Colombian Government pardons
guerrillas
In an unprecedented decision,
the government of President
Álvaro Uribe decided on Dec. 2
to pardon and release 23
combatants of the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
The decision, described by
Colombian authorities as a
"unilateral gesture of
reconciliation" is aimed at
facilitating a humanitarian
accord and achieving the release
of the 72 politicians and
military personnel kidnapped by
the FARC.
"One of the main concerns of the
Colombian government is the
return of the person kidnapped
to their homes, it is an issue
discussed every day, we
emphatically request that these
persons be returned to their
families," said Interior
Minister Sabas Pretelt.
Pretelt said that the pardoned
guerrillas will not be
re-incorporated to the FARC, and
they will be included in the
program of reinsertion of
combatants.
Among those kidnapped by the
FARC are former presidential
candidate Ingrid Betancourt,
five former congressmen, 12
former regional deputies, a
former minister, a former
governor, three US citizens and
several members of the military.
Cuban Historians Launch Website
Cuba´s History
Institute Researchers have
presented a website, committing
themselves to strive for a
better world for all of mankind.
The site is available at
www.ihc.cu, which offers data on
this institution created in
1987, and learn about scientific
meetings on the Island´s
history.
The website intends to provide
research results, promote the
development of local
historiography and uphold the
ideas of the Cuban Revolution in
the struggle against is enemies,
according to the institution
officials.
During the opening ceremony
three prominent historians were
decorated with the Emilio Roig
de Leuchsenring award, in
recognition to their outstanding
scientific work.
Likewise, seven researchers were
presented with the Julio Le
Riverend award for their
contributions to historical
studies.
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Venezuela Changes in the Supreme
Court
The
swearing-in of 17 lawyers on
Dec. 15 altered the make-up of
the Supreme Court (TSJ), which
now has 32 justices.
The new judges were elected by
the National Assembly,
Venezuela’s legislature, with
only the votes of the ruling
party – which occupies 87 of 165
seats. The opposition rejected
the move and non-governmental
human rights organizations
criticized it, warning that the
court could become biased.
With the increase in number of
justices from 20 to 32 – 12 new
spots were created and five
vacancies were filled – "the
deficiencies in the work of the
TSJ, which oversees 1,700 judges
and 14,000 justice system
employees throughout the
country," said TSJ president
Iván Rincón.
Carlos Correa, coordinator of
the non-governmental Venezuelan
Program of Education-Action in
Human Rights (PROVEA), "the
ideal thing would have been to
guarantee the independence and
stability of the judges with
their designation by a qualified
majority (110 votes) of the
legislature."
The new judges include two
ruling party deputies, the
president of the National
Electoral Council and a military
prosecutor.
Along with the election of the
justices, the controversial Law
of Social Responsibility for the
Media was approved. The law will
regulate the content of radio
and television programs with
severe penalties for
broadcasting messages
interpreted as inciting people
to commit common or political
crimes .
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