Politics
August 17

Referendum against education law to be requested
Disregard of a law passed at the National Assembly (AN), riding roughshod over the people's will and the rights enshrined in the Constitution is not only legal but it is a duty, said Deputy Juan José Molina for political Podemos party, in reference to an education law approved last Friday, August 10 at the break of down.

Molina was the key speaker of the event "Ethics and Enlightenment," where opposition mayors for the Caracas Metropolitan Area, the Miranda state governor and the Metropolitan mayor promised to lobby for a referendum aimed at abrogating the legal instrument.

Baruta Mayor Gerardo Blyde agreed with Molina, and urged "any and all headmasters, teachers and guardians to keep a watchful eye from September 15th to prevent the enforcement of this legal instrument" and work on the referendum to remove it.

The education law "must be wiped off the Venezuelan juridical map and the referendum is for that purpose; therefore, there is no contradiction whatsoever and we must join efforts by supporting parents and teachers, because I am sure that refusal in public schools is bigger than in private schools," said Blyde.

Student protest against the education law
In the early hours of Monday, August 17 a group of students from the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) and Simón Bolívar University (USB) deployed near Francisco Fajardo freeway in Caracas to protest against the recently enacted education law.

Carlos Julio Rojas, Finance Secretary, Federation of Student Councils (FCU), UCV, explained that the National Assembly (AN) ignored some educational sectors during the stage of discussion and passage of the education law.

"How dare they approve such an important law staring at four walls, leaving behind grassroots sectors, universities, and taking benefit of holydays? Revolution is not discussing a law in the absence of all the thought currents, a law where one single way of thinking prevails," said Rojas on the highway.
August 18

Private education faces uncertain future in Venezuela
President Hugo Chávez government's systematic onslaught on the private sector of the economy has raised the alarms of private education due to the new rules of the game under the new education law.

Article 6, number 2, item I confers the Executive Office the power to determine "the system to set tuition and fees, amount, increase and administrative duties and services." It also prohibits any other kind of legal entities, such as foundations or NGOs, for parents to help maintain schools.

Last Sunday, August 16 in the TV show "Diálogo" (Dialogue), Minister of Education Héctor Navarro denied the removal of private education, as it is secured under the Constitution. However, spokespersons in the sector are dubious, particularly because the education law legitimated a practice exercised by the Executive Office since 2005 by unilaterally deciding the amount of tuition and fees.

Civic march next Saturday against education law
Metropolitan Mayor Antonio Ledezma reported that on Saturday, August 22 there will be a civic march against the education law.

Demonstrators will rally at 9:00 a.m. on Francisco de Miranda Avenue, in Caracas, and will head for the National Assembly (AN).

"Next Saturday we will stage a huge demonstration. I wonder if we are able to fight for our children. The answer should be the same. All of us are able to fight for our children. For the future of all children in Venezuela, we must move on," said the mayor.

He added that in September, at the beginning of the school year, there will be a nationwide demonstration.

Govn't: Anyone disregarding the education law is an offender
Venezuelan Education Minister Héctor Navarro on Tuesday, August 18 warned that anyone failing to observe the newly enacted law on education shall be viewed as an "offender," as he rejected the opposition calls to disregard the controversial instrument.

According to Navarro, the moves against the law are aimed at destabilizing the government. He added that the initiatives to disavow the instrument may be linked to the controversy around the Colombia-US agreement under which Washington is allowed to use Colombian military bases. The Venezuelan government has rejected such agreement as "a threat," DPA reported.

"There may be a combination (of the demonstrations against the law on education) with the US bases in Colombia. No concerted action of aggression against Venezuela can be ruled out," Navarro added.

August 21

March against education law authorized just to a certain extent
A march scheduled for Saturday, August 22 by opponents to the new education law will arrive only at the Libertador Avenue, instead of the National Assembly (AN), downtown Caracas, as requested initially by the organizers, reported Minister of the Interior and Justice Tarek El Aissami.

El Aissami gave on Friday morning a press conference to brief on the routes approved by government authorities, both for the march called by opposition sectors against the education law and a march planned by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) in support of the legal instrument.

El Aissami noted that Metropolitan Police agents will be responsible for the security of demonstrators.