After giving all indications that he would be there for the Summit, however briefly, President Chavez himself said today that he may not go due to “his medical leave”, something that is not new. This is a clear indication that the condition of the Venezuelan President has not improved and the opinion of the medical Doctors is finally prevailing for his own good.
This confirms the latest Bocaranda information that says that the Venezuelan President is not getting any better and that traveling is damaging his health. Meanwhile the country plods along without anybody running it and infighting within Chavismo to see who will replace Chavez.
This admission by Chavez proves that he can’t run the country and the conditions given by the Venezuelan Constitution to temporarily replace him are currently present. But Chavez does not dare give up his post for fears that he will never come back to it.
He did not participate in the celebration of the ten years of the 2002 events and now he can’t go to Cartagena, where he wanted to be seen once more as one of the leaders of Latin America.
Clearly, Chavez is not well, he wanted to be the center of attention once more. But he will not be able to.
Is today a tuning point in the whole story?
The Devil's Excrement 
April 14, 2012 at 8:27 pm
The choice of personalities appearing on the balcony with Chavez Apr. 13th is very telling: Jaua, Varela, Cabello, Garcia-Carneiro, Rangel-Silva
April 14, 2012 at 9:00 pm
All of the ALBA estupidos begging for Cuba to be accepted as a “brother”in the OAS. 50 years and now Chavez and his comrades want to
hijack the OAS. And, how shameful that Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay
“leaders” are going along with Chavez. I guess Brazil, too..
and Peru..
Hey, they are communist, not democratic. OAS is a democratic organization
and OAS should confront Venezuela on issues of terrorism and narcotrafficking at this present meeting- but, they are all lame, they will not…
President Obama DID say clearly upon arriving that US had doubled it’s efforts to help Cuba-and yet Cuba has done almost nada(actually I keep hearing that Cuba is getting ready to unload a bunch of “unwanteds” onto the US-re. Mariel boat lift-where Castro cleaned out prisions and insane asylums and sent them toward US..)and President Obama asked why did
Venezuela and Cuba choose a dangerous path of opposing US and opposing peaceful relations…
April 15, 2012 at 9:50 am
CharlesC:
1. Learn to define communism.
2. Locate the likeminded on marielito-US issues at babalublog.com
April 15, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Maybe I am in the minority here, Syd. But, are you opposed to
Canadian position in regards to inviting Cuba to OAS meeting?
Surely you are not endorsing ALBA?That would place you
“with” Chavez..
You know Syd, I am a lot closer to Venezuela than you and I probably have
a lot more business relations with Venezuela than you. I cannot go there now-but hope to very soon -within the next year.
And, I am not afraid to say I prefer to do business with the USA than with Cuba, Iran, or China, or Russia.
April 14, 2012 at 7:40 pm
Yep, it looks like Hugo might be able to join Robert Mugabe on that final trip south, way way south. To where it is always warm and land reform is continuous. They will be happy to know there is a command economy.
April 15, 2012 at 8:54 am
Now that’s frosty, down right frigid.
It’s also funny as um….. 🙂
April 14, 2012 at 3:49 pm
He can’t, it can’t be a relative to I think thr third level, so that’ s illegal, with Chavez dead, it will not fly
April 14, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Did fundacion ayacucho send talented young folks to Russian & Chinese universities these past 12 years? Will we have the youngsters ready for the next leap forward?
April 14, 2012 at 3:49 pm
I don’t know about Russian & Chinese universities but my cousin who recently graduated as an engineer in Caracas has just gotten a job in Germany. Her sister should follow shortly. The brain drain is real and sad and it will take decades to reverse — if ever.
April 14, 2012 at 8:15 pm
The brain-drain is very real, since I was here in 2010 many ex-colleagues and acquaintances of mine have left, some to the US, more to Mexico
April 14, 2012 at 2:52 pm
http://www.lapatilla.com/site/2012/04/14/berrizbeitia-hugo-chavez-tiene-la-enfermedad-mas-cara-en-la-historia-del-pais-video/
That giant sucking sound is money leaving Venezuela for Cuba!
