FRIDAY February 11, 2011 Year 1 Nº 4 ENGLISH EDITION “Facts, Facts, and more Facts”

After twelve years, the Bolivarian Government has increased social Investment five times reaching a total amount of US $ 330,582,000,000 2 Friday, February 11, 2011 ENGLISH EDITION ENGLISH EDITION Friday, February 11, 2011 3

Ch r o n i C l e s o f o u r e v e r y d a y r e v o l u t i o n A range Absolute and tangible presence of the people From messenger of possibilities The People- the raison d’être of the that started in 1999- have become, for the last twelve years, leaders of a to treasurer dramatic and wide-reaching change. The People have a say: Jesús is part of the cleaning staff in one of the branches of the Bicenten- nial Markets chain, and he claims the ority. We have [also] amplified our company has completely changed its customer service capabilities. Ever policy in the economic and human since the Bank of ab- areas: “We didn’t use to get paid for Strong faith sorbed the clients of former “Ban- working overtime, our salary was low- Will at full sail co Federal” our 18 cashiers receive er, and now everything is different.” in solidarity between 3,500 and 4,000 clients he says with the typical optimism of a daily.” young person. He highlights that now 23-year-old Jesús Granados lived all workers have the opportunity to in El Valle (Southern Caracas) and Yadira claims she had no idea what After the nationalization of the study and to be promoted. Fortunately, by 2010 the social- Elvis Quintero started working worked in Montalbán (northern would have happened if “the trag- Bank of Venezuela, the customer oriented factory Pescalba was in the bank as a messenger and Caracas). Jesús could barely study edy had occurred under a differ- service capacity has increased 31%, The 35 markets of the Socialist Net- opened in the area and Luis was now he’s the treasurer at the Bank and cover the overtime demanded ent Government”. Today, she and deposit taking capacity 84.1%, and work of Bicentennial Markets nation- absorbed as a permanent worker. of Venezuela main offices. After from his former boss at the CADA other 336 families, who joined her the credit performance 52.2%, wide seek for the transformation of graduating as a computing techni- Supermarket due to the distance in her struggle, live in a housing and they have also incorporated the speculative system through a fair- Luis Roque used to work for a pri- Since then his life has signifi- cian, he was promoted. between the two places. But now Yadira Merentes, a survivor of the development complex called Soli- 52 new offices and 200 ATMs. Be- er commercial offer, and by strength- vate contractor of sea food process- cantly changed. He now gets all the CADA Supermarket is a Bicen- 1999 Vargas mudslides, did not daridad (Solidarity) located in Ca- sides these, 31 communal banks ening the strategies of the Bolivarian ing at the dock of Cumana Port. the benefits according to the law, He says that the new vision of the tennial Market (Abasto Bicentena- hesitate to put her name on the tia La mar. have been installed in popular ar- Government to assure the food secu- bank is to have people as “a pri- list of home-needy people. “I al- thus improving his quality of life: eas with the goal of reaching 200. rio in Spanish). rity of Venezuelans. He earned a meager wage. After “Thanks to God I was given this ways had great faith in the Presi- So far, 2,380 housing solutions having a terrible accident at work, opportunity, because I had no dent Chavez’ promises”. That have been provided to families af- where he lost his right arm, his means to support my family. faith helped Merentes gather 75 fected by the heavy rains in 2010. value as a laborer diminished. The CANTV’s support to social activities families from different districts With close cooperation from the company abandoned him com- That is why I thank Pescalba for The Bicentennial Markets of the state: Naiguatá, Caraballe- People’s Republic of China, Russia, went from BsF 145 million (US $ pletly. As a result he was forced to making me feel useful and for ev- Network sold over BsF 2.8 billion da, Maiquetía, Catia La Mar, and and Byelorussia, 150,000 houses 40,000) before its nationalization to beg in public places. Luis became erything they still do for me. That La Guaira and organize a com- will be built within the next two BsF one billion (US$250,000) (US$ 700,000) another victim of the voracity of is why I’m still here. I’ll keep mov- munitarian commission for hous- years; 70,000 of them have al- the capitalist system. ing on”. ing restoration and construction. ready been built.

