An emotional and weeping Chavez confesses that he can no longer walk at a rally in Apure. Slip of the tongue or once again appealing to pity?
The Devil's Excrement
Observations focused on the problems of an underdeveloped country, Venezuela, with some serendipity about the world (orchids, techs, science, investments, politics) at large. A famous Venezuelan, Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo, referred to oil as the devil's excrement. For countries, easy wealth appears indeed to be the sure path to failure. Venezuela might be a clear example of that.
-
Unknown Feed- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
Blogroll
-
The Devil's Excrement 
September 18, 2012 at 7:30 pm
[…] Devil's Excrement A Horrifying Video About Crime And Violence In VenezuelaHugo Chavez: “As You Know, I Can No Longer Walk”Bolivarian Mango PeelA Day In The Life Of The Venezuelan Opposition CandidateIs There Blogging Life […]
September 18, 2012 at 9:17 am
Whatever Chavez’s intentions are in some ways he is creating a Master stroke:
de la Fiesta en Elorza :
Llanero muere cantando
Así este penando el alma
Soy nacido en el apure
Cantor de mi tierra llama
Y mañana cuando muera
No me lloren mis paisanos
Que me entierren en Elorza
A orillas de un mata palo
Y que la espuma del rio
Traiga recuerdos lejanos
September 18, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Great video and vocals -classic era.
Haven’t seen Chavez riding a horse in a very long time…
Put him on a horse and he really acts like Bolivar!
September 18, 2012 at 6:50 am
Well, it *could* be something there… I remain somewhat sceptic, there are some duplication in the video (apparently due to VTV), but sure he looks sometimes discomforted:
http://www.noticierodigital.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=903110&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
Apparently the speech was cancelled (it is always one at the end, but was planned for this?)
September 18, 2012 at 1:19 am
Never, never, write Chavez off. Official policy may have been erratic at best over the last 13+ years, but when it comes to elections even this one (specially this one), and even with a sick Chavez (no doubt about it) there’s a well thought out plan to win it.
There’s almost nothing else i’d want more right now than this sorry chapter in Venezuela’s history to end. And, I agree with Miguel’s comments that you’d expect a crying Chavez is the opposite he’d need to win the elections just 3 weeks away. But, even a sick Chavez, demotivated Chavistas, and on the other hand a seemingly popular Capriles with energized oppo voters, may just not be enough. Never write Fidel off, and by proxy, never write Chavez off.
In any case, faltan 19 dias…
September 16, 2012 at 8:16 pm
Capriles take on the crying
http://news.yahoo.com/venezuela-opposition-chides-chavez-over-recent-weeping-jag-195952292.html?_esi=1
September 16, 2012 at 6:32 pm
Net, I disagree, there is discontent and polls show his cancer is an issue. People may not be educated, but they are not dumb, they have doubts, this will intensify them. Just not showing up in Los Teques as someone said above will certainly be noticed by them. A Chavista friend of mine tells me that the biggest obstacle Chavez faces is people staying home.
September 16, 2012 at 6:53 pm
I’m not saying they don’t have doubts, I’m just saying that the Apure appearance, ambiguous at best, will not be a vote-changer for Chavez. We educated Oppo tend to try to read too much into some things. What is important/overriding for the hardcore Chavistas are the Misiones, especially Mercal, and the fear factor of losing Government/other Chavista employment. To the extent that Capriles can overcome these Chavista concerns, and he is doing a good job at this, he will win the election.
September 17, 2012 at 1:17 pm
70% believe he is cured from a terminal cancer and you say that the people aren’t dumb?
September 16, 2012 at 6:31 pm
My take is he is a drugged up candidate trying to explain he can not walk around because he would be mobbed by his loyal citizens. He is so delusional he can spin this tale and feel emotional about it as any good actor. Regardless, it makes him come off as a weak leader in the shadow of Capriles who pushes through the the crowd like a machine. Another point for Capriles.
September 17, 2012 at 9:39 pm
“He is so delusional he can spin this tale and feel emotional about it as any good actor.”-Yeah, I think it was the drugs, and he overheated and was gasping for breath, got overly emotional-sort of went into a “manic/spirit posession type of experience.” Note the young peoplebehind him appeared confused..