April 14, 2012 at 2:34 pm
I feel for his family and followers that love him as it’s seems apparent the end is near. It’s sad that Venezuela adopted a Caudillo for a leader and at this point we can only pray for a speedy recovery for Venezuela.
April 14, 2012 at 6:24 pm
I wish I could be as charitable in my opinion … if only those who loved him could have put a bee in his bonnet, very early on, he just might have seen the harm that he was causing so many with his repeated antagonisms and divisive provocations. Not including the vast number of civilian deaths, due to his wilfull neglect of the nation’s security. Have I mentioned the limited infrastructure, during the Chávez years? All told, Hugo Chavez reign (of terror and buffoonery) has set the country decades back, for all the repair work that lies ahead, at an enormous cost, hopefully under a new administration.
April 14, 2012 at 12:30 pm
Well, not going to Cartagena for sure and he will stay a week in Cuba, something has definitely changed. My bet is that he stays more than one week.
April 16, 2012 at 10:53 am
More than one week but less than or up to one lifetime. Will Cuba grant Chavez citizenship like Chavez has given all those Cubans citizenship?
April 14, 2012 at 12:16 pm
IMHO…. This time appears that HRChF is going to stay longer in Cuba because he needs a new and fourth quirurgical surgery.
At least this is what La Bicha Bere says.
http://tururutururu.com/?p=2069
El asunto arranca con la evaluación que le realizaron a HRChF en la mañana de hoy 09 Abril, que reveló que lejos de mejorar, el tumor ha crecido de tal magnitud, que hay un altísimo riego de obstrucción intestinal a nivel del (Sigmoide) Colon.
Le han planteado a HRChF lo imperativo de una nueva intervención quirúrgica, para solucionar parcialmente el problema y realizar una colostomía (ano contranatura).
April 14, 2012 at 11:23 am
If Nelson Bocaranda’s assessment of Chavez’s health is correct, and it surely appears to be, then there is genuine panic within the upper echelons of the Venezuelan government. They absolutely know the consequences of his declining health. Not only that, the Castro brothers are looking at an imminent collapse of their squalid economy as well. The private meetings which have already taken place behind private doors at Miraflores and Havana, according to Bocaranda, have been tense and dramatic. Chaos appears to be the norm. Venezuela’s future is being determined without the presence of prying eyes. It’s secretive. It’s happening right now. Future books will be written about the drama taking place. Those decisions being made will affect the lives of millions of people, both Cubans and Venezuelans. It may affect all of South America for decades to come. Amazing stuff…….
April 14, 2012 at 11:43 am
Well said
April 14, 2012 at 3:36 pm
What happens if, two days before he dies in Cuba, Adan Chavez appears with a document signed by Hugo Chavez, naming Adan as Vice President?
April 14, 2012 at 10:27 pm
It is unconstitutional to appoint a family member to that position and without Hugo Chavez it would be challenged by the military and hundreds of others. In fact, I willing selling Official Boliivarian Republic of Venezuela Appointment Letters signed by El PrisendenteComandanter Chavez, Simon Bolivar, and Che Guevara for US$5. These full color documents will allow anyone to takeover any position in Venezuela following the demise of Hugo Chavez. Why not? Chavez will be just as dead as Bolivar and Che.
April 15, 2012 at 8:20 am
I’ll take two. I intend to set my kittys against each other and then pick up the pieces.
You did say full color, am I right?
April 14, 2012 at 10:16 am
oNE HUNDRED, ninety nine, ninety eight, ninety seven,…….
have you packed your bags?
who’s flying from LaCarlota?
who’s staying in their ratholes?
who’s driving to Brazil? and who’s crossing into Colombia?
Did you remember to stock up on cyanide?
