The only references to a Grupo Anti Chavez de Venezuela (Anti-Chavez Group of Venezuela, GACV) found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate relate to an "e-group" or "virtual community," a Website that does not provide any details on its members. Various sources refer to the website of the GACV, where the information available describes it as a Website hosted by E-groups, a group managed or linked to Yahoo! Inc. of Santa Clara, California (E-groups 31 Dec. 1998). Some sources refer to the GACV as "located" at an Internet Website at Xoom.com, another provider of free Websites, but this Website appeared to be inactive. The current Internet Website of the GACV describes it as "open membership," "unmoderated," "all members may post [messages]" and with Spanish as its "primary language" (ibid.). Although the date of creation of the Website is given as 31 December 1998, the page states that the GACV was founded on 29 January 1999 (ibid.).

No clearly identifiable leadership or constituency of the group could be found on its Website or in any news article or Internet listing consulted by the Research Directorate. Please note that the research conducted for this Response did not include a detailed review of the more than 900 messages posted on this Website, which has a bulletin board divided by months ranging from January 1999 to January 2001.

The GACV Website describes its group as "a non-profit group created by the Venezuelan people to alert and inform the people" (grupo sin fines de lucro creado por la gente venezolana para alertar e informar al pueblo) (ibid.). Various Internet directories and links referring to the Xoom.com Website of the GACV refer to it as a non-profit organization to promote awareness of or provide information about [President] Chavez, although one listing describes it as a site for "information, news, humour, parody, scandals, monthly photo, opinion, verbal attack on the president of violence" (...ataque verbal al Presidente de la Violencia) (Piranha.com n.d.).

Another "virtual group" named "AntiChavez," mentioned by some Venezuelan and international news services, is hosted by a provider of temporary free Internet domains and Websites, Bizland.com of Burlington, Massachusetts (Bizland.com, n.d.). The group does not show the same full name or acronym as the GACV, and does not provide clearly identifiable leadership, constituency or location; it states, however, that its policy is to not reveal the names of people who participate in AntiChavez.com (AnthiChavez.com n.d.). The Website does provide an "offshore bank account," "kindly provided by the company Breaking News," where donations can be made; the text states that "many people prefer to remain anonymous, while others don't care" (algunos prefieren mantener su anonimato, mientras a otros no les importa) (ibid.).

No references to a particular treatment by Venezuelan authorities of members of either group described above could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate 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. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

AntiChavez.com, n.p.. n.d.. "La empresa Breaking News." http://www.antichavez.com/do.htm [Accessed 16 Jan. 2001]

BizLand.com. Burlington, Mass. n.d. "About BizLand, Inc." http://www.bizland.com/6f600fa3b5055ae6/about/aboutBizland.html [Accessed 16 Jan. 2001]

E-Groups.com. 31 December 1998. "GACV." http://www.egroups.com/group/GACV [Accessed 16 Jan. 2001]

Piranha.com (hosted by Intermedia, Caracas). n.d.. "GACV." http://www.piranha.com.ve/cat/Gobierno/Politica/ [Accessed 16 Jan. 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases.

Latin American Regional Reports: Andean Group [London]. 1998-Sept. 2000.

Refworld.

IRB Databases.

Internet Websites and search engines, including:

Amnesty International

Andean Commission of Jurists

Committee to Protect Journalists

El Nacional [Caracas]

El Universal [Caracas]

Google

IFEX (International Freedom of Expression Exchange)

Human Rights Watch

Vheadline.com [Caracas]

Note:

This list is not exhaustive. Subject and country-specific publications available at the Resource Centre are not included.