September 17, 2012 at 11:50 pm
I know your trying to make a point but I am missing it. Who said he got overly emotional besides you. I simply stated my belief is he is a good actor and one that is suffering the effects of drugs as he probably wishes he would have chosen better words. Sure he is delusional but every sociopath has that issue.
September 18, 2012 at 4:28 pm
“went into a “manic/spirit posession type of experience.” Note the young peoplebehind him appeared confused..”
That is my point.
Do you want a president that “wigs out” like that?
September 18, 2012 at 5:47 pm
Aww, thank you.
September 16, 2012 at 6:26 pm
This discussion lends credibility to rumors that Adnan Chavez will be substituted for Hugo Chavez on the ballot. Hugo knows it might be over for him as president.
September 16, 2012 at 6:22 pm
Look, he blew it and Chavez has always been a very careful speaker, saying and planning what he wants to say. Forget the crying later, forget God. He said:
“Como Uds. saben”
In any other era he would have explained with twenty sentences what he mean with “como Uds. saben” He did not clarify it.
Then he says he can not walk las calles de San Fernando. Again, he does not explain it. Why? Security? Time? Cancer?
This is not at al like Chavez and if in this forum of fairly well educated people we are arguing about what he meant, you can be sure that the message was more confusing where he gets his votes.
I have no idea if Chavez will win or lose, what I do know is that his voters are not as motivated as they were in 2006, 2007, 2009 or 2010. He won two, lost two. Showing weakness, talking about “No puedo caminar” when the opponents slogan is “Hay un Camino” to me looks very bad for Chavez. Does not matter what he meant.
September 16, 2012 at 6:04 pm
My take is he was overcome with emotion and nostalgia as he surveyed the crowd, thinking that for whatever reason these days and scenes are soon over.
September 16, 2012 at 6:20 pm
Unfortunately, for us, hopefully educated Oppo, although we may have one or another interpretation, for the die-hard Chavista base and even Chavista fence-sitters, I seriously doubt anything he said in Apure was so important as to make them change their vote.
September 16, 2012 at 6:02 pm
All I am saying is that he said he can longer walk and that it w a slip of the tongue, not that he said he was dying. Look, no matter what he said, the message that people got is tat he cried right after saying he could not walk in a confusing sentence, that is not what gives you votes three weeks before the vote when your voters are convinced you are fine and you have spent threemonths convincing them this is the case.
September 16, 2012 at 5:47 pm
Here a longer video, look at it. For me it is clear he is not saying he would die soon. He is saying he can’t because of the obligations. If he is ill or not, that is another thing…
September 16, 2012 at 5:38 pm
He did not show up for his rally in Los Teques, 24kms. From Caracas, mybe he tried walking it
September 16, 2012 at 5:20 pm
If people are speculating that he is no longer able to walk at all, he could set that right quite easily by doing an impromptu walkabout. If he doesn’t, the speculation will be shown to be correct.
September 20, 2012 at 11:19 am
Hmmm. “Walkabout” -where have I head that?
Ohm yeah. Australia-My friend said he had a “dingo breakfast”-
I said what the heck is a “dingo breakfast”
“A [urination] and a walkabout”
September 16, 2012 at 5:00 pm
A guy that needs a special truck to campaign and has a young man as his opponent visiting so many towns and cities, and yet the message you think he was trying to convey is that he’s not able to wander those streets because he’s the president? gimme a break, you don’t cry because of that. And he started appealing to god himself for more time.
He got sentimental because reality is crushing him.
September 20, 2012 at 11:15 am
“He got sentimental because reality is crushing him.”
Dare he face reality? I don’t think so-that WOULD kill him-ha.
Where to start? How about what made you give your
huevos to Raul?jajaja
September 16, 2012 at 3:36 pm
I don’t know, really, maybe he is recognizing he will not live longer and he is ill, but maybe it is his “emotional link” used and abused…
I think he will not live much longer, but until then, better remain on the safe side.
September 16, 2012 at 3:33 pm
I think he meant he can’t walk like that today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow [because he is recovering, he will be fine]…at least that’s what he thinks and wanted to convey.
September 16, 2012 at 3:24 pm
I expect they will clarify it to death going forward, but breaking down after that to me says he really meant not walking, after all, he is not walking, no?