Do you still have that extra bullet?
decisions, decisions and more decisions
April 14, 2012 at 9:34 am
You are right Maria, this is why they don’t say anything, so they are ahead of the opposition doing planning and taking decisions. Talk about military government…
April 14, 2012 at 8:42 am
The truth is that Chavez is dying slowly during an electoral year and this has enoumous consequences for Venezuela. The government is not providing information so when the worse scenario becomes reality people will not know what to do.
April 14, 2012 at 8:09 am
It is difficult to know, but last week mass and this are clearly showing that it is not going well for him. He wanted to go to Cartagena, otherwise he could have simply stayed out of this together with Correa weeks ago. He looks bloated again, the voice was tired.
Bocaranda’s information, I don’t know, it doesn’t sounds accurately or professional. But the sun isn’t shining for Chávez.
What if things continue this way? Will he stay in Cuba until he dies?
April 14, 2012 at 9:41 am
agree with you on the voice sounding tired, LD. It was the first time in a long time that I wasn’t scratching my head, wondering how the voice could be strong, when the body was obviously distorted and presumably “under construction”.
April 14, 2012 at 8:00 am
compare:
EL UNIVERSAL
lunes 26 de marzo de 2012 07:11 AM
Caracas.- La ministra de la salud, Eugenia Sader, sostuvo este lunes que un tratamiento de radioterapia como al que está siendo sometido el presidente Hugo Chávez es comparable a un día de sol y playa.
“Le preguntaba a los especialistas y me dijeron que el paciente tiene un cansancio como el de un día de playa”, explicó sobre el tratamiento no sin aclarar que su especialidad es la pediatría y no la oncología.
“La primera sesión es la más larga, los pacientes se estudian, y con las imágenes se hace una simulación, se montan en una computadora para ubicar el sitio en el que tiene que llegar el haz de luces”, detalló.
Hizo la aclaratoria de que cada organismo reacciona de una manera distinta ante cada tratamiento médico, no obstante, recordó lo “impactante” de la recuperación del Presidente. “Después de un mes de operado, al comandante se le ve haciendo ejercicio y fisioterapia pero hay pacientes que pueden pasar hasta 6 meses después de una operación y no se paran de la cama; hay muchas cosas que se conjugan” en el proceso de recuperación de un paciente.
with this:
“Lo que sí es cierto y seguro es que mañana (sábado) me voy de nuevo a La Habana a continuar con el tratamiento”, dijo Chávez, que no excluye viajar antes a Cartagena (Colombia) para asistir a la inauguración de la VI Cumbre de las Américas, una decisión que, explicó, deben tomar sus médicos.
“Además, como vamos a entrar en la segunda y última etapa del tratamiento y ese tratamiento es duro (…) estoy pensando en pedir permiso para no regresar a mitad de la semana que viene sino quedarme en Cuba esta próxima semana completa para recibir el tratamiento completo” y “no tener que estar yendo y viniendo” a Venezuela,
April 14, 2012 at 5:18 am
Breaking news: Chavez can’t sell “hot air”balloons at Cartagena…
April 14, 2012 at 4:04 am
Chavez and ALBA wanted to “hijack” the Cartagena show. Chavez wanted it to be about a.condemning the yanqui imperialismo -examples Cuba and
Falklands. Other issues-example -drug trafficking and terrorism-Chavez did not want to be around for that because these issues bring Chavez’s Venezuela under the microscope…Chavez blames US and Canada for ruining his
plans.
April 14, 2012 at 2:09 am
He won’t be around too much longer. Recurrence of cancer is usually fatal within a 9 to 24 months. Get ready for another leader.
I have read that Brazil is starting to get concerned about his purchase of Russian fighter/bombers with significant range, far further than needed to defend Venezuelan air space. The Brazilians are looking at purchases of their own new jets from France, Sweden or elsewhere, and air-to-air refueling tanker aircraft.
The ruler of Argentina has met with him too. Brazil noticed. She is getting ready to seize Repsol’s oil assets, which has the Spanish pissed. There is an article in the UK Telegraph about it. Messing around with Brazil would be a big mistake for anyone. They have the 7th largest economy and are moving up fast.
