VHeadline Venezuela News: Trujillo State Workers Federation (FetraTrujillo) president, Argenis Carreno has asked President Hugo Chavez Frias NOT to spend US$ billions in purchasing weapons. "He should save those funds and invest them in Venezuela to fulfill his commitment to the working class ... he must build the economy instead of creating more debt. If he continues this way, he'll cause the people to rise up against him. We demand that he pays off the debts that he has with our sector ... about $20 billion ... and still hasn't paid anything during his ten years of government!"

As for an increase in the basic minimum wage, Carreno says that it's been ten years of political hand-outs from the government to the people ... "these hand-outs do not help to alleviate the high cost of living ... a 10% increase in the minimum wage is nothing if they raise taxes ... inflation is higher each time and buying power is lower ... people are suffering the consequences of the high price of food and basic items ... any raise will quickly dissipate into thin air!"

He says the President has NOT been able admit his failings because the country was supposedly secure with enough international reserves to be able to face the global economic crisis ... but Chavez was disregarding a domestic economic crisis. He has already admitted that there is a cash flow issue and there are problems with projects and programs that will end up affecting the workers.

He says that the Decentralization Law will take Venezuela back to the 1950s when the regions were dependent on central government ... but over the last half century it has been seen that each region has been able to manage its own resources and budgets and it is impossible to believe that everything is going back to the control of a single individual who wants to concentrate all power. There'll come a time when each small town's representative will have to be appointed by the President ... this is clearly a violation of the 1999 Constitution that will generate more poverty and misery among the people.Supporting Rosales

FetraTrujillo has publicly expressed its support for Maracaibo Mayor Manuel Rosales against recent central government accusations ... "Rosales is being accused of being opposed to the Chavez government ... but they will first have to judge themselves and their own families who have become the nuevo-riche of this Fifth Republic. We express our solidarity with Manuel Rosales.  the National Assembly Commission and the Comptroller General should also investigate our complaints against their own (Chavista) former Governors and Mayors in Valera, Motatan Carvajal in Sucre, Miranda and Candelaria ... they should investigate what happened to the money, why they did not pay the workers ... we will fight for these cases to the final consequences."

Citizens of Zulia State are planning a massive Workers Day celebration on May 1 in which all federal entities will denounce critical problems in each sector with the participation of trade unions and worker organizations ... "we have the power in our hands, and we will file written reports with our demands to all appropriate authorities."

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