Last night the spitfire Vanessa was awakened after watching a television program here in Caracas called La Hojilla...translation: The Blade or The Razor. (the better spanish speakers are welcome to correct me). Anyway it is named such because the host/commentator, Mario Silva, is known for his quick wit and sharp tongue. Last night was a doosey.
So, Mario Silva is a middle aged fat guy who looks a lot like my Uncle Harold. (for those of you wondering....that would be the white side of the family...lol) His show is aired on one of two government channels here in Caracas. Canal Ocho. La Hojilla is clearly a Chavista program. One of the best features of the program is his presentation of traditionally unseen footage of important political events in the history of Venezuela. Especially in the last three to four years. See, in Caracas most of the channels are owned and controlled by the wealthy minority who for decades controlled PdVSA and supported Neo-liberal policies that have left 80% of the population in poverty. These are the same wealthy brats that tried to take Chavez from power over three years ago. Most of whom have fled are in....can anyone guess......Miami!!! Anyway, naturally their perspective of the news is SLANTED. (I´m being gentle) And of course the Chavista channels are also slanted. Basically no one is innocent.The competition between the various newspapers and TV channels is merely an extension of the quasi-civil war between members of the Opposition and the Chavistas.
You get the picture? The opposition, the wealthy minority....aka spoiled brats...aka corrupt swindlers, want to see Chavez leave, drop dead, or just plain be gone because his ascension to power represents a revolutionary change in the political landscape of Venezuela. In April of 2003, an American sponsored coup d´etat organized by the Opposition tried to seize power and rid themselves of the ¨tyranny¨of President Chavez, a democratically elected leader (many times over since then via referendum.) On April 11, 2003 Opposition leaders, orchestrated a confrontation between the Opposition and Chavez supporters in front of the Presidential palace to provoke violence in order to justify taking Chavez out of power. Needless to say there was blood shed. Opposition hired snipers shot at Chavista marchers and several were killed or wounded. Later, military leaders from the Opposition seized power after threatening to bomb the palace if Chavez didn´t step down. He NEVER resigned but agreed to leave so as to save the lives of the people in the palace and millions of supporters outside. In the interim several Chavez supporters went underground to protect themselves from the Opposition witchunt.
In the meantime the Opposition assumed power and began to conduct business as if they were a democratically elected regime. During the brief one and a half day rule by Pedro Carmona (now hiding in Colombia) the Opposition basically sought to punish and emasculate members of Chavez´s government. There was a rumor, for which there was no basis, that some were hiding out in Cuban embassy. So the mayor of Baruta, a municipality of Caracas, one of its wealthiest, among other Opposition leaders led a mob of spoiled rich brats to the embassy. The mob outside destroyed almost all of the embassy´s vehicles, cut off the electricity and the water. Because this wasn´t enough the Mayor of Baruta (his family owns almost all of the movie theaters in Caracas) and his cronies invaded the embassy demanding that the Cuban ambassador turn over the Chavez government representatives ALLEGEDLY hiding out there. La Hojilla showed over an hour´s worth of footage showing the Cuban ambassodor sitting with the head of Police, the mayor of the municipality and three other Opposition leaders in the living room which had no light because they had cut off the electricity and no water to offer his ¨guests¨ because the mob outside had cut that as well. He spoke to the Opposition leaders with calm and resolution but clearly outlined several points of truth.
First of all, the invasion is against international law. Duh!! The embassy is technically on CUBAN property. The mob and the Opposition leaders have no right to invade, destroy Cuban property, cut off electricity or water supply to the house. Second of all, aside from the legal implications of such behavior, is a respect for humanity factor. How dare you leave a house with women and children inside with out water and electricity? How dare you leave them without food? (The mob had also prevented anyone from providing food to those in the embassy) How dare you allow a mob to assemble outside and terrorize them for NO REASON what-so-evah!!!
The footage was incredible. At times one had to strain to hear the goup of people speaking because the mob outside was chanting, screaming..etc. The police did nothing because they too are members of the Opposition. The Opposition leadership sat in his leaving room as if they were invited guests. Such an invasion and a violation of human, civil, and international rights would ever have occured at any other embassy except for Cuba!Never have I seen such RAW footage. This footage has only been seen in bits and pieces by the biased Opposition controlled channels and Chavista government channels.
Regardless of the Ambassador´s clear and repeated explanation the Opposition leaders remained relentless. Which is what they are. God help them!What needs to be understood about what is happening in Venezuela is the following:
The Opposition represent a very...and I mean very.... wealthy MINORITY in venezuela. They are the landowners, business owners, and media moguls of the nation. Past presidents have always come from this small elite group.Therefore, Chavez`s ascension to power is a PARADIGMATIC shift in the status quo system of politics in Venezuela. Their world as they knew it is OVAH, not over...OV-AH! Part of their problem as status quo stakeholders is their hardcore zero sum attitude. Alleviating poverty would mean that they would be less wealthy...NOT TRUE!!! But this is how they think. They are total lunatics.
Have some of you seen the ¨Revolution Will not be Televised.¨Good lord!! Impressive! A must see. For those of you who have already seen it and i didn´t go when you wanted I am sorry and yes i am lame. But the sucker is you guys cuz i only paid like 2 BUCKS! But no hard feelings.
I know I may sound fanatic but come live here for a while and listen to the crap they sling and you too would begin to feel fed up. That is unless you are a supporter of the Opposition and seek the illegal and undemocratic seizure of Chavez from power. Crazy but entitled to your opinion.Before some of you begin to wonder if I have gone completely RED not to worry. I am not 100% Chavista. I am Chavista in the sense that I understand the ANGUISH and DISGUST the underclasses have been feeling for decades and how Chavez represents the CHANGE that they want to materialize. For example,
1-Why should the oil wealth of the country only benefit a small elite if it can benefit everyone?
2-Why should Venezuela be subordinate to American aggression?
3-Why shouldn´t Venezuela be allowed to enforce a greater presence internationally?
4-Why do his policies have to be a direct threat to the US?
·He is well within his rights to arm himself and develop his military.
·It was the US who financed the April 11 coup
·It was America who houses many of the coup leaders and members of the Opposition
·It was America who imposed decades of neo-liberal policies and supported a corrupt wealthy elite that left 80% of the nation in poverty.
WHO IS THE AGGRESSOR?
5-Why shouldn´t Chavez allow Cuban doctors and professionals to help the poor? America never has.
6-Why shouldn´t Chavez offer affordable fuel to low income communities in the US? Bush didn´t.
7-Why can´t Chavez try to implement policies to overcome adverse affects of the resource curse and years of failed multilateral lending policies?
Granted is he a heavy handed presidentialist leader...? Yes. Is this cause for concern and close monitoring...? Yes. Is Chavez´s reference to President Bush as Mr.Danger a bit gratuitous...? Yes. But on the other hand Rumsfled...RUMSFELD of all people said he ruled Venezuela like Hitler. Good lord! In addition, we´re a nation financing an illegal and unneccessary war in IRAQ for god´s sake. Again, who is the aggressor here?
I will reveal some reflection at a later date. I look forward to your comments
Anyway I am signing off from Caracas....I´ve got a beach to go to and some other explicit things to do which i may share later...lol
´nuff said
l8r
vanessa
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