The Devil