April 14, 2012 at 6:03 am
Bill, I don’t think that makes any sense. Against whom is Venezuela going to use those airplanes but against its own people?
Brazil has nothing to fear from Venezuela. The planes are a way to keep the military caste happy, a caste that gets handouts from the Russians for promoting the purchase. The Russians, by themselves, deliver a little bit of “intelligence” to the Venezuelan military so that they can hear/see what the opposition is doing, try to provoke something, etc.
Do you think Venezuela will invade Guyana? Colombia? Brazil, of all places?
April 14, 2012 at 7:08 am
>>>Do you think Venezuela will invade Guyana? Colombia? Brazil, of all places?
We have to defend our gas pipiline against CIA infiltrators from the Evil Empire all the way south to Argentina. We wont allow them to blow up a single cubic foot of our pipiline.
April 14, 2012 at 9:40 am
From the iguanas.
April 15, 2012 at 8:15 am
Iguanas with manpads are an existential threat to pretty much everything I hold dear.
April 16, 2012 at 6:46 am
Massive arming of an untested military force has ironically made ‘Cubanised’ Venezuela on mainland South America the target rather than the aggressor.
April 14, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Relations between Brasil and US are excellent!
April 14, 2012 at 1:53 am
I witnessed Chavez participate in the April 13, 2002 celebrations. A lengthy cadena and a public speech proved to satisfy his supporters.
And, Cuba won’t be represented in Cartagena either. It’s like a dinner party – if your best friend isn’t invited, would you feel pressured to go when you’re sick? …I guess we will have to wait till next year to “connect the Americas” and be “partners for prosperity.”
April 14, 2012 at 9:04 pm
Gringa (honey), the Panama July summit is about ITC infrastructure projects today the domain of Americans and Europeans with some Asian. This is all Capitalist and about improving lives through connectivity which is contrary to the principles and actions of your dear leader.
April 17, 2012 at 1:20 am
Manny (darling),
I was making the point that not all countries in the Western Hemisphere were invited to participate in the Summit this year. Thus I don’t take the Summit seriously as they try to “connect the Americas” – the theme for Cartagena – something that obviously was not accomplished.
My opinion, in response to the post, is that it wasn’t really necessary for Chavez to go to the Summit because at this point nothing really gets accomplished as the interests of Western Hemisphere countries vary so much that they cannot achieve consensus.
Chavez’s time was probably better spent recovering from chemotherapy treatments.
I was not in any way discussing the objectives for Panama or infrastructure projects or economic relations with Europe/Asia or capitalism or the principles of my “dear leader.”
Please clarify what your response had to do with my comment.
April 13, 2012 at 11:46 pm
I wish him nothing but speedy justice.
April 13, 2012 at 9:17 pm
I don’t understand. “que hay una invasión progresiva del ducto sanguíneo…que no hay un cáncer terminal sino el avance de la enfermedad, lentamente, ante lo tardío del tratamiento aplicado..” — Bocaranda dixit.
April 14, 2012 at 2:06 pm
Believe me. He does not know what he is talking about.
April 14, 2012 at 6:33 pm
It really shows here that Bocaranda is simply weaving together various comments, so that whatever thread becomes the ultimate truth will also provide him, in retrospect, with a ‘see, I was right’ moment.
April 14, 2012 at 6:39 pm
I may adorn it, but he clearly has an inside source. I wrote before him (nobody remebers that!) about Chavez being sick, but he was first with the initial details, the two operations last year and in Jnauary he was saying that Chavez had another tumor. , whic was denied by the Government until Carnival. So, no matter whta he says or does not say now, he will be remembered as the main guy on Chavez sickness. He deserves it in my opinion.
April 14, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Exactly. I had a big laugh about the “invasión progresiva del ducto sanguíneo.” There is no such thing in the human body. Then he says: no hay un cáncer terminal, sino el avance de la enfermedad.” The guy doesn’t even bother to consult a physician about what he spouts. If a cancer advances and cannot be cured, then it is terminal, by definition.