September 16, 2012 at 3:05 pm
I’m not sure the interpretation is right. Right now I saw a short in VTV showing this piece, so they use it as positive thing. I think he could be saying “I can’t do that because now I’m the president and don’t have the time/liberty/anonymity to do that” “I would love to do that, but I can’t because I’m giving my life to the revolution…”
September 16, 2012 at 2:37 pm
But that is precisely the point, he has tried to project the image since June that he is not sick any more. Has not mentioned the cancer at all, that was clearly a campaign strategy. Soon after these images he cries and appeals to God to let him finish his work. I think it was a slip of the tongue and it is bad for him, 70% of his voters think he is cured.
September 16, 2012 at 2:34 pm
The wording were right there, Miguel, minute 1:47.
Actually, he says ” Solo, que, como se sabe, no puedo caminar, por las calles de San Fernando” (Only that…as it is known… I cannot walk… in the streets of San Fernando).
My husband agrees with your translation, I don’t. There is a very tiny difference and, as I always say, the devil is in the details.
“I can no longer walk” indicates a transition from “walking” to “no longer walking” it implies “I will not be able to walk anymore”, and that is what you are implying with the title of the post.
On the other hand, when he says “Only…as it is known…I cannot walk..in the streets of San Fernando” it means “you know I am sick and this prevents me from walking the Streets of San Fernando”, the terminality of the term “no longer walking” is not there.
September 16, 2012 at 4:55 pm
He’s the president, he can walk around wherever he wants just like any other venezuelan, he was lamenting he might not be able to do it because he’s time is running out, hence the god appeal just right after it.
September 16, 2012 at 2:13 pm
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find the full video to post, he cried right after he said that, I think he tried to correct. He pleaded to God and all that. In any case, what is the sense of saying he can’t walk the calles de San Fernando? I don’t see the difference, he is not walking, period.
September 16, 2012 at 2:09 pm
I think he is very sick, but I do not agree with your translation Miguel.
He did not say “yo ya no puedo caminar”(I can no longer walk), as you translated, he said “come se sabe…no puedo caminar…por las calles de San Fernando”.
My translation is “as you know…I cannot walk…in the streets of San Fernando”
September 16, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Dare we hope. that Chavismo ends, not with a bang, but with a whimper?
September 16, 2012 at 10:30 am
El saliente achieved his goal. We are talking about his sleeves instead of Capriles’ amazing success yesterday in Barquisimeto. Mango peel, anyone?
September 16, 2012 at 10:44 am
bon point. although we CAN discuss both, while highlighting the stupidities of this current government, in contrast to the sanity that is to come, or so I hope, for it’s not over until the fat man slinks away, along with his acolytes.
September 16, 2012 at 10:53 am
I concede, the fat man looked awful yesterday and I thought he was going to fall as he went down those stairs. BUT, Capriles rally yesterday was game changing, imho. “Ahora sí no hay fraude que valga”, is all you hear. That’s the news.
September 16, 2012 at 10:22 am
Charles C,
I agree with your assessment here.Chavez has created a mystique and it is frustrating not to know what is really going on sometimes.
But we get distracted with too much speculation about details.Most people are wrong about them anyway, and it makes us lose sight of more important issues.
Creating a mystique serves this purpose.It is one illusion after the other, and those who think they know what is going on with Chavez are living in a fantasy world.
September 16, 2012 at 8:54 am
Chavez wears bullet proof clothing when in public thus the bulky look.
September 18, 2012 at 9:26 am
correction: bullet resistant! He wears Level-IV vests on rare occasions. Most of the time it’s level II or III. He wore Miguel Caballero clothing for a while. Not very protective without vest and plates.
September 16, 2012 at 8:36 am
I always thought that the heavy overcoats that he wore in public were for his protection. He is too paranoid to go into public without kevlar. This one is colored more like a track warmup suit than the normal red or olive green, but very similar style.
September 16, 2012 at 8:24 am
He’s excusing himself for not joining the crowds on the streets, as Capriles does.
September 16, 2012 at 8:37 am
Creo que le diste al clavo, Cristina.
