The last three rallies that Hugo Chávez has held show a qualitative change over the heyday of the now fat Dictator’s popularity. In one, in the El Valle area of Caracas, attendance was so bad that Huguito had to cut short his speech. The buses were there, but the people weren’t
Then we had the rally in El Calvario with the “Peasant Militias”. The militias attended in brand new uniforms and Cogollo hats, evidence that they recently got to their attire. They surely got paid to go, I guess they got to keep the hat and the uniform, but had to return the rifle. There were no bullets.
Then we had yesterday’s militia rally, once again a way of guaranteeing attendance. We don’t know how much they got paid for attending, but note the uniforms are different below from those in El Calvario.
And yes, it was supposed to be a militia rally, but it was also supposed to be a celebration of the phantom rise of the “people” in favor of Chavez in April 13th. 2002. This time, like then, the “people” decided to stay home as evidenced by the pictures below, taken from the front:
or from the back:
There are more “militia” than people. It is not that the people have become militia, it is that dressing them in fatigues and giving them guns, it is harder for them to escape to the Malls or parks of Caracas.
Not all of them had guns, I guess you did not get your unloaded gun if you were in bad shape:
or if you were too weak or to old to carry one all day around the heat of Caracas:
Some people say that the rally was made to scare the Venezuelan military. I am not sure they were scared by this not-ready-for-prime-time-force, I would hope that the real Venezuelan military is in better shape than this one. I would be afraid of leading these people with loaded weapons to go visit Parque del Este, even if only for an ice cream, let alone to fight someone who has fired a weapon once in his or her life.
But in the end it is all a matter of images. To someone in Santa Cruz de Mora, these images may impress or intimidate, but only as long as they did not see that the militias are in the end protected by the images of Hugo, Che and, of course, Snow White:
The Devil's Excrement 
April 22, 2010 at 4:13 pm
That’s a genuinely respected effort post , I should have learnt that a a couple of days ago. wth, that’s how come you’re here yeah?
April 15, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Snow White is perfect: Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? The wicked Queen isn’t the only person to ask that question.
Deanna: Yup, “bien cargado” would make a good sign. Which reminds me of a joke from the good old Caudillo days from an unnamed country. Quien es la persona mas cargada del pais? La madre del Caudillo… Le costó nueve meses para..
April 15, 2010 at 7:01 pm
I see the Chinese visit is off due to the earthquake. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100415/wl_asia_afp/brazilchinadiplomacybricsummit However, If they saw the pictures above, which Im sure they did. They considered it Lucky in the Asian way. Those pics remind me of Mao and Ho and things that most there would want to forget. The party looking RETRO would not be good. Si?
April 15, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Not a bullet or a magazine in sight. How are they going to defend the “revolution” then?
April 15, 2010 at 6:09 pm
I for one stand-by SnowWhite and await the Fantasia.
Hail Uncle Walt!
Hail Disney!
God Bless Hollywood and the Great Bear Republic and what it stands for!
LOL….
Must be going…
/temporarily Humbolt County
April 15, 2010 at 5:54 pm
NicaCat and Gringo,
What I would like to see is a protest march of some tens of thousands of people, all carrying rolls of Hugo toilet paper with a huge sign saying, ‘HUGO, YOU’RE FULL OF S..T!!!!! HELP YOURSELF WITH SOME TOILET PAPER!!!!”
April 15, 2010 at 5:05 pm
oooh look! now they are looking for US investors to help with oil, so much for the evil empire:
http://economia.noticias24.com/noticia/20909/ramirez-busca-inversiones-petroleras-de-eeuu-para-la-faja-del-orinoco/
April 14, 2010 at 11:46 pm
[…] Devil’s Excrement has a nice photo essay on the recent “celebration” in Venezuela of Hugo Chavez’ […]
April 14, 2010 at 9:40 pm
I imagine the FARC would jump at the chance to invade and conquer Venezuela. They wouldn’t be up against an army nearly as tough as the Colombian one.