No impediments for A weekend those who want to study A call to serve for a smile Mothers an says. She is a mother, a grandmoth- with Propertiesz er, and a social fighter. After retiring, you see how they go home with a Felicia signed up for Misión Ribas smile on their faces and very excited For me, it’s an honor to carry the (social education program for high to take the Canaima computer with UNES ID card, the cap, and the badge school studies) and has not stopped them. The weekend is worth it”. because this way we are making the ever since. “We were the fourth group Mission Mothers of the Neighbor- difference. I do believe in this police. which graduated from this Misión and hood is not just about a monthly I know it’s a high-risk job, but I’d do I immediately started Misión Sucre. Miguel Villegas is just one of the The Canaima program equips pub- Mairelis Ceballos’ life changed dra- payment of US$ 250, but it also pre- anything for my country”. I got this year an Advanced Techni- hundreds of workers from CANTV lic schools with laptops, each one of matically when she decided to become pares the women in the area of social cal Degree in Social Management for (National Telephone Company) who them with educational software, so a social fighter through a social pro- production projects. Marelis, along Alejandra Noriega, a student at the The Bolivarian National Police (PNB Local Empowering, and I’ll keep on work hard as volunteer to deliver that children get used to new forms of gram entitled Misión Madres del Bar- with other women, is ahead of the Experimental National College for Spanish Acronym) started in 2009 studying until I get my undergraduate computers in the Bolivarian Schools technology from early age. 525,000 rio (Mothers of the Slum). She intend- textile production factory Manuelita Security (UNES Spanish Acronym), and involved 952 officers, reaching Felicia Huice, a 66-year-old inhabit- diploma”. as part of the Educational Project Ca- computers were handed in 2010. ed to help herself and other women to Saenz located in Aragua State. In the claims that her goal of becoming 4,222 officers in 2010 out of which ant of San Agustin parish in Caracas, She never misses a chance to say naima. He’s glad to do the job. Company CANTV-Movilnet recorded transcend their own limitations.“Since same place Marelis teaches disabled part of the Venezuela´s National 718 were women. The operations recently graduated as a technician that “under the Bolivarian Revolution, a 134% increase of both fixed and 2006, my life has turned into a con- boys and girls to sew “so that they Police force draws closer everyday. carried out by the National Police, from Misión Sucre (social program those who don’t study, it is because “You cannot compare this activity to mobile phone lines. This represents stant struggle for the rights of women grow up being useful people”. The “Being admitted in the College is side by side with the community, in of education). they don’t want to. That’s why I want anything else; you have to experi- a figure of 14,056,936 subscribers of with any sort of disability. Any time I Mission provides technical prepa- already an achievement, but gradu- the Sucre parish on the west side of the education programs to continue, ence seeing these kids awake since mobile lines and 5,894,876 subscrib- hug them, or I spend time with them, ration for work to housewives who ating is my next goal. We have got- Caracas --7,000 inhabitants area-- “The missions suit me perfectly, be- so that more opportunities to study early in the morning, some of them ers of fixed lines by the end of 2010. I feel this is nothing but social work,” need it the most. Today the mission ten the chance to study in order to reduced homicides rates to 44% in cause when I was younger, though I are provided for those who couldn’t even slept wearing their uniforms Additionally, the amount of Internet Ceballos said. benefits 100,000 people. become good officers. less than a year. wanted to study, I couldn’t,” this wom- do it in the past”. in order to be the first ones. Then users was of 1,461,915. 4 Friday, February 11, 2011 ENGLISH EDITION ENGLISH EDITION Friday, February 11, 2011 5

th e t h r e e -r o o t s t h r e e b l o s s o M s Better alone than with DEA The largest classroom in the world

17 Achievements Pre-school 1.543.660 Elementary School 3.431.920 14 14 High School 2.259.862 + Captured and Extradited Drug Lords by the dozen University and College 2.500.000 54 Total Students = 9.735.442

5 The ideas left by Simon Bolivar, Simon Rodriguez and 4 Ezequiel Zamora allow us to create a revolutionary conscience that let us achieve great goals in our 0 search for freedom, inclusion, and equality.

