HONDURAN presidential challenger Salvador Nasralla alleged ballot fraud and urged protests for Wednesday as troops rolled toward the capital. Fears of a repeat of the 2009 US-backed coup against president Manuel Zelaya were raised after video posted on social media on Tuesday showed long lines of army trucks carrying soldiers on the road from Sigatepeque to La Esperanza — west of the capital Tegucigalpa. Counting of votes in Sunday’s presidential election resumed after a mysterious two-day hiatus. Mr Nasralla’s five-point lead over incumbent Juan Orlando Hernandez rapidly shrank to 24,000 — less than one per cent — with around half a million ballots left to count. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) promised a final result by Wednesday night. On Tuesday Opposition Alliance candidate Mr Nasralla accused the ruling National Party of Honduras (PNH) of pressuring the TSE, which had called his 45 per cent to 40 per cent lead irreversible days earlier, to steal the election. H...

THE ANC's women's and youth leagues have slammed threats of a credit downgrade for South Africa if Vice-President Cyril Rampahosa is not anointed president. The the two structures, who support Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for election as party president at next month's ANC congress, spoke out on Saturday after former minister Pravin Gordhan's comments to a meeting in Johannesburg's posh Sandton business district on Thursday night.  Mr Gordhan said: "If we support Ramaphosa I can guarantee you we will not see a downgrade.  "If we get that team going we have no worries about downgrades, we will see a change in growth." The ANC Women's League said it was "irresponsible, self-serving and advancing of narrow political agenda for any ANC leader to indirectly lobby for rating agencies to downgrade South Africa if his/her candidate does not emerge." And the Youth League said Mr Gordhan had made it clear "rating agencies are not apolit...

Venezuela’s ruling Socialists won more than two-thirds of Sunday’s regional elections — prompting opposition claims of fraud. With the result in Bolivar state too close to call, the United Socialist Party (PSUV) won 17 of 23 state governorships to the Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) coalition’s five. Mud candidates won in the alliance’s Colombian border strongholds  Zulia, Merida and Tachira, along with central Anzoátegui and the island state of Nueva Esparta. President Nicolas Maduro asked the recently-elected constitutional reform assembly to order the National Electoral Council (CNE) to audit 100 per cent of the ballot papers — calling the opposition’s bluff. “As we have absolute faith the the electoral transparency, I ask, as head of state, that the National Constituent Assembly order an audit of the entire electoral process from A to Z.” Earlier Mr Maduro praised the conduct of the election, saying: "There has not been a single incident, electoral process in pea...

Cuba solidarity campaigners accused US President Donald Trump yesterday of pandering to hard-line Republicans by expelling Cuban diplomats. Britain’s Cuba Solidarity Campaign (CSC) spoke out after US officials leaked government plans to order Havana to cut its Washington embassy staff by 60 per cent  —  later confirmed as the expulsion of 15 diplomats.  The decision came after the US State Department cut its staff in Havana by a similar proportion — from around 50 to about 20. It followed bizarre claims that at least 21 US embassy staff in Havana — mainly spies operating under diplomatic cover — were made ill by “sonic attacks” starting in November last year, days after US President Donald Trump’s election. Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio, a hardline opponent of Cuban socialism, applauded the administration's step, tweeting: the move to expel "Castro regime employees" from embassy "was the right decision." CSC director Rob Miller said: “Unfortu...

Venezuelan police broke up an opposition plot to sabotage electricity, gas and water supplies, President Nicolas Maduro announced on Monday night. Mr Maduro said members of the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) coalition were “caught red-handed.” Speaking from Vargas state, where he was meeting candidates for his United Socialist Party (PSUV) in this month’s regional elections, the president said: “We have our hands on part of this group.” Electrical Energy Minister Luis Motta said on saturday at least 50 suspects had been arrested over the past two weeks for involvement in a plan to sabotage the national grid. He said 38 others had been killed trying to steal high-tension electricity cables, while others got away with 19,000 metres of the material. A spate of similar incidents occurred last year. Mr Motta said the conspiracy may have been timed to coincide with the October 15 elections, while Vice-President Tarek El Aissiami indicated it was aimed at hindering the relaunc...

Former Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa backed Vice-President Jorge Glas on Monday — even as he was detained on corruption charges. "An honest man has lost his freedom," Mr Correa tweeted after the Supreme Court ordered Mr Glas remanded in custody pending an investigation into allegations he took bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. President Lenin Moreno stripped Glas of his duties as vice president in August but allowed him to keep his title. Mr Glas claimed his detention was "a clear retaliation" for criticising Mr Moreno's policies, with additional pressure from "major businessmen and opposition leaders." Mr Glas’ barrister Eduardo Franco said he would appeal the "bad, unjust and arbitrary decision" which he described as a "judicial coup" — like that against Brazilian Workers’ Party president Dilma Rousseff last year. "He is being victimised by the media, and by the political perversity of opposi...