Then again, that could backfire, just like bringing in the Cubans could backfire. People could get really pissed when they figured out that all along it was only about Bluto being in charge.
April 14, 2010 at 8:20 pm
NicaCat: imagine if you could get that toilet paper snuck into some of the facilities at Miraflores. that would be a propaganda coup of sorts. Imagine Thugo walking into a bathroom and seeing THAT for toilet paper. A psy-ops to ponder.
April 14, 2010 at 6:30 pm
Somewhat OT, but talking about HC: I was just checking out Twitter, and came across this (juicy) tidbit: http://bit.ly/bxEfCZ. Imagine Hugo wiping your butt!
April 14, 2010 at 5:50 pm
On the Cuban issue, there are two “pro-revolution” students on a speaking tour in the United States. I caught them in direct lies, and what is scary is that none of the 40+ people there asked anything about Tamayo, Farinas, or Yoani sanchez. Of course, I did ask a difficult question, which brought out the lie. Read about it here:
http://bryanjohnsonblog.com/2010/04/14/cuban-students-american-students-indoctrinated/
April 14, 2010 at 5:43 pm
The only bright spot out of this is Snow White. Viva Snow White!
April 14, 2010 at 5:15 pm
as long as their weapons are empty, this militia is a joke, but if and when the crazy bastard decides to give them with clips an ammo…
April 14, 2010 at 4:46 pm
From my perch here in Sabana Grande, yesterday morning (4-13) all of the ‘habitants’ of one of the ‘invaded hotels’ (some 3-4 years ago) were all hauled out (it´s one of the big hotels too) and had to place themselves in a line before being allowed to return into the cavernous make-shift housing. Although I did not go out to further inverstigate (why bother after so many years of this same staged drama), I am pretty sure they were receiving their green army ‘get-up’ for yesterday´s afternoon display in exchange for bags of food and of course, their marching orders. I say this because I saw the usual brigade of red t-shirted authority figures with bags and bags and bags of rice being handed out. Free housing and bags of rice…might work for some…the obligation part that is and keeping a roof over your head.
April 14, 2010 at 4:19 pm
Post in spanish about April 11 and the new evidence uncovered by
Brian Nelson. I’m trying to get this post to as many people as possible:
http://tinyurl.com/y35rgm5
April 14, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Age and diabetes will take care of this militia group. In a matter of months they will be dead or blind.
April 14, 2010 at 3:37 pm
It would be interesting and very possible to find out how much money and other benefits these blokes are getting.
April 14, 2010 at 3:15 pm
I always knew there was something fishy about Snow White. That bitch!
That sweet innocent look fooled many, but not me!
I mean, I could overlook the seven dwarves thing and all, but I always had a feeling that she was a communist at heart.
I guess we can blame media manipulation for painting the witch as a wicked character.
Seriously though, this militia thing is a show. I agree with Ernex, the real dangerous ones are in 23 de Enero, etc. etc. FARC, et al.
No way they are going to see the light of day until the need for them is there.
April 14, 2010 at 3:03 pm
I see Snow White still likes to the company of dwarfs. This time intellectual dwarfs, but dwarfs nonetheless.
April 14, 2010 at 2:33 pm
And this spoof of the Nuhremberg Rallies is scary? The “Scary Movie” crowd could make it funnier.
At least they had a fresh ideology and fresh, young people to go and march in 1933.
Is chavismo that desperate that now it’s going fascist?
April 14, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Snow White!!!!!! hahahhahahahaahahahaaaaa
April 14, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Captainccs, the old lady in the 4th photo did pilot that jet. You should have seen her sporting those Top-Gun shades…
April 14, 2010 at 1:01 pm
I wonder who piloted the Russian jets over Caracas today. Cubans? Russians?
April 14, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Most of those wackos are there because they are getting paid and afraid to lose their jobs.
These aren’t the real armed thugs Hugo has in store in case shit hits the fan, those are mostly in Colombia and go by the name FARC, some already have camps in Venezuela. Another possible group might be cubans brought if necessary.