Listen
D'load Today on Flashpoints: An on-the-ground update on the violence and civil unrest in Haiti; we speak to a Venezuelan activist about the destabilization process already in the works for Venezuela; and a broadcast of the radical documentary, Uncovered: The Whole Truth about the Iraq War.
00:43 Direct From Haiti:
Flashpoints Special Correspondent Kevin Pina is interviewed by Nora
Barrows-Friedman. In Port-Au-Prince there are no blockades and no sign
of armed Aristide supporters. Armed former military and paramilitary
leaders have entered Haiti from the
Dominican Republic, seized northern towns and continue to terrorize
the country with US-made weapons. Aristide again
called for an end to violence and extended an invitation to opposition
groups to begin negotiations. The AP and mainstream media continue to
spread misinformation and accuse Aristide of violence and misconduct.
Haitians brace for civil war and pledge support for the democratically
elected Aristide government. Read "Hidden From the
Headlines", an excellent summary of the situation in Haiti. More at
DemocracyNow!
Listen
(RealAudio) and Haiti
Action Network. Also read the OAS
resolution of Support for Public Order and Democracy in Haiti (PDF
format) supporting Aristide's government and the CARICOM initiative.
07:22 Venezuela Destabilization:
Venezuelan Solidarity Committee member Eva Gollinger speaking with
Associate Producer Solange Echeverria provides an update of the Chavez
Recall referendum vote-count which has uncovered fraudulent petition
signatures. Efforts to certify the signature count have been slowed by
the discovery of thousands of petitions with the same handwriting,
signatures of deceased and underaged persons, and unverifiable partial
thumbprints. Overseen by a court-appointed committee and international
observers from the Carter
Center and OAS,
the signature count is expected to be announced on February 28th. If
sufficient signatures are certified (2.4 million), a recall election
would follow within 90 days. Chavez continues to enjoy majority popular
support, but documents
obtained under the US Freedom of Information Act show that the US State
Department gave $1M to opposition groups through the misnamed National Endowment for
Democracy. Representing a significant jump in funding, the
documents raise questions about the State Department's intentions
toward the Chavez government. More information at venuzuelanalysis.com