April 15, 2012 at 9:36 am
Phew, I was wondering. Even though my knowledge of anatomy is limited, Boca’s comment on the “ducto sanguineo” seemed wacko, especially his crowning touch on invasion, more akin to body snatchers meet RBCs.
Likewise with his bollixed stance regarding terminal cancer.
Boca artfully makes a rapid pastiche, rarely clear and decisive — on purpose. That way, no one can really pin him down on specifics. Still, I find him entertaining, if not a little useful, where there is such a vacuum of information.
April 15, 2012 at 8:39 am
I don’t think this is so wrong. “invasión progresiva del ducto sanguíneo” just means the cancer is metastasizing via the blood vessels, usually by the rupture of vessels near the tumor, then progressing. “que no hay un cáncer terminal” I think he’s just referring to the original cancer not having been one that is usually terminal, but rather one that is usually treatable if caught early enough, which he restates when he says “ante lo tardío del tratamiento aplicado”, which implies that’s what killing him is that the “non terminal” cancer simply advanced to far and will now kill him, “lentamente”.
Remember, this is a world of twitterspeak…
—
April 15, 2012 at 9:40 am
Boca has been plying his muddy-the-waters-no-flies-on-me technique long before twitterspeak. #failedexcuse
April 15, 2012 at 5:47 pm
see my replies to Johnny Walking
April 15, 2012 at 6:57 pm
Your replies to JW (a cut & paste via Marquina’s twitter feed) have nothing to do with what I stated, what I have always stated, and will continue to state about Bocaranda’s usual style. That style has absolutely NOTHING to do with twitter. Instead, the argument goes directly to Bocaranda’s need to artfully and quickly cobble together bits and pieces, with much vagueness thrown into the mix — on purpose. Manuel Caballero, Bocaranda is not. And for good reason. Let me know if you need me to spell it out to you further. But with your multiple credentials in a variety of fields (LOL), I suspect you’ll know exactly what I mean.
Again, I say #failedexcuse.
April 15, 2012 at 7:35 pm
Syd, your original comment was just a cut and past of a comment made by Bocaranda with a statement of yours saying you didn’t understand. All I did was put forth an interpretation that gave Bocaranda a benefit of the doubt, mainly because I have little knowledge regarding his “usual style”. If you know his style that much better, I don’t deny you may be right, but it’ll have to be on your word because you’ve given very little to go on to agree. It was your “I don’t understand” statement that led me to want to help. Sorry. As to my multiple credentials in a variety fields, I don’t see that they are a greater number than yours…
—
April 15, 2012 at 11:48 am
“invasión progresiva del ducto sanguíneo” just means the cancer is metastasizing via the blood vessels, usually by the rupture of vessels near the tumor…
Huh????
“… which implies that’s what killing him is that the “non terminal” cancer …”
What????
It is not what you think or believe. This is not subject to opinion. There is no “ducto sanguíneo,” period. And, NO, that term is NOT a synonym for blood vessels. When you say that a cancer metastasizes after the rupture of blood vessels, you clearly demonstrate that you do not know what you are talking about.
How the hell a non-terminal cancer is able to kill you? A lethal non-terminal cancer? That is a contradiction in terms. By definition, a terminal cancer is one that despite an early or late appropriate therapy or the unavailability of an effective therapy, the malignancy progresses to an extent in which remission is NOT possible. Again, this is not subject to interpretation or opinion. This is well established science.
Please stick to your UTC theory, LOL!
April 15, 2012 at 5:47 pm
From: Jose Rafael Marquina http://twitter.com/#!/marquina04
“Me han preguntado mucho acerca de que es una invasión al ducto sanguíneo por parte células cancerosas”
“La células cancerosas liberan proteínas q permiten q rompan e invadan el torrente sanguíneo ya se ocasione la metástasis”
“Cuando la célula maligna rompe el vaso sanguíneo se produce invasión del mismo e invasión del ducto sanguíneo”
I think they may be referring to something similar to: Abdominal aortic invasion by leiomyosarcoma http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16314992
“We describe a case of retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma with extra- and intravascular involvement. The patient presented with abdominal aortic rupture secondary to tumor invasion and extensive tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava. The presence of a rupture of the abdominal aorta is an important radiologic diagnosis to make because early endovascular or surgical repair can prevent a catastrophic free rupture. Inferior vena cava involvement by leiomyosarcoma may be locally resected in some cases but has a poor long-term survival rate.”