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 - Total rate of pre-school education 2009/2010 reached 71% (43% in 1998). -Since the Bolivarian Government terminated an agreement with - Elementary school registration 2009/2010 reached 93% (86, 2 DEA, over 54 drug lords have been captured compared to previous Towards the happiest Life % in 1998). Health is not a product years in which not a single important capture was made. Venezuelans secures its food supplies - High School Registration 72% (37,8 % in 1998). Mission Nutrition 4% - Public Universities increased its undergraduate population by -17 International drug trafficking leaders were captured and extra- (2.335) 210%. There are 78 university students per 1,000 citizens. Univer- dited in 2010 Agricultural Projects 6% (3.617) sity rate students 83% out of which 75% belongs to the public sec-

Fonden Housing and Infrastructure 6% tor and 25% to private institutions. 40% study in Mission Sucre. Mission Miracle Creación de Creación de - 140,000 lbs of drugs seized 46% (3.686) Since its creation over 1,139,798 (28.590 mm $) eye surgeries have been made. Fondespa Mission Inside the Neighborhood 9% - Venezuela declared free of illegal drug crops by on its fifth con- 7% (5.790) 499,76 Kg (4.229 mm $) I 1.706.145 graduates por persona al año secutive year. Mission Ribas4% (2.229) Mission Robinson II 577.482 graduates Community Support 5% 635.000 graduates - The Organic Law on Drugs made in 2010 creates a National Anti- (3.025) Mission Sucre 41.008 graduates Drug Fund to support the Bicentennial Security Program (Dibise Other 13% 2004 2008 2010 (7.868) Spanish Acronym). Mission Inside the Neighborhood I, II, III y IV Pdvsa has provided US $ 61 billion to social development plans (2004-2010) Food Consumption increased 25% in ten years - 6,172 popular medical clinics and some 3,019 dentist rooms all Source: Ministry of People’s Power for Nutrition Complete and limitless connectivity - Social Investment was increased by five, going from US $ Egalitarian distribution throughout the country have been installed. 459 ophthalmologic popu- 69,732,000,000 to US$ 330,582,000,000. lar houses have been created. Venezuela has the highest - Mission Nutrition has distributed 10 million tons of food -Extreme poverty dropped from 21% in 1998 to 7.1% in 2010. minimal wage in Latin America. The minimal wage - 519 Comprehensive Diagnostic Centers; 562 Rehabilitation Rooms; Real minimal wage in enezuela is equivalent to 29 High-technologies Centers; 22 Ophthalmologic Centers and 9 Heart - The networks of food distribution have reached 12 million peo- -By 1998 49% of the people lived in poor households, by 2010 it dro- US $ 471. By including food Bs.F. 2.199 Centers. ple. pped to 26.8 % cupons as part of the salary, the income increased 18% Bs.F 1.224 2010 - 421,444,951 healthcare assistance visits 765,489 have been in site; - In 2010 Venezuelanns reached 2,790 Kcal rates per person, this -Venezuela leads the listings of countries that have reduced inequality 968 2009 7,055 births have been assisted and 292,499 lives have been saved. number is above the FAO standards of 2,700 Kcal. Back in 1998 levels as reflected in the Gini rates which went from 0.50 to 0.38, the 799 2008 it was 2,202 Kcal. lowest in Latin America. 615 2007 512 2006 - 178 Health Centers have received 24,408 units of medical equipment 2005 such as: Imagenologic equipment (428); Diagnostic Support (1,538), - The Venezuela State did not participate in the nutrition of the -The number of pensioners have increased since 1998 going from 405 2004 Dialysis (296), clinical furniture (7,449), Emergency and Intensive care people, but today it is responsible of 33% of the national network, 387,000 to one 1,544,586 by the third trimester in 2010. 321 247 2003 Equipment (6,033), QX (5,144), endoscope video equipment (141), Sur- supporting low costs of products by 40 and 60% less than those The country has 1,351,269 internet users with 33% of national coverage 190 2002 gery and anesthesia (1,460), Kitchen and Laundry (1,919). of the market. -The fund for asocial activities in Cantv went from BsF 145 million to 190 2001 BsF 1,065,000 since its nationalization. - In 1998 internet access was only 3% 144 2000 - The Children Heart Hospital Dr. Gilberto Rodriguez Ochoa has made 4,800 surgical interventions to patients coming from Latin America and - There are 5.97 Cantv fixed lines, 65% more than the 3.5 million in Africa. - Unemployment rates dropped 6.5% by the end of 2010, in contrast to 2007. 1998’s 15.16%. Enero 2011