September 16, 2012 at 9:33 am
I believe Chavez fears for his life-too many enemies. Even some FARC want to kill him, I believe…
September 16, 2012 at 9:35 am
He feels the most safe in Cuba with Fidel and Raul.
September 16, 2012 at 7:50 am
Don’t speculate too much on the long sleeves.My second to the oldest son is quite eccentric when it comes to dressing for weather.He often wears long sleeves in a 100 F NC summer, and then don shorts in a 20 F NC Winter.I have seen others like that as well, and there is no explanation forthcoming.
Sometimes the small things are just small things , they don’t always have great meanings.We must try to look at the forest and not the trees.
The benign Cancer is indeed interesting and befitting someone as eccentric as Chavez.
The frogs in his throat, cannot be faked.I know that sometimes when I have been sad about something but don’t want to cry in front of others ( which is often the case for me), I can hold back the tears but the frogs come anyway.
Still we have to remember as well, that we cannot discern their meaning( referring to the frogs), because we don’t know what he was thinking about at the time.
September 16, 2012 at 9:31 am
“Sometimes the small things are just small things , they don’t always have great meanings.”
When it comes to Chavez there is so much we don’t know-so even small things appear interesting sometimes. Like his red socks and red bootlaces..
I have been wondering about something for a long time- ex. so many flights back and forth from Cuba- I just can’t believe all they were carrying is Chavez and a few of his minions, can you.
And -those flights to and from Iran and Syria-not just passengers. But, no proof.
September 16, 2012 at 4:15 am
Dunno Devil, but I would say neither of both. He’s just trying to sell himself as a regular Juan Bimba pressed by the circumstances to become the irreplaceable Leader. Pretty similar to that old “brizna de paja en el viento” that he has used before.
The whole schtick reminded me though of the “GPS carupanero”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxS2Km3apOk
I guess that Chavez could get a work as a “GPS llanero” after Oct. 7th…
September 16, 2012 at 8:14 am
me encantó el GPS carupanero.
September 16, 2012 at 2:48 am
I agree with Syd and it is something I have said over and over again: opposition leaders should refer as much as possible to those regions outside Greater Caracas. It’s not enough to say “Arriba Apure”.
There is no Venezuela, there are several Venezuelas and most of them have been pissed off with Caracas for centuries already.
The talk should be about more than decentralisation. That word, decentralisation, is anyway Chinese to most people…and it is not enough:
it is a code word for more power to local caciques instead of the Cacique Máximo. We need to give control over their money to the people of each region.
That’s what the oppo needs to talk about in the coming weeks in those regions and to show it knows a little bit about what problems people have in Biruaca or San Juan de Payara. You don’t need to spend years there…just a good executive summary of each state.
I found those long sleeves very telling as well. In some of the Bolivaministermeetings I have seen Hugo’s minister wearing those long sleeves as well and not in suits and I wondered whether they had the air conditioning at full power…and I asked myself: why?
September 16, 2012 at 12:43 am
Pobrectio! (sarcasmos, verdad? a este repugnante ser solo el diablo se lo va a comer, que pacto habra hecho que el y al igual que con su pueblo, no lo cumplio! y ahora el diablo lo esta reclamando!)
September 15, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Emotional/frogs in the throat, yes. Weeping no. There were no tears falling from his eyes.
Through his dramatic speech, he’s demonstrating his deep and thorough knowledge and affinity with the llanos, even on a literary plane (Doña Bárbara).
As for the walking bit, he says:
“Como se sabe, no puedo caminar .. por las calles de San Fernando, ni puedo hacer ese recorrido ahora mismo, esta noche o mañana.
Yo le pido a Dios si … ”
It’s a Rorschacht. People can interpret it however they want.
What’s ironic that on the very day that Chávez slips mention of the inability to walk (por las calles de San Fernando), the manipulators behind the pity machinery issue what comes across as a hush-hush revelation about Chávez’ health:
http://www.noticierodigital.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=902066
Note the mention of “un cáncer benigno”.
Really, now. What rot.
Personally I think Chávez is not well. But I don’t think he’s due for purgatory just yet.
September 15, 2012 at 10:57 pm
Purgatory? You are too kind.
