'Argentina's insular policy shatters MERCOSUR,' Mujica warns

Uruguayan President José “Pepe” Mujica questioned Argentina’s recent decision to stop freight transfers at ports belonging to MERCOSUR countries Buenos Aires has no maritime agreements with. Mujica blasted an “insular” position that “shatters” regional integration

Heinz Dieterich discusses Maduro and Venezuela in aporrea.com

Heinz Dieterich, a German/Mexican communist who used to be a close friend of Chavez', broke with him as Chavez began to use measures Dieterich felt were fascist rather than socialist. This weekend he published a highly critical piece in aporrea.org, a radical communist website. The response in aporrea by other contributors has been virulent. This article is being quoted inside Chavista circles, some say Dieterich was bought by the CIA, others that he's working for the Russians who have now decided to pull the plug on Maduro and want to see him replaced.

Anyway, here's the original article in Spanish.


http://aporrea.org/ideologia/a175119.html

Venezuela releases judge Afiuni from house arrest

Source: Associated Press

Venezuelan authorities on Friday freed a judge who was arrested in 2009 after late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez objected to one of her rulings. Her case became a cause celebre for the opposition and international human rights groups.

Dozens of supporters met Maria Lourdes Afiuni outside the apartment building where she has been under house arrest with cries of “freedom,” as she walked to the street without handcuffs or police escort for the first time in three-and-a-half years.

Amid a few tears, she thanked the well-wishers for coming out, but declined to comment further since she is still under a gag order not to discuss her case publicly. Instead the judge, her daughter and her lawyers went to a church to pray.

Thelma Fernandez, an attorney for the 50-year-old magistrate widely considered Venezuela’s most high-profile political prisoner, said a Caracas judge had released Afiuni from house arrest so she can seek treatment for health problems.





Read more: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2013/06/16/2003564944