CARACAS, Monday October 23, 2006 | Update
José Miguel Insulza, secretary general of the Organization
of American States (OAS), arrived late Sunday in Caracas,
where he is paying a visit until October 25.
Last October 5, Tibisay Lucena, president of the National
Electoral Council (CNE), said Insulza would visit Caracas
and that OAS would send electoral observers to witness next
December 3rd presidential election.
In Caracas, the Chilean diplomat is expected to set the guidelines
for OAS electoral observation mission. Additionally, OAS and
CNE are expected to initial an agreement governing such observation.
Both government and opposition spokespeople have showed satisfaction
at Insulza's visit.
The OAS Secretary General recently hoped Venezuela-US relations
to improve, and ruled out "an immediate rupture."
01:11 PM.
Economy.
Domestic inflation rate in Venezuela was 1.7 percent in January, at the same rate as in December 2009, despite currency devaluation at the start of the year decreed by President Hugo Chávez, a senior government source told Reuters on Tuesday.