September 16, 2012 at 8:21 am
well, I was thinking of the way-station through which “all must pass, before the ultimate decision”. Como estar en una cola larguííísima para sacar la renovación de X documento, esperando y esperando, hasta que le llegue a uno el trámite, que en el caso de Ch. será para tomar el ascensor de descenso.
September 16, 2012 at 6:06 pm
“Ascensor de Descenso”=Purgatorio Eterno!
September 16, 2012 at 8:27 am
There were tears falling because I saw it, look for the videos.
September 16, 2012 at 8:52 am
please provide a link to the full monty. your supplied video timing on the tears would help. thanks.
September 16, 2012 at 9:39 am
Syd – look at the close up at 0:17, those are tears.
September 16, 2012 at 9:39 am
Ok, I had to go to this rag for the info and the photo caption at the appropriate moment: http://www.noticierodigital.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=902561. Would have loved to have seen the red handkerchief that followed.
September 16, 2012 at 9:55 am
This?
pic.twitter.com/LWwSPRNc
September 16, 2012 at 10:02 am
qué necio.
September 16, 2012 at 10:11 am
You know what? I thought all the tears episode was genuine. Now that I’m looking at the stupid red handkerchief, that means somebody had it handy and ready for him. I mean, who goes out the with handkerchieves anymore? Nobody!
That’s telling me all this was staged.
September 17, 2012 at 9:16 pm
Also that they did a close up of the tears…. Staged, fake!
September 15, 2012 at 10:02 pm
The communist dictator who has plundered and destroy Venezuela says Viva Venezuela ! Give me a break ! How can anyone vote for this monster ???
September 15, 2012 at 9:15 pm
now if only he could not talk!
September 15, 2012 at 9:09 pm
La cucaracha, la cucaracha, ya no puede caminar…
September 15, 2012 at 8:56 pm
El tipo es un astro utilizando el “ay bendito” para su beneficio. Esto es una estrategia mas para lograr apoyo a su “indefension”.
September 15, 2012 at 8:36 pm
This will cost him votes. The fence sitters will go with Capriles.
September 15, 2012 at 8:38 pm
Agree 100%, not only fence sitters, but even those that planned to vote for him and thought he was cured and now he can’t even walk. Interesting moment!
September 16, 2012 at 9:31 am
Or,…or,….is this the ‘opening act’ whereby a medical drama is played-out, thus ‘requiring’ that Hugo’s name on the registration form be changed to Adan during the last week of campaigning?
September 15, 2012 at 8:31 pm
How do you confess something that “As you all know”? Was this an open secret? How does this affect Chavismo?
September 15, 2012 at 8:35 pm
To me, this is very important. The Consultores 21 poll says that 70% of those that intend to vote for Chavez think he is cured. It is either the depressive effect of the drugs that let it out or a new strategy of appealing to pity, they already decided that this would not work, so I think it is the first effect and it is bad for him.
September 18, 2012 at 9:39 pm
His bad health will demoralize supporters? Or are there many who support him because he seemed strong?
September 15, 2012 at 8:42 pm
I agree with Miguel, the guy got completely emotional I don’t believe this was scripted/planned, this is nostalgia kicking in.
September 16, 2012 at 8:34 am
agree on the nostalgia kicking in. After all, Ch is from the llanos; it’s his primary identity, from which he’s travelled far and has just returned. agree, too, that the frogs in the throat did not appear scripted.
Must say, Ch. is a brilliant orator, who as Kep has mentioned, uses syntax well. You can tell Ch is well read. The poetry on Lorenzo Barquero being eaten up by the sabana was tops.
September 16, 2012 at 6:03 pm
His not-too-far-term destiny is the same as Lorenzo Barquero’s… Those Chavistas who want to follow him down, please step forward.
September 15, 2012 at 8:20 pm
Miguel,
As a fellow Venezuelan pointed out recently to me, when was the last time that we have seen Chavez with short sleeves? No matter where he is he is always on long sleeves. What is he hiding? I think it started about the same time he got seek and began getting treated. Long sleeves in Apure, give me a break
September 16, 2012 at 8:30 am
I’m no medical doctor, but I recall reading where a particular condition, once or still attributed to Chávez, perhaps steroid use, results in bloated body but more emaciated (thinner by comparison?) extremities. So perhaps Chávez is using long sleeves to cover up weaker-looking arms. And naturally, his acolytes would copy him so as not to make their leader feel bad. Another possible reason is that when you’re using a costume for dramatic effect (in this case, the jogging outfit with blold stripes), more drama is squeezed out of fuller, longer cloth than shorter.
