.

The left-leaning Apra party led the censure motions, although President Alejandro Toledo's Peru Possible party and its allies voted against the motions.

Congress had earlier called the two ministers to appear in the legislature to answer a series of questions.

That interpellation focused on various themes, including recent acts of civil unrest, high fuel prices and turmoil in the airline sector.

In May this year, Congress voted to censure former interior minister Fernando Rospigliosi, which led to his automatic resignation. 26 November 2004. BDWN

Chávez arrives in Moscow to boost bilateral relations

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Thursday arrived in Moscow to boost Venezuela-Russia relations and address issues related to oil prices in the world markets.

Chávez is scheduled to meet Friday at the Kremlin with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Thursday, the Venezuelan President is to attend meetings, round tables and conferences with local businesspeople, intellectuals and students.

Also on Thursday, Chávez is to hold a meeting with Russian oil business representatives. He is to meet with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, and attend a forum at the Russian Philosophy Academy, news agency EFE reported.

According to Russian and Venezuelan sources, at the Kremlin, both presidents are to review bilateral relations and address major international issues.

They are expected to sign several agreements previously negotiated by Venezuelan Vice President José Vicente Rangel during his visit to Moscow on October.

"Russia and Venezuela have an interest in the stability of the world energy market and they are to continue to hold a bilateral dialogue and global cooperation in this field," Wednesday said Alexandr Yakovenko, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry. 26 November 2004. BDWN

FALSE BOMB ALARMS IN PARLIAMENT, GOVERNMENT IN STATE OF ALERT

“As of today we are in permanent emergency”. This was the statement made by the Bolivian police chief, Colonel David Aramayo, in announcing the reinforcement of security measures around all institutional buildings. Following a bomb explosion outside the Defense ministry on Tuesday, five anonymous telephone calls have indicated the presence of bombs planted in the Parliament building. They were all false alarms, but authorities have declared themselves on high alert: “These actions proceed in the intent of destabilizing the government, generating an atmosphere of insecurity and tension”, stated Interior Minister Saúl Lara, adding: “they are acts of terror aimed at provoking the reaction of the armed forces”. Minister Lara also reported the arrest of two people suspected of taking part in the attack against the Defense ministry, without providing generalities, but limiting his comment to saying that “they belong to no type of organization”. The blast on Tuesday marked the third in the past 9 days in La Paz, after the explosions near the army officers club on the 194th anniversary of the armed forces and outside the offices of the ‘Periodistas Asociados Televisión’ (PAT) TV broadcast owned by Bolivian President Carlos Mesa. Senators Leopoldo Fernández (Nationalist Democratic Action right) and Filemón Escóbar (Socialist Movement, left) also reported that dynamite sticks were launched at their homes, without however detonating. 26 November 2004 BDWN

State President highlights results of South American tour

In an interview granted to Vietnamese media after the tour, President Luong said this was the first visit to Argentina and Chile and the second to Brazil by a Vietnamese State President. He held talks with the countries'presidents, met with legislative and judicial leaders and visited economic establishments in each country. Discussions focused on concrete measures to boost friendship and co-operative ties, particularly in economics and trade, as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Mr Luong said leaders and people of countries he visited expressed their admiration for the Vietnamese people’s heroic and indomitable struggle for national liberation in the past as well as the great a