- 875,000 Canaimitas (elementary school laptops) have been delivered to - 56% of the working population had a formal job in 2010, and the infor- elementary school children between 2009 and 2010. mal sector 43%.

- After the technological alphabetization of 1,096,989 people Venezuela - The GIP in Venezuela was US$ 88 billion in 1998. By the end of 2010 it was awarded with the King Hamad Isa Al Khalifa Prize by UNESCO. There was US$ 257 billion. Meaning a 290% difference. are also 737 Infocentros (free internet connection), 434 of which are con- nected to Simon Bolivar Satellite

“if y o u g e t b e a t e n b l i n d l y , t h e o n l y e f f i C i e n t a n s w e r is t o b e a t b a C k w i s e l y ”. Ma r i o be n e d e t t i 6 Friday, February 11, 2011 ENGLISH EDITION ENGLISH EDITION Friday, February 11, 2011 7

Pe o P l e ’s P o w e r o n i t s h i g h e s t P e a k Recovered lands guarantee production

Two communes under construction (Tac- chemical products free) of tomatoes, cucumber, Socialist communes promote welfare arigua IV and Panal 2021) comprised by 22 watermelon, eggplant, sweet pepper, and rad- Day after day, the social movements are fortified by the revolutionary impulse and gather together to overcome weaknesses, share Communal Councils already have on their ish; these ones produced all year long. experiences, and guarantee the state of welfare. hands the land property documents of the Unit of Social Production Paula Correa located The lands were recovered from landlords in the valleys of the States of Aragua, specifi- through the 2007 decree 5,378 that prohib- cally in the Jose Rafael Revenga Municipality. its the construction of houses and commerce in lands fit for agricultural use and that are Lara moves towards a socialist future This social production unit was named after considered of primary importance for the food the father of General Ezequiel Zamora (hero of security of the nation. 24,217 acres have been Eight Communal Councils have fused together born commune from Barquisimeto already has peasant social movements in Venezuela). The used to build 38 units of social production units into a single Socialist Commune under construc- two concrete blocks factories, one Simoncito unit owns 135 hectares of type I soil, 19.5 of out of 130,000 acres of Type I and II soil. tion , Villas de San Jose de Bolivar. Thanks to (elementary Bolivarian schools), a Bolivarian which are considered protected crops (agro- community organization through the socialist high school, a Comprehensive Production Unit squads and self –management, 7,200 people Caprina, a blacksmith workshop, a carpenter’s who lived in shanties now have the joy of living workshop, and a multiple-use sports court. in 775 ft2 apartments with three bedrooms, one bathroom, living room, and a kitchen. By the exertion of People’s Power 40,000 houses The capitalist development model is discarded will be built at a national level with a total invest- President Chavez has described this commune ment of BsF three billion announced by President as a excellent example of the future that lies Chavez during last Tuesday’s celebration of the The gates to socially-owned cell phone and acces- Orinoquia Company produced 150,000 cell ahead of the Bolivarian Revolution. In this new- 12 years of the Bolivarian Government. sories producer Orinoquia were wide opened for phones between May and December 2010. the inhabitants of the Barrio Union neighborhood The company plans to increase its produc- in Petare parish of Caracas. In there, 31 neighbors tion to one million items distributed in cell have been selected to produce cell phone casings phones, and pen-drive type of modems used in the Social Production Unit El Carmen. in mobile technologies.