Some 60 nations defended Venezuela’s peace and sovereignty before the UN Human Rights Commission on Thursday. Venezuelan permanent UN representative in Geneva Jorge Valero said 60 African, Asian European and American countries signed a solidarity declaration. The developing nations, including China, Russia and India, gave support to President Nicolas Maduro’s call for peace talks with the putschist opposition and the newly-elected constitutional reform assembly. The unprecedented backing included unanimous support from Arab League members. That was after the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) refused to attend recently-restarted talks in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday. Mr Valero said the signatories affirmed all nations’ right to organise elections, including the July 30 vote for the National Constituent Assembly (ANC). The US slapped sanctions on Venezuela for going ahead with the election, and the EU is set to follow suit. Mr Valero said the nations recognised the ...

Venezuela’s putschist opposition has pulled out of today’s talks with the government — even as President Nicolas Maduro said they were going ahead. Hardline affiliates to the Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) coalition apparently won out as a spokesman said its delegation would not return to the internationally-mediated negotiations in the Dominican Republic. The Mud claimed the United Socialist party (PSUV) government failed to meet human rights and electoral guarantees, and that Mr Maduro had not name a promised third observer nation for full negotiations. The two sides returned to dialogue, brokered by the caribbean nation’s President Danilo Medina and former Spanish PM Jose Luis Zapatero, on September 13 — six weeks after the end of opposition riots that left 124 dead. On Monday masked militants made a brief return to the streets of Caracas, mounting an ineffective roadblock in the Chacao district. On Tuesday US President Donald Trump expressed “hope” that the...

US President Donald Trump signed a new travel ban on Monday, adding Venezuela, North Korea and Chad to the list. Sudan was dropped from the original list of six countries slapped with US visa restrictions issued in March — dubbed the “Muslim ban” by Democratic Party opponents — joining Iraq which had been removed part way through the six-month decree. The new list of countries made clear the restrictions were aimed at targets of US imperialism — on the pretext of non-cooperation on security checks or harbouring terrorists. The original six nations on the ban, including Iran, Yemen, Libya and Somalia, were all originally suspended  from the US visa waiver scheme for travellers by former president Barack Obama. The restrictions on Venezuela apply only to government and security forces officials and not immigrants — exempting thousands of pro-opposition emigres flocking to Miami and other parts of the US. With visitors from North Korea mostly limited to diplomatic s...

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro hit back at his US counterpart Donald Trump's aggressive speech to the UN on Tuesday. Addressing a rally in support of his government outside the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Mr Maduro condemned the “aggression of the new Hitler, Donald Trump, the racial supremacist.”  “He will not dominate the brave homeland!” he declared in his bombastic speech. “Despite the words of hate and war from Donald Trump, the socialist revolution will continue” he said. “Do you want to speak of peace? Never have we bombed the people of the world,” Mr Maduro said. “Do you want to speak of human rights? We did not torture prisoners in Guantanamo bay.” Thanking some 200 international guests from 60 countries for their support, Mr Maduro said: “Solidarity is more important than any braggadocio in New York.” Mr Trump's UN address echoed George Bush Jr's declaration of an “Axis of Evil” 15 years earlier, singling out North Kor...

Cuba rejected Washington's accusations at the UN on Tuesday as Latin American nations condemned the ongoing US economic blockade. In his first, confrontational speech to the UN General Assembly, US President Donald Trump called the Cuban government – known for its numerous acts of solidarity and development programmes for the region and the wider world – "corrupt and destabilising." The Cuban delegation to the UN protested the “disrespectful, uninteresting and unacceptable statements made by President Donald Trump.” It said the attack was more outrageous as it came as the delegation held a bilateral meeting with US Deputy Assistant Secretary for the western hemisphere John Creamer. The Cubans reiterated their willingness to implement agreements made with the previous US administration despite Mr Trump's hardening of Washington's stance in June. It rejected “measures to intensify the blockade and interference in internal affairs” and “politica...

International delegates to the Venezuela solidarity conference in Caracas saw how the government keeps the poor fed in the face of economic warfare on Monday. The international guests visited a Local Distribution and Production Committee (CLAP) warehouse at the sprawling Bolivarian National Armed Forces base at Fort Tiuna in Caracas, to see first hand the packing of food parcels for needy families. Soldiers filled sacks with an assortment of staple foods including rice, beans, pasta, flour, powdered milk, oil peanut butter, mayonnaise, and tins of tuna – many of them produced by state enterprises. Under the government's Mission Mercal programme, each family receives one food package per month. Each sack is marked: "pay no more than 10,000 bolivars "  –  a few US dollars at unofficial exchange rates. Earlier the visitors got a warm welcome from residents of a huge housing estate adjoining the base christened Tiuna City. Chinese, Russian and Belarusian firms are ...