—
April 15, 2012 at 7:11 pm
1. Is Marquina an oncologist? Exactly. I’ll pass on the credibility index.
2. Is Marquina applying (twitter) damage control over some of the flaky reporting from Bocaranda? Seems so with the addition of a clarifying phrase (“por parte células cancerosas”) at the end of Boca’s earlier statement (“Me han preguntado mucho acerca de que es una invasión al ducto sanguíneo.”).
3. Is a little bit of knowledge a bad thing? You betcha.
4. Is laughter the best medicine? Ditto. (http://tinyurl.com/cvpj6zb)
April 15, 2012 at 7:42 pm
What’s with the shoot the messenger tactic? I’m just trying to interpret the little to which I have access, and giving the benefit of the doubt to the few providing it. It seems personal; sorry to bother you.
—
April 15, 2012 at 8:54 pm
Look pal, this exchange is futile because you keep “interpreting” what does not bear an interpretation or an opinion. This is science. For the last time, there in NO “ducto sanguíneo.” No physician talks about a ducto sanguíneo, ever, because such thing does not exist. There is a big difference between breaking a blood vessel and penetrating it, so I am going to have to teach you a basic oncologic lesson in an attempt to reduce your stubborness:
Malignant cells penetrate blood vessels and reach the bloodstream. Again, they DON’T disrupt it, they DON’T break it, they just penetrate it and get to the bloodstream, leaving the blood vessel intact. That is how they travel to distant sites. It is just one freaking cell at a time, but because they now posses the ability to uncontrollably divide, once a cell get to a distant site, say the liver, they form a nidus and the metastasis grows at the same rate that the original metastatic cell did. This is the basic mechanism of hematogenous metastasis. Get it?
As for the example that you bring, what does “magnesia” have to do with “gimnasia”? I am sorry to say this but you are really making a fool of yourself, because you don’t have training in this matters and do not understand what you are stating here.
Of course a tumor can invade a large blood vessel. It is infrequent but it can happen with some tumors. Again, the invasion takes place when one little cell penetrates the wall of a blood vessel and establishes a nidus. At that point, it has NOT disrupted the wall of the vessel. The disruption occurs because these malignant cells are alien and dysfunctional. When the metastasis grows, the vessel’s wall is weakened and then it can RUPTURE.
Marquina’s explanation via “twitter” is wrong and his explanation is extremely mediocre. I thought his 15 minutes of fame – as those of Navarrete – were already up. And that is besides the point of a very questionable ethical behavior disclosing a patient’s personal medical history. Even Hugo Chavez as a patient deserves that no one gets any information about his condition if he does not authorize anyone to disclose it. That is a fundamental human right.
April 15, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Johnny Walking, I have not made any claims of knowledge, and I have not been defending anything stubbornly other than the honesty and openmindeness of my comments: Syd said she didn’t understand something with which I agree sounded confusing and nonsensical when I read it. I have never followed Bocaranda and accepted the comments against his comment without a problem as simply informative opinions, until I came across Marquina’s comment. I had no idea there was a tie between Bocaranda and Marquina; I simply remembered Syd’s “I don’t understand” comment when I read Marquina’s twit and used what he said to try to understand what Bocaranda had said, attributing the lack of clarity to twittertalk. When I came up with what seemed a possible interpretation, I shared it with a fellow “confused” person. None of which is in an attempt to show any superionr knowledge or ability on my part.
