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--- Begin Message ----Caveat Lector-January 15, 2003 Please Distribute Widely Dear Colleague, The new participatory journalism model of Narco News is soon to emerge from the lab. Meanwhile, here's some breaking news from our beat, that I've posted as an entry on my weblog: Venezuela Decriminalizes Drug Possession http://www.bigleftoutside.com/archives/000313.php Today's neo-libertarians, if they truly believe what they claim to believe about freedom, really need to take a second look at Venezuela and it's president Hugo Ch�vez. The democratically-elected government of Venezuela has survived attempted coups - military, economic, and mediatic - and keeps moving forward with the most sweeping reforms and advances in democracy and human rights in the hemisphere today. The latest: a reform of the penal code that, while increasing penalties for drug traffickers like every other country, has just decriminalized possession. According to the oligarch's daily El Universal, which leads its report in a panic over the reform's simultaneous legalization of abortion and euthanasia, here's what the new law does for drug users: "As personal dose for consumption, the (allowable) quantity of the drug substance is extended to that which is necessary for average individual consumption for no more than five days; and as a provisional dose, the quantity of the substance that is employed for average individual consumption (according to forensics experts) for no more than ten days." In sum, the drug addict or user no longer faces prison or penalty in Venezuela if he possesses small amounts of his drug of choice (specifically mentioned by the law are marijuana, hashish, cocaine and its derivatives, opium and its derivatives, and synthetic drugs). This is truly revolutionary. How and why did it happen? This giant step for drug policy reform and human freedom in this hemisphere happened because Venezuelan democracy was defended and US-backed coups were defeated. This historic development is a discrediting knockout blow to all the hysterical accusers who claimed that the government of Hugo Ch�vez would somehow become "authoritarian" simply because he and the Venezuelan majority don't agree that "the market" should govern their land. The vestiges of McCarthyism or "Fear of a Red Planet" appeared in recent years even from some quarters that claim they want to liberalize drug laws. Our own newspaper, Narco News, took heat and sustained hard hits over the past two years in particular for our strong defense of Venezuelan democracy. "But that has nothing to do with drug policy," the fearful voices accused. Today, you can see the whole truth, kind reader. Fear no more. In January 2004, Venezuela decriminalized the drug user and the small doses he possesses. And if the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela sustains the inevitable backlash from Washington that will now come for daring to exercize its democratic will to increase human freedom, you will soon see other Latin American nations follow suit. Ecuador had already done it quietly (reported only by Narco News - http://www.narconews.com/Issue29/article703.html ), but Venezuela's action, because of the size and influence of the country and its economy, and the context of its role in the current American drama, now provides cover for Brazil, Argentina, and the rest of the continent to do the same. To those of you who wisely understood this connection between defending democracy in Latin America and reforming the insane war on drugs, and who raised your voices across the world to prevent the coups d'etat, this is your victory, too. Congratulations, remain vigilant, apply for your copublisher account to amplify your voice across the continents, and onward... Apply for your co-publisher's account, here: http://www.narconews.com/copublisher/application.php >From somewhere in a country called Am�rica, Al Giordano Publisher The Narco News Bulletin http://www.narconews.com/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Narco News is supported by: The Fund for Authentic Journalism P.O. Box 71051 Madison Heights, MI 48071 USA http://www.authenticjournalism.org The Fund receives online donations at this web page: http://www.authenticjournalism.org Apply for your co-publisher's account, here: http://www.narconews.com/copublisher/application.php Subscribe for free alerts of new reports: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/narconews Suscr�bete gratis para alertas de nuevos reportajes en espa�ol: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/narconewsandes Inscreva-se para alertas gratuitos de reportagens do �ltimo minuto em portugu�s brasileiro: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/narconewsbrasil _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/narconews/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
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