The imperialist war on Venezuela is being fought on the battleground of the media, Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said on Monday. Speaking at a military ceremony in Caracas attended by  international solidarity delegates, Mr Villegas said: “Today the war is fundamentally informational, and peace is fundamentally informational. “The main contest is in the field of communications,” where the mainstream media “have demonised our leaders before the world.” “Solidarity with Venezuela is solidarity with all the peoples of the world in their struggles,” Mr Villegas said, adding that the anti-imperialist movement was “sending a message to the North.” He said the opposition had “broken the mould of treachery” by urging US and EU sanctions against their own country. Brandishing his mobile phone, Mr Villegas said: “We are nostalgic for print newspapers, but in our hands we have a very powerful tool of communication.” Later Mr Villegas met alternative media jou...

Venezuela's “anti-imperialist and anti-oligarchic” armed forces are one with the people against foreign and internal aggression, the defence minister said on Monday. General  Vladimir Padrino addressed a gathering in Caracas to mark 12th years of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces Strategic Operations Command, founded by late president Hugo Chavez to increase coordination between the services. Commanders and service people of the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard and Bolivarian Militia were joined by delegates to the Todos Somos Venezuela (we are all Venezuela) international solidarity conference. Gen Padrino lauded the Civic-Military Union launched by Chavez following the short-lived April 2002 coup – which was defeated by a combination of civilian protests and an uprising from the middle and lower ranks of the armed forces. “Chavez said we would change the concept of the armed forces to an integrated force for peace,” he said. “It is not possible for t...

The presidents of Venezuela and Bolivia hailed the great show of solidarity from across the world in Caracas on Sunday. Bolivian President Evo Morales was the surprise guest on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's weekly TV programme, Sundays with Maduro. Hundreds of national and international delegates to the Todos Somos Venezuela (We are all Venezuela) conference rode the 2-mile cable car to the 8,000 foot summit of Mount Waraira Repano, overlooking the capital, as the audience for the live broadcast. Mr Maduro said US President Donald Trump's threat of military action against Venezuela “is a threat to the whole world.” Washington has since imposed serious financial sanctions over the election of the new National Constituent Assembly (ANC) in the face of deadly riots and a boycott by the US-backed opposition.  Mr Morales hailed last week's resumption of internationally-mediated talks with the Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) in the Dominican Republ...

Syrian MP Mohammad Ojil linked the struggles of Latin America and the Middle East at the solidarity conference in Caracas on Saturday. “The whole world suffers from the the domination of the US, which seeks to plunder its resources, and tries to impede any country from expressing its democracy and sovereignty.” “The US blockade and intervention against Venezuela is designed to create chaos, with the objective of imposing its destructive policies on Venezuela and the world. Mr Ojil praised “the resistance of Venezuela, Cuba and others” that was halting the march of imperialism, and thanked Venezuela for its support for his country's war against foreign-backed terrorists. He said the recent decisive victories against Isis were “a common [joint] victory” for all nations struggling against imperialism. “Syria continues winning victories day by day against the terrorist groups like DAESH (ISIS) people– supported by the US, Europe, Saudi Arabia and Turkey – to resto...

Caribbean and African nations stood firm with Venezuela on the front line against imperialism in Caracas on Saturday.  The Todos Somos Venezuela (We are all Venezuela) solidarity conference broke up into workshops to debate a draft declaration condemning the US and other imperialist countries, the mainstream media war on the socialist government and demanding respect for Venezuela's sovereignty. Caribbean nations, who played a leading role in organising the summit, stressed the deep cooperation between Venezuela and the West Indies launched by late president Hugo Chavez with the Alba regional bloc and the Petrocaribe programme to supply fuel at below market rates. Earl Bousquet of the St Lucia Labour Party said: “Recent history has written another chapter in the relationship between Venezuela and the Caribbean that began 200 years ago, when revolutionaries from the English and French-speaking colonies came to offer their support” to the Venezuelan struggle for independence f...

India's peace movement defended Venezuela's “new spirit of democracy” against imperialist war threats yesterday. Speaking at the opening of the Todos Somos Venezuela (we are all Venezuela) All-India Peace and Solidarity Organisation (AIPSO) Secretary-General Professor Sonia Gupta denounced the threats against Caracas from “those who think they own the world.” “We are here to defend Venezuelan sovereignty and democracy,” she said. “Those who threaten Venezuela with military action must see Venezuela as a threat,” Prof Gupta said. “Yes, it is a threat, to the 'democracy' of parties taking turns to rule, a threat of true democracy.” Remembering the 124 people who died during four months of opposition riots this year aimed at bringing down the government, she said: “The body is mortal but the soul is eternal. The souls of those who lost their lives are alive here today.” “This is the new spirit of democracy. For this Venezuela is a threat,” Prof Gupta said.  “...

Venezuela will not bow to imperialist threats, government figures told the international solidarity conference in the capital Caracas on Saturday. Foreign Minister Jorege Arreaza said: "We have one thought -- we want peace." More than 200 delegates from over 60 countries on six continents on gathered at the Teresa Carreño Theatre in the Central Park district for the Todos Somos Venezuela (We are all Venezuela) conference. Hundreds more from national organisations, including trade unions and the Communist Party of Venezuela, packed the theatre, chanting slogans of Latin American unity, defiance of US imperialism and support for President Nicolas Maduro. Some 35 came from Bolivia alone, including oil and construction workers, while China sent a ten-strong delegation. South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and Kenya all sent representatives. Mr Arreaza drew a parallel between former US President Ronald Reagan's support for the Contra counter-revolutionary death squads ...

Envoys from Venezuela’s putschist opposition were in the Dominican Republic yesterday for “definitive” talks with the government. Representatives from the Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) coalition and President Nicolas Maduro’s United Socialist Party (PSUV) government arrived on Wednesday. Dominican President Danilo Medina said: "We are in the process of transforming an agenda that will lead to a definitive negotiation to the crisis." Government delegation leader Jorge Rodriguez, a former vice-president and current Mayor of Caracas’ Libertador municipality, said: "We are close to reaching an agreement with the opposition on decisive points, we are in a prime moment of dialogue.” Also with the government team was former foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez, now president of the National Constituent Assembly, elections to which which the Mud boycotted on July 30. “We have come here with a flag of peace,” she said. The Mud delegation was led by parliamentary spea...

Venezuela’s government sent envoys to UN-backed peace talks with the putschist opposition in the Dominican Republic yesterday. President Nicolas Maduro accepted an invitation from Dominican President Danilo Medina and former Spanish PM Jose Luis Zapatero to restart internationally-mediated negotiations in Santo Domingo. But a statement from the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) coalition on Tuesday demanded unspecified pre-conditions. “To enter a serious negotiation we demand immediate action that shows a true willingness to resolve national problems and not to buy time,” it said. MUD-affiliated Justice First (PJ) party General Secretary Tomas Guanipa told reporters: “There's no type of conversation planned.” The MUD walked out of the previous talks in February — mediated by the Vatican, regional bloc Unasur, Mr Zapatero and former Dominican and Panamanian presidents — before launching the four-month campaign of regime-change violence that left 124 dead. Tho...

Venezuela challenged the UN on Monday to see for itself if opposition allegations of human rights abuses were true. Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza invited the organisation’s human rights experts to visit his country to see the situation there at first hand. He said the invitation was intended to break through the “media matrix” pushed by biased and unfounded sources from the global rightwing. Venezuela’s Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) opposition blamed the government and security forces for the 124 deaths during four months of regime change riots from April to early August this year. The US, EU and Britain have backed those claims, with Washington slapping new financial sanctions on Venezuela last month. After meeting Mud leaders in Berlin last week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was considering EU sanctions on Caracas as well for allegation rights violations. But Mr Arreaza said the rioters had committed crim...

Cuban President Raul Castro vowed on Monday the country would recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma. Mr Castro said the widespread damage from the monster storm, the strongest since records began, was still being assessed after Irma “battered our island” from Friday to Sunday. Despite well-organised civil defence efforts ten people died, seven in the capital Havana where waves topped the famous Malecon sea wall and flooded the city streets. “The days that are coming will be ones of much work, during which the strength and indestructible confidence in the Revolution of Cubans will again be demonstrated,” the president said. “This is not a time to mourn, but to construct again that which the winds of Irma attempted to destroy” — in the spirit of late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. Mr Castro said the early reports showed a heavy impact on homes, the electrical grid, agriculture and tourist facilities. “These have been difficult days for our people, who, i...

Fensuagro Vice-President Huber Ballesteros (right) with Labour Party MP Ian Lavery When the Colombian government sent farm workers' union leader Huber Ballesteros to jail on trumped-up terrorism charges, he didn't stop organising. He became the health and human rights organiser for the prison. In Britain last week for a round of meetings with fraternal union leaders, Huber took half an hour out of his busy schedule to chat to the Morning Star. Huber was released from prison in January after three-and-a-half years of “preventative detention” on spurious charges of rebellion and financing terrorism. He was arrested in 2013 while leading the National Agrarian Strike of that year as Vice-President of the Fensuagro farmers' union, executive member of the CUT union federation and national organiser of the Patriotic March umbrella group of social organisations.  “In those three years I gained the respect of the prisoners,” he “What allowed me to gain the... the sympath...