I’m taken aback however by your and Syd’s pushback, but especially by your fails in logic: For example, Marquina is a doctor and in the comment following a quote from him using the term “ducto sanguíneo” you state: “No physician talks about a ducto sanguíneo”. Isn’t he a physician talking about ducto sanguíneo? By the way, the use of the word “romper” can include the meaning of breaking through, so your reply regarding rupture does not explain away my interpretation of Marquina’s use of the word, which is still possibly his intended meaning. I don’t know if he’s a quack or not, but his ethics seem irrelevant in interpreting these statements.
I have not said nor implied anything that goes against your explanation of how a cancer spreads. And the example I gave was preceded with “I think they may be referring to something similar to”, I still do. Please point to the full statement that I’ve made that makes a “fool” out of myself. Personally, I’d rather be foolish than rude. You (and Syd) could have made the same comments without the meanness.
If what you and Syd are suggesting is that I not interpret, not have an opinion, and certainly not share it, unless it meet a level of your satisfaction, that’s not going to happen. I rather seem a fool that keeps trying, than a jerk that tries preventing others from doing so.
Syd, for someone holding the flag of education so high, you seem to let many opportunities of education pass you by, but most surprisingly of dissuading it.
Regardless, sorry to bother the both of you with my opinions. I suggest that if they keep bothering you in the future, skip over them. But the only ones from whom I will take requests to keep me from posting them are the authors of the blogs.
Miguel Octavio, feel free to let me know and I will stop commenting, or reduce, or whatever you request. I don’t take these requests personally so I would have no issue with whatever you ask.
—
April 21, 2012 at 11:34 pm
Johnny Walking, In medical dictionary: http://www.hyperdictionary.com/search.aspx?define=duct
“A tube through which body fluids pass.”
Does blood count as a body fluid?
—
April 15, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Johnny Walking: “How the hell a non-terminal cancer is able to kill you?”
Again, I’m not defending the words Bocaranda used; I’m trying to interpret them. He specified “ante lo tardío del tratamiento aplicado”, which to me means that if treatment had been applied earlier, then the cancer would not have been fatal (i.e., terminal). I agree with you in the terms used, but disagree that nothing can be understood from what is stated.
Again, it’s twitter talk; get with it.
—
April 15, 2012 at 8:38 pm
Pardon me for interrupting, ET, but I see you are again using the world of twitter. Don’t. It’s a totally inaccurate excuse to cover the sloppiness on the part of Bocaranda. This man has long been known to be a hack journalist who every now and again hits the nail on the head. Don’t get me wrong; I find him entertaining, and partially reliable for providing mere impressions.
Here’s a gem for you. You’ll recall one of Boca’s latest “..que no hay un cáncer terminal sino el avance de la enfermedad, lentamente, ante lo tardío del tratamiento aplicado..” Something didn’t make sense, when I first read it. Evidently, I wasn’t the only one confused. A week earlier, Bocaranda’s presumed “deep throat”, José Marquina, said that Chavez has a “enfermedad incurable, es un cáncer muy agresivo que está progresando muy rápidamente”. http://www.noticierodigital.com/2012/04/dr-marquina-sobre-cancer-de-chavez-es-muy-agresivo-y-esta-progresando-rapidamente/
So one week the cancer is progressing rapidly, the following week it’s progressing slowly. Mirabile dictu. Is twitter responsible for slowing down the cancer cells in the blood duct? 😉
April 15, 2012 at 11:17 pm
I won’t use the twitter thing again, but I’ll point out that I did not use it after your comment telling me not to, so it’s not like I’m insisting on it after you told me it didn’t hold water. I did not know about any of Bocaranda’s rep for hack journalism, so forgive me for having given him the benefit of the doubt. I still will but with your grain of salt on top, so thank you for that.
The gem you describe sounds like he’s backpedalling, but I can’t say I recall any of it, because, as I explained above, I have never followed Bocaranda, so your original comment quoting him is the first I had read from him.
