the reviews are in

Have any of you seen Sequestro Express? I think a few of you may have asked me if I had and recommended it because you knew of my interest in Venezuela. Well, I bought the bootleg for 1 and change and watched it.

Where shall I begin?

First of all, what a horrible portrayal of Venezuela. Secondly, what a crock. The director, was trying to be Quentin Tarantino meets Amorres Perros. Lord! Third, the movie was way to coincidental. Fourth, the kidnappings are way worse than depicted. Fifth, ( and i may get flack for this)....how can I put it? Let me preface what I am about to say with this, being kidnapped is not cool. No one has the right to terrorize anyone else because of their race, creed, interest, bla bla bla....If you are to consider the film in a vacuum as a movie that artistically interprets an increasing problem in Caracas than okay. But the fact of the matter is, WE don't live in a vacuum, nor do we live in the movies. Out of all the films that could've been made about the every life challenges and obstacles people have to put up with here between the corruption, the mafia, the crime, and poverty, the Director makes a film about a priveleged couple (one of which has good intentions to change the world) that has been victimized by poor Venezuelans that take life for granted and see their kidnappings as their own private populist revolution against the rich. Why can't a film be made about the poor and middle class who suffer from years of repression due to poor governance, corruption, the mafia, crime, and poverty. Why? Because it's not sexy enough.

Carla, the female protagonist is a sympathetic wealthy girl who volunteers in a free clinic and tries to use this as capital with her kidnappers. As if to say, I know that being rich in a country where 80% of the people are poor is a bit unfair but i VOLUNTEER in a FREE clinic so cut me some slack. Worse was when she comments that being rich isn't a crime...which it is not? But it is a bit hard to take when you are living in a city where more than half earn less than five bucks or so a day. Should the poor terrorize the rich because they are rich? No, clearly. But in a city where one out of every four people carries a gun and with a murder rate rivaling Rio's one has to take stock of what is going on.

Lately, the number of kindnappings has escalated and rumor is it will likely continue to do so. Members of the Mafia and Opposition leaders would like to see Chavez leave. No matter how, if you catch my drift. Increasing kidnappings and violence will discredit his "progressive" social programs and create doubt in the voter's conscience as they approach elections in December....at least that is what THEY are hoping will happen.

The more I open my eyes and ears to what is really going on here in Caracas the more I realize that Chavez has greater challenges to face than opposition domestically, from the US and abroad. One of his most fierce obstacles to achieving his Bolivarian dream will be La Mafia adentro/The Mafia inside. Second, he will have to revolutionize a human/social system that recognizes no formal or traditional means by which to conduct government. There is a culture of poverty and corruption so endemic that few have an interest in changing the status quo.

In my opinion, in order for Chavez to fully execute his goals he will have to become more authoritarian and presidentialist in order to effectively overcome domestic obstacles. He sees socialism in Venezuela's future but in order to do so he needs to educate the people and a generation of young people. For a country that allows a president only six years in office Chavez will need to work fast by capitalizing on high oil prices to generate revenue for his social programs while consolidating power to offset opposition.