Venezuela: Extradite or Prosecute Posada Carriles
Venezuelan ambassador to the US, Bernardo Alvarez Herrera, has called on the American people to demand that their government extradite or prosecute terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, during a Washington Post´s forum discussion.

The ambassador deemed the forum discussion as a great opportunity to share with the Washington Post readers and clarify misleading information that has been published in the US media over the last few years.

Concerning the Posada Carriles case, Alvarez Herrera said that in June of last year, Venezuela asked the United States government for his extradition, recalled the Venezuelan diplomat.

This request is based on three different extradition treaties that require the US government to either extradite him to Venezuela or try him in this country for 73 counts of first degree murder.

Rather than responding to Venezuela´s request and moving forward with his extradition or trial for murder, the U.S. government has thus far treated this case as a minor immigration matter and charged him only with illegal entry into the country.

The international war on terrorism does not mean war a la carte. The U.S. cannot pick and choose which terrorist to prosecute, said Alvarez.

"We call on the American people to demand that the US government abide by its international obligations and do what the law requires it to do: extradite or prosecute Posada for murder. Instead, Posada now stands on the verge of being released from custody on January 24.

Another issue brought up in the forum discussion was the scheme to sell heating oil to poor families in the US. The initiative was announced by president Hugo Chavez last September, in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Through a partnership with the Venezuelan oil firm, CITGO, low-cost heating oil is available to low-income families in Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island and the Bronx, NY this winter. Discussions for further expansion of the program are underway in several other states, including Delaware, Vermont, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Asked about this initiative, the ambassador explained heating oil is in short supply in the United States and prices have been driven up and clarified that oil exporting countries members of OPEC favour fair prices. The price crises that the world is facing today is due basically there is not enough oil left in the world, he said.

"We supply much of the heating oil to the US. This is an effort to help low-income people and keep them from having a difficult winter," said Alvarez.

Venezuela remains the second-largest importer of U.S. goods in Latin America, and the United States imports the bulk of Venezuela"s petroleum.