—
April 16, 2012 at 1:15 pm
If you have never followed Bocaranda, and you don’t know his long-standing reputation (Cómo? Have you never read El Universal, for instance), why do you support Bocaranda’s comments and insist on out-argueing those who are trying to inform you that you don’t know what you’re talking about — in this instance?
This is not the first time, outside the UCT issue, that you have pulled this, my friend. Cut it out.
April 18, 2012 at 12:24 am
I have never followed Bocaranda, and I did not know his long-standing reputation because I simply didn’t like the guy, and I tend to ignore or minimize most talk of reputation. For example, I recently stated that if Diosdado presented statistical analysis on voting fraud as thorough and advanced as Hausmann and Rigobon’s I’d be listening, regardless of his reputation. (No, I never cared for El Universal; I think I’ve never read more than three articles from it.)
Again, I didn’t defend nor support Bocaranda’s comments. When I read your comment stating that you didn’t understand his quote, I didn’t understand it either. When I came across the Dr’s twitter feed mentioning the ducto, I went back to try to understand Bocaranda’s quote again. It began to make sense and I decided to share my new interpretation with you. Big mistake. It’s crazy my having to say sorry for that. But I am truly sorry if my volunteering what I thought was helping to clarify upset you and others so much.
Not the first time that I pulled what? By the way, friends don’t talk the way you talk to me, so you cut that calling me friend thing out.
April 15, 2012 at 9:18 pm
Your stubbornness seem to know no limits. Again and for the last time, these things are not a matter of opinion or interpretation. How many times do I have to tell you that, so you can understand them? Did you read my reply to you? I stated that by definition, a terminal cancer is one that despite an early or late appropriate therapy or the unavailability of an effective therapy, the malignancy progresses to an extent in which remission is NOT possible. If a treatable cancer gets a relatively LATE appropriate therapy and does NOT go into remission, then it is a TERMINAL cancer. And FYI, there are several cancers that despite being treated early with an appropriate therapy, they can become terminal because they can develop resistance to chemotherapy, for example, so even if you are treated early there is no guarantee that you are going to go into remission. Get it? You can disagree all you want, but that does not change the fact that Bocaranda is spewing nonsense, besides “comportarse como una vieja chismosa” releasing a patient’s private medical information. In that sense, Hugo Chavez’ also deserves respect. I wonder when will the day come in which Venezuelan society sheds this telenovela mentality that needs to gossip unrelentingly about everything. Bocaranda, Navarrete, and Marguina: what a trio.
April 15, 2012 at 11:13 pm
I understand you. And I have not disagreed once with any of your explanation regarding the process. But you wish me to conclude “that Bocaranda is spewing nonsense” without explaining away a possible interpretation of his nonsense that matches your not nonsense explanations.
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April 13, 2012 at 9:00 pm
It’s one thing to sit at a table or stand at the Balcon Del Pueblo spewing lies to a TV or trucked-in live audience. It’s another to shuffle tubed/bagged in front of scrutinizing Regional leaders….
April 13, 2012 at 9:12 pm
bon point.
April 14, 2012 at 12:28 am
Spot on, difficult to stage manage the setting.
April 14, 2012 at 8:02 am
Excellent point.
April 14, 2012 at 8:57 pm
At the very least they would be under surveillance by host which is allied to U.S. A hostile environment under current conditions
April 13, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Yes, he can do it, but it is bad for his health. It must mean there is little improvement.
April 13, 2012 at 8:25 pm
But Chavez has enough energy to board a plane to Cuba and several times recently. I guess steroids are not as available in Cartagena as in Cuba.
April 13, 2012 at 7:51 pm
What are the chances of Chavez never returning to Venezuela?
April 14, 2012 at 8:12 am
Unknown, but going up from day to day…
April 13, 2012 at 7:42 pm
I believe Chavez is a chicken. Afraid that he will be upstaged at
Cartagena. Afraid that he will be trapped in an embarassing position
in front of everyone..”No Chavez show, then Chavez will not go.”
April 13, 2012 at 7:34 pm
But he did a speech in Caracas, called Capriles some nasty names and threatened as usual.