As for questioning long sleeves in Apure, I’ve never seen a liqui liqui with short sleeves.
September 16, 2012 at 8:46 am
and somewhere on the insanity scale is another one with long sleeves in Apure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUmaVN-BCNQ . Pa que vean.
September 16, 2012 at 9:33 am
Bicho!
Forget the long sleeves! Who is this guy? And did you notice how many people were there???
September 16, 2012 at 9:48 am
I heard one or two “sho” s — traces of argentinidad? And he gives his passport number, rather than that of his cédula. Otra cosa, the video was posted in May of this year.
Referente al habla en lenguas (http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_de_lenguas) y el número de creyentes, pienso que son alguna secta de evangélicos (pentecostales?), or carismáticos, una secta del catolicismo.
September 18, 2012 at 3:28 am
Pretty sad…it’s a tragedy there are so many of these evangelical fundamentalists in Venezuela now. For Goodness sake, we need EDUCATION!
September 18, 2012 at 8:57 pm
Kepler Some of the most brilliant and best educated men for 500 years have been evangelical fundamentalists from Martin Luther to Jonathon Edwards President of Princeton University, to the Reverand Billy Graham of our own age. Evangelical Christians have always had a most positive effect morally upon their society’s, and will do so as well in Venezuela.
September 18, 2012 at 9:06 pm
I just noticed that the great Mathmatician and astronomer Johannes Kepler was an evangelical Christian as well.
September 19, 2012 at 7:39 am
Ken, they were not fundamentalist in their age. One thing is evangelical and another fundamentalist.
And definitely had Kepler lived in the second half of the XIX century, he wouldn’t have been a stupid creationist.
As for Billy Graham: perhaps he is brilliant for your taste. He was a good speaker for the masses but so is Chávez as well.
German evangelicals were revolutionary in their time in XVI century because they broke with a more fundamentalist approach of conservative Catholicism. After that they started to ponder more and more on things and they came with the theological traditions of Lutheranism, which are LEAGUES, LEAGUES, LEAGUES away from the religious fundamentalism you see now in the USA. The USA was built not by those fundamentalists but by eclectic people like Jefferson, Washington, Franklin.
September 19, 2012 at 8:31 am
Kepler Interesting attempt to distort and rewrite history. If Venezuelans need to be educated as you state , perhaps the education should begin with you.
September 16, 2012 at 2:13 pm
What you say is possible. Renal patients on steroids, often have big heads and poorly muscled limbs.
September 18, 2012 at 9:13 am
correct…there will be significant muscle wasting noticeable in extremities. Prednisone will not stop muscle wasting. Different roids like testosterone may or may not be in use and would have little effect in slowing his muscle wasting at his stage. If to feel better, I would have him on test at 125-250mg per week. This really helps with mood on top of whatever else he takes and would help prevent spontaneous outburts of self-pity. Having said this, he could be past the stage of testosterone benefits.
September 15, 2012 at 8:20 pm
Wrong move to appeal to pity, 70% of his voters think he is cured.
September 15, 2012 at 8:17 pm
A well-attended rally. Forget chavez, he is too much of a fake to spend time analyzing him. But the millions that follow him, that believe in him no matter what he says or does, that’s the real issue for me. Why?
September 15, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Remember that this was in Apure where he supposedly has 60+% of the vote.
The good thing is that the total number of voters don’t add up to much.
In the populous states Capriles is way ahead.
September 15, 2012 at 8:09 pm
He cannot walk, is becoming bloated again. He looks serious. The stress of possibly losing power is too much. Time for some rest and relaxation in Cuba.
To me, Chavez is now dangerous like a corned wild animal. He will do anything to keep power because he has nothing to lose.
Chavez has tried everything to hide his infirmary but now wants to look like an honest man. Its too late.
September 18, 2012 at 1:49 am
“Like a corned wild animal,” sadly appropriate. For a person cured of his illness, he does look like an animal that has been eating entirely too much corn. He looks like a cow being fattened for the slaughter.