Venezuela repeated last year’s score of 2.3 (of a maximum of 10) in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) published by Transparency International (TI). This low score caused Venezuela to rank as one of the most corrupt in America –it is only exceed by Paraguay and Haiti- and equaled it to very corrupt nations such as Burundi, Cambodia, Congo Republic, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Papua New Guinea. VPres. José Vicente Rangel accused TI of charging a fee to place countries in a good, regular or poor position in the Corruption Perception Index. According to Rangel, TI is a disqualified and mercenary organization at the service of powerful transnational interests. Would Rangel state the same if TI would have ranked Venezuela in a higher position? Most probably not, and particularly when one takes into account the Bs 243 BB (+72% vs 2005) the Budget for 2006 has assigned for the Presidency of the Republic Office’s spending. Of this amount, Bs 153 BB will be used to execute 11 projects, of which the following stand out: Bs 70 BB to create the Reserves General Command Post; Bs 25 BB to update the Presidential installations; and Bs 12 BB to safeguard the President and his family. Obviously this obscene amount is additional to the amount budgeted by the Defense Ministry for the presidential guard. One can also highlight the fact that Bs 12.7 BB will be used to pay for Chávez’s worldwide tours, while Bs 4.8 BB will cover his domestic travels. To think that just a few years ago, Hugo Chavez stated that assisting international summit meetings was a waste of time, money and resources –but he has not missed one-, which could well be put to better use. Nevertheless this did not prevent his lackeys from assigning Bs 17.5 BB (+73% vs Bs 10.1 BB budgeted in 2005) for his presidential travels. The regime has announced its intention of squandering Bs 98 BB to promote their alleged “Government achievements”, of which Bs 5 BB will go to the production of the Aló Presidente! TV and radio show and Bs 93 BB to the promotion of the Governments achievements. But not satisfied with the amount assigned, the Communications and Information Ministry asked for an additional Bs 18 BB for VTV (Channel 8); Bs 3.1 BB for ABN (Bolivarian News Agency); Bs 5.3 BB for Radio Nacional and Bs 7.1 BB for the independent media. The truth is that regime has no other recourse than to promote what simply does not exist, because if their achievements were visible there would be no need to promote them. The National Assembly wasted no time to approve a Bs 156.3 MM loan to build a monument to Simon Bolivar in Italy, in commemoration of his Sacro Monte oath. The monument will cost the Nation €129,896 (€117,000 to build it, €9,272 to pay the architects and €624 to pay topographers). The interests generated by the surplus revenues placed in the Finance Min. and National Treasury’s trust will finance the loan. The finds will be transferred to the Venezuelan Embassy in Italy. But one cannot forget the prime example of squandering that meant closing the San Siro Stadium in Rome so Chavez and his entourage could a enjoy a soccer game between Venezuela Vinotinto team and Italy’s Internazionale de Milan. But looking past the obscene amount of money (reportedly Bs 160 MM) the game cost the Nation, this action reflects the innate fear the leader of the revolution has of his own people, since he would never assist a public event such as that in his own country, particularly if it has not been organized by his Military House.
