Weekly Report - 17 May 2007

ECUADOR | Military deployed to oil installations. President Rafael Correa has ordered the military to protect Ecuador's oil installations. The state-owned oil company, Petroecuador, claims it has lost US$40m since January as the result of theft by "mafias and organised crime". Correa said he was reluctant to resort to militarisation of any sector but he had taken "a political decision to end this anarchy and defend the installations". The military will also be deployed to protect the installations of foreign companies. This will be cautiously welcomed: foreign companies remember how Bolivia's President Evo Morales deployed the army to nationalise the gas industry in May 2006. 

VENEZUELA | Teves replaces RCTV. President Hugo Chávez issued a decree naming the new television channel that will replace Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) when its broadcast licence expires on 27 May. The new channel, Fundación Televisora Venezolana Social (Teves), will be funded by the state and the seven-strong board of directors appointed by the ministry of communication and information.Teves will not be responsible for creating programmes itself but rather "structure and design_ independently produced programmes". It is not entirely clear who these independent producers are. RCTV will be permitted to broadcast on cable or satellite. Reporters and members of NGOs supporting RCTV gathered outside the supreme tribunal of justice (TSJ) on 14 May to urge the court to issue a ruling on the suit filed by RCTV before its licence is revoked.