Communal management in 23 de enero

Panal 2021 is the name given by the inhabitants of Under the name Caracas Bicentenaria, 5.2 tons the 23 de Enero parish to their Commune, which of sugar are packed and marketed for the ben- Bread is sold in El Valle with God as a flag is under construction. The Commune already has efit of the 84,000 people that live in 23 de Enero For the people in Barrio 70 and other sur- was approved by a citizen’s assembly called an ecological block factory (Bloquera Ecológica So- and for other 1,500 people of the Panal 2021 rounding areas of El Valle parish Sixto Hur- by the members of the Community Council cialista), and a sugar packing plant. These social- commune. The inhabitants receive the products tado is their best poet: A baker who, to- of Las Terrazas. The bakery benefits to the ly-owned enterprises got rid of the figure of “em- through four Biceabastos (friendly-priced mar- gether with his wife and children, run the community as they can purchase high qual- ployer” since the decision making process is on kets), the Pdval markets, and 52 other small bakery and cake shop Nissi located in Las ity products with 30 to 40% discounts. the hands of the Worker’s Council and the Com- local retail stores. Five decree-laws aimed at Terrazas since two years ago. munity. The block factory has a producing capac- strengthening the people’s power and setting The Organic Law of Communal Councils, which ity of 3,000 blocks daily, including its five models: the legal bases for the Communal State were Nissi is a Hebrew name that means “God is became affective on December 29, recognizes large size, mid size, piped, brick type, and half passed December 21 2010. The Organic Law of my flag” and it opened its gates on Novem- communal councils as a place of participation brick type. The blocks are used for the construc- Communes, the Laws for Communal Economic ber 2008 thanks to a credit by the Com- and direct popular sovereignty excerption tion and improvement of homes in the commu- System, and the Laws for Socially-Oriented Con- munal Bank Terrazas en Accion. The credit nity, giving priority to low-income families. trol are amongst the passed laws.

The Fondo Bicentenario invests in textile and shoes Social Property: a Collective Commitment The union Government-Entrepreneurs has by the Bicentennial Bank. The company went At Los Andes Diary factory , workers dem- have also created the Housing Committee worked, as two companies reborn in Miran- from 8 to 38 employees, all of them selected by onstrate how participation, enthusiasm, and through which they promote projects such da State. Fabric factory La Fila, produces the Communal Council of the area. And it is the the sense of belonging in social properties as the home restoration program, which in- a variety of articles such as: fishing nets, community who has benefited from it, and not are transformed into higher production and cludes the substitution of asbestos ceiling hammocks, tablecloths, sports uniforms, only because of the jobs, but also from the low- benefits for the people. The workers’ be- by galvanized sheet root. They also make and lace. By the time the company received cost products. lieve in “the point inside a circle”, where the donations of wheelchairs and prosthesis for the credit in 2010 it only had 14 employees. point refers to the factory and the circle to the disabled, among other activities. Today that number is duplicated. The Bicentennial Fund was created by a decree the surrounding communities, make it pos- in 2010 and since then it has promoted strate- sible to keep both entities linked. Under this Los Andes Dairy factory increased its monthly In Paracotos, the community and the own- gies for the substitution of importations in or- concept, the processing plants in Lara and production from15,700 tons of milk in 1999 ers of Creaciones Gianlop factory produce der to stimulate the exporter sector of the coun- Mérida states provide milk to 25,000 chil- to 30,000 by November 2010. It reported a school shoes, children shoes, and security try. Two billion Bolivares have been assigned to dren daily. The workers and the community 100% increase in production. and casual shoes after the family company these projects that boost up the exportation of received a credit of BsF 2.5 million (US$ 500) non-traditional products. Friday, February 11, 2011 ENGLISH EDITION

National in orbit In half an hour

Designed by Venezuelans and built in the People’s Since the inauguration on October 16 2006 of the Republic of China with a total investment of US first stretch of the Ezequiel Zamora Railway Sys- $ 406 millions the Simon Bolivar Satellite was tem the inhabitants of Los Valles del Tuy that launched on October 29 2008. Since then, the commute in Caracas no longer need to wake up satellite has benefited some 2,333 different at 3:30 AM. The railways allow the passengers places in the country by bringing together the to make a 31 minutes-trip from Los Valles del land communications network managed by Tuy to Caracas; 22 minutes from the Charallave CANTV and the satellite service of ABA; 470 Norte station, and 17 from the Charallave Sur thousand users of free online connection in station. The trip used to take one hour and a infocentros have also benefited from the sat- half. 52 million passengers have used the sys- ellite, and the students from the 828 schools tem from the moment of inauguration to the who connect on the internet through the Ca- third trimestre of 2010. With a total invest- naima project and are handed with educative ment of US $ 2,282 million, the railway has cre- digital programs boxes. Medical data like ra- ated over 4,130 jobs and it represents an impor- diographies, and ultrasounds are transmitted via tant advance in ht e project for a National Railway the Public National Information System for Health System promoted by the Bolivarian Revolution. and Social Inclusion.

San Agustin changed rhythm Saving lives from the heart

The Children Heart Hospital Dr. Gilberto From six AM to ten PM it only takes nine Rodriguez Ochoa, Dr. Gilberto Rodríguez minutes to the inhabitants of San Agus- Ochoa, is a large structure of 39,000 tin parish in Caracas to go from home to square meters inaugurated on august work or any other place in the city. They 2006. 4,802 have been operated. use the Metrocable system 56 cars, ach with a capacity of carrying eight pas- The centers see 600 patients a year sengers. and have increased its capacity in the area of heart pediatrics in the country. The five stations of the aerial trans- Its construction required a total invest- port opened on January 2010 are: ment of Bs F 41.40 billion. Parque Central, Hornos de Cal, La Ceiba, Los Manguitos, and San Agustin.

Your Own Roof Art in concrete

The Residential Complex Simon Bolivar The Orinoquia Bridge, second on the Ori- was inaugurated on September 2010 as noco River, was opened on November part of an agreement between Iran and 13 2006 and it is one of the largest and Venezuela the Complex is comprised by most important infrastructures ever built 432 apartments that are added to a to- in the country. With a total investment tal of 2,448, the same number of orga- of US $ 1,283 billion this piece of Ven- nized families from communal councils ezuelan engineering and art is 3,156 benefit from this project. meters long, has four traffic channels, and a railway line on its center. The apartments are 861 square feet big and they have living room, three The Metal superstructure links the bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a laun- southwest States of Bolivar, Monagas ans dry area. Anzoategui with one another and their 166 kilometers of highways.

Venezuela de Verdad is a Newspaper Edited by the Ministry of People’s Power for Communication and Information.Torre Ministerial, 9th floor, Universidad Avenue. Caracas, Venezuela.

Minister: Andres Izarra / Vice-Ministry for Strategic Communication: Alejandro Boscán / Vice-Ministry for Communication Management: Lídice Altuve / Press General Directorate: Soledad Ramirez / Editorial Staff: Pedro Ibañez / Rita Lucas / Yeneiza Delgado / Degnis Merlo / Belen Van Arken / Carmen Ugueto / Daniela Uzcatia / Luis Eloy Pacheco / Marcos Medina / Photographers: Gergina Svieykowsky / Jose Carlos Gomez / Luis Laya / Enrique Gonzalez / Illustrator: Omar Cruz / Graphic and News Designer: Andrea Miranda / Translator: Bycklee Princivil / International Media Department Edition Staff: Paula Andrea Jimenez (Director), Yesenia Marcano, Cesar Torres, Drauly Lopez, Claudio Villarroel, Gonzalo Fumero.

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