IS CHAVEZ MOVING VENEZUELA
CLOSER TO WAR ?

By Kenneth Rijock *
Financial Crime Consultant
London, New York, Miami
La Nueva Cuba
May 8, 2006

Recent developments both inside and outside Venezuela are clearly a threat to peace in Latin America and the Caribbean . These "red flags" indicate that the Chavez regime may be preparing for armed conflict, that it could even be regional in nature, and also that it fully intends to act in partnership with other rogue states:

+ Venezuelan eyewitnesses who have seen the large cylinders believed to contain missles report that they measure 12 meters tall by 2.2 meters wide, and bear " PDVSA" markings. Country of origin is unconfirmed, as some sources say North Korea, but others claim Iran. The sightings are in eastern Venezuela, and we understand from our sources that security near storage sites is extraordinary.

+ Construction of 5 hardened military command centers across Venezuela has been scheduled, and may have already begun. The purpose of these new facilities is unknown. but funding was supplied by PDVSA. A coincidence ? We cannot say, but a connection to what appear to be offensive weapons cannot be ruled out.

+ Venezuela, notwithstanding all its protestations, is not slated for invasion by a foreign power. Therefore, why is it acquiring vast quantities of weapons from Eastern Europe ?The latest purchase in progress is understood to be
armored vehicles from Poland. One wonders if democratic Colombia is the target, as Chavez openly supports the communist FARC insurgency there.

+ It been reported that the government has declared a "No Fly Zone" in Monagas State for private aircraft. This is another uncomfortable coincidence; What "national security" reasons would account for causing aviation such as large inconvenience ?

+ In addition to establishing an overseas branch of government-owned Banco Industrial de Venezuela (BIV) in Havana, and seeking to purchase control of a bank in Peru, and one in Nicaragua, now BIV is actively considering opening a branch in Teheran.This may give organizations engaged in terrorist financing an effective, anonymous portal into the world's financial centers.

+Lastly, a group of retired and former intelligence officers from several countries, including Spain, Cuba and the United States, have been hired to advise the Venezuelan government on weapons purchases and overall strategy. Operating out of Switzerland, they may be moving Venezuela towards the point of no return.

Do these events sound ominously like Germany in 1939, and if so, why aren't the European Union and the United States responding ? If the Chavez invades a neighboring country, and plays the nuclear card, courtesy of their friends in the rogue states, it may be too late.

* Kenneth Rijock is a Financial Crime Consultant.