Editorial Note: The fact that Cisneros has teamed with Bush/Barrick Gold Corp., is bad enough, but this sentence found in the first paragraph of the article below is completely dis-heartening:

 "He is also widely held to be the shadowy financier behind the April 2002 coup d'etat against President Hugo Chavez Frias and uses his broadcasting and media interests in Venezuela and North America in a continued campaign against the legitimate government of the country to which his father had originally fled from Cuba." 

- Kevin Brooke, Axis Contributing Editor

Cisneros in fond embrace with "best buddy" G. Bush (Senior)

News out of Toronto (Canada) this morning that Barrick Gold Corporation (ABX) has appointed Venezuelan billionaire Gustavo Cisneros to its board of directors.  A press release states that   Cisneros is the chairman and CEO of the Cisneros Group of Companies, one of the world's largest privately-held conglomerates.  He is also widely held to be the shadowy financier behind the April 2002 coup d'etat against President Hugo Chavez Frias and uses his broadcasting and media interests in Venezuela and North America in a continued campaign against the legitimate government of the country to which his father had originally fled from Cuba.  The appointment is seen as kissing goodbye to any short-term hopes that Barrick might have had of entering the gold mining industry in Venezuela where likewise Toronto-based Crystallex International Corporation is today presenting a feasibility study on development of the $500 million Las Cristinas contract.

Barrick founder and chairman Peter Munk says "our board will benefit from Gustavo's extensive business experience and knowledge, particularly involving Latin America where we have significant assets ... Barrick is committed to implementing the new standards for boards of directors set out by the US Securities & Exchange Commission and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).  Gustavo's appointment reflects our determination to meet the new corporate governance guidelines and strengthen our board geographically as a global company."

"Cisneros has headed the Cisneros Group for over 30 years, overseeing its transformation from a local beverage bottling and transport company to an international network of member firms doing business in over 100 countries including consumer goods, broadcast, media, technology and telecommunications holdings including interests in Univision Communications, Venevision Television, Venevision International, DIRECTV Latin America, Glaxson Interactive Group, Inc., Regional Brewing Company, Backus and Johnston Brewing Company, American Online Latin America (AOLA), and Pueblo International, LLC). He is also described as an active philanthropist through the Fundacion Cisneros dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities, as well as cultural and economic prosperity throughout Latin America."

Cisneros is also a prominent member of global academic and business communities and serves on the international advisory council of the Power Corporation of Canada and as a board member, trustee or adviser of educational institutions including the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies and Center for International Development at Harvard University, Columbia University, Babson College, and Rockefeller University.

http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=10831