* A group of people invaded a portion of San José ranch, in sugar mill Matilde, in Chivacoa, western Yaracuy state, as reported by local El Impulso daily.

* The pro-government activists are demanding 800 hectares from President Hugo Chávez and claimed they are following instructions by the National Land Institute (INTI).

* National Guard troops are watching over the ranch, but have not stopped the squatters, as expressly instructed by INTI.

* Ranch workers claimed that squatters were in the area for 36 days, but on October 15 they started destroying crops in the area they invaded.
 
* Workers added that squatters razed 12 out of 150 hectares of sugar cane crops in the ranch.

* Losses have been estimated at VEB 70 million (USD 33,000).

* San José ranch was founded 40 years ago and is owned by business group PMC, comprising firms Palmar, Matilde and Carora. The estate's owners were not readily available for comments, but sources claimed that legal representatives Monday filed an action to challenge the takeover.

* The National Assembly is to create a special committee to address delays in severance payments to former workers of Empresas Polar industrial holding, as requested by Iris Varela, a parliamentarian for ruling party MVR.

* She claimed that the situation facing Empresas Polar former workers is "a state issue."

* Lawmakers comprising the committee include MVR parliamentarian Oswaldo Vera and opposition Acción Democrática deputy Edgar Zambrano.

* Representatives of Santa Rita ranch, in southwestern Barinas state, filed an action with the Plenary Court, Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ), seeking indictment of Agriculture and Land Minister Antonio Albarrán and the commander of the Military Garrison of Barinas, Army General Enrique Henríquez.

* The plaintiffs accused Albarrán and Henríquez of failing to comply with a ruling the Constitutional Court of TSJ issued on November 4, 2003, ordering withdrawal of peasants members of cooperative Brisas de Masparro who seized Santa Rita ranch.

* Lawyer Pedro Pablo González, legal counsel for agricultural and cattle-raising companies Doble R and Las Peñitas, said they filed this action as the Attorney General's Office has failed to make any moves to enforce TSJ ruling.

* "We reported this situation of contempt with the Attorney General of the Republic (Isaías Rodríguez) more than six months ago, but he has not made any decision so far (...) Given the Attorney General's failure to act, we decided to resort to the Plenary Court and ask for a preliminary proceedings on the merits for prosecution of the minister (Albarrán) and the general (Henríquez) for infringing a ruling by the Constitutional Court, as well as the rights of Santa Rita ranch owners," he added.

* He confirmed that so far, the Constitutional Court has not apprised Albarrán, Henríquez or the director of the National Land Institute (INTI) in Barinas, Gerardo Márquez, of a ruling issued on September 30. This decision ordered said officials to brief the Constitutional Court on the steps they had made to remove members of cooperative Brisas del Masparro from Santa Rita ranch.

* Jesús Garrido Pérez, a parliamentarian for opposition AD party, claimed that, contrary to President Hugo Chávez' statements during his European tour, European citizens owning ranches have actually been subject to government moves to take over and confiscate their estates, local Unión Radio said.

* During his visit to Spain to participate in the 15th Spanish-American Summit in Salamanca, Chávez ensured that "no Galician" had been subject to expropriation of their estates, and that Venezuela respects the right to private property.
  
* Garrido Pérez reported a series of incidents involving European citizens. Portuguese Fatima Vieira's husband was shot in the throat and killed "after he has extorted. He was asked to pay for protection, and he refused to pay, they killed him."

* "Alfredo Rivera, a Spanish citizen, owns a 235-hectare ranch in Beroes municipality in Yaracuy state. His estate was looted and destroyed. His house, cattle, crops and irrigation system were razed."

* Garrido referred to a number of similar cases involving European citizens.

* He stressed he had convincing evidence that both the Agriculture and Land Ministry and the National Land Institute have infringed laws on private property. He is to file legal actions abroad to challenge expropriations from European-origin Venezuelans.

* He asserted that he has information on some 140 cases of damages against small- and medium-size farmers.