CARACAS, Venezuela - A group of unidentified assailants overpowered security guards and vandalized a synagogue here early Saturday morning, the latest in a series of episodes aimed at Jewish institutions since Venezuela’s recent expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and the severing of diplomatic ties with Israel to protest the war in Gaza. The vandals broke into Tiferet Israel, a Sephardic synagogue in the Maripérez district of Caracas, strewing Torah scrolls on the floor and...

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Senators Tuesday that although much attention was given to Russia's recent courting of some Latin American countries, he is more concerned about new activities of Iran in the region. Secretary Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee he is worried about efforts by the Iranian government to gain influence in Latin America. "I'm concerned about the level of, frankly, subversive activity the Iranians are carrying on in a number of...

Yesterday, the Iranian news agency FARS reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would be attending celebrations at Tehran University to celebrate the end of the Gaza war and the victory of the Palestinians over the Zionist army. According to the report, Bolivian President Juan Evo Morales and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez have also been invited to the ceremony, to be held yesterday by Iran's Islamic Students Society. FARS cited Esmail Ahmadi, public relations director for the...

I must admit that the horrendous Gaza events (including the rocket launches to Israel territory, let's not forget that) bring me a perverse satisfaction: they offer a chance to Chavez and chavistas to display their antisemitism. Including tacky wearing of Palestinian "foulards" on TV. But of course Chavez might have expelled the Israeli ambassador to Venezuela but not a drop of oil is cut from the deliveries to Israel main backer, the Evil U.S. of A. Empire. So, as it is always the...

Less than a month ago, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez joined his Argentinean and Brazilian counterparts to sign the “2008 Declaration Against Anti-Semitism ”, under which the three countries agreed to “condemn racism, religious intolerance, racial discrimination and related intolerance.” However, it wasn’t long before the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Anti-Defamation League were obliged to issue another round of their regular condemnations of Chavez, this...

Centro Simon Wiesenthal Cabello 3872, PB "C" (C1425APR) - Buenos Aires - Argentina Teléfono: (5411) 4802-1744 * Fax: (5411) 4802-1774 E-mail: Buenos Aires, January 2, 2009 The Simon Wiesenthal Center slammed a statement issued by Venezuela, which unilaterally criticizes Israel for the current situation in Gaza. The official Declaration ( ) states that President Hugo Chávez “expressed his indignation at the criminal attack by Israel in bombing the Palestinian...

CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a fierce critic of the United States, late Monday slammed "very bad signals" from U.S. president-elect Barack Obama that he said were "disrespectful" to Iran. "Iranian President "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent him a letter. The reply wasn't good. It was disrespectful. Obama was unable to get away from the cliche. He spoke like (President George W.) Bush. They are very bad signs," Chavez said in a late night news...

Venezuela and Iran plan to start a new university program in the South American country with a focus on teaching socialist principles. Venezuela's government says it plans to establish the University of Civilizations under accords recently signed with Iran. Deputy Minister for Academic Development Tibisay Hung says the program will begin in Caracas at the existing, tuition-free Bolivarian University. Hung tells the state-run Bolivarian News Agency that the aim is to promote discussion of...

The new commander of the Colombian army, general Óscar González, assured yesterday that its commitment is to apply drastic sanctions to the military who incur crimes like forced disappearances or extrajudicial executions, denunciation that the position to the previous military commandant cost, Mario Montoya. The guerrilla of the CRAF celebrated Monday in an official notice the destitution of the 27 Colombian military. "The public knowledge of these facts is a triumph of the...

CARACAS -- Venezuela plans to build five military bases along its border with Colombia. Justice Minister Tarek El Aissami said the bases will help President Hugo Chávez's government fight drug smuggling, extortion and kidnapping. The bases will run along the Sierra de Perija, a mountain range in western Venezuela that follows part of its porous 1,400-mile border with Colombia. Chávez said Venezuela is doing everything possible to crack down on Colombian leftist rebels,...