Information on a student group with the above name or variations of it, could not be found among the sources currently available to the DIRB.

According to a researcher at a Venezuelan human rights organization, a number of old and new student organizations throughout Venezuela may be affiliated or related in some way to former MBR-200 rebels (14 Nov. 1994). As described in Response to Information Request VEN18185.E of 18 August 1994, the former rebel movement is operating much like an incipient political party and developing a support base throughout Venezuela (ibid.). Given the number, diversity and nature of student groups across the country, one is unlikely to find information on a particular group without details on its location, precise name and political affiliation (ibid.).

Although possibly unrelated to the subject of your information request, the information that follows is included to complement previous responses on student groups and the MBR-200. According to a 1992 newspaper article, leaders of the Central University of Venezuela's Federation of University Centres were linked to the guerrilla Red Flag group, which supported the 1992 MBR-200 coup attempt (Miami Herald 5 Dec. 1992). Federation leader Rene Cedillo said his organization wanted the rebel troops to win, and another leader, Juan Carlos Silva, said his group shared a common doctrine with the military dissidents, who maintained that the country was being turned over to foreign interests (ibid.). The student leaders also opposed corruption and favoured a better distribution of profits from oil resources (ibid.).

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Programa Venezolano de Educación-Acción en Derechos Humanos (PROVEA), Caracas. 15 November 1994. Telephone interview with researcher.

Miami Herald. 5 December 1992. Andres Oppenheimer. "Students Linked to Leaders of Failed Coups." (Infosouth)

Additional Sources Consulted

Material from the Indexed Media Review (IMR) or country files containing articles and reports from diverse sources (primarily dailies and periodicals) from the Weekly Media Review.

Newspapers and periodicals pertaining to the appropriate region.

On-line searches of news articles.

Political Handbook of the World. Yearly.

Communist and Marxist Parties of the World. 1990.

Keesing's Record of World Events. Yearly. 1992-94.

Political Parties of the World. 1991.

Revolutionary and Dissident Movements: An International Guide. 1991.

South America, Central America and the Caribbean 1993. 1993.

Yearbook on International Communist Affairs. 1984-1989.

News from Americas Watch [New York]. Monthly.

Andean Newsletter [Lima]. Monthly.

Latin America Update [Washington]. Monthly.

Latin America Press [Lima]. Weekly.

Latin American Newsletters [London]. Monthly.

Latin American Regional Reports: Andean Group Report [London]. Monthly.

Latin American Weekly Report [London].

Note:

This list is not exhaustive. Country-specific books available in the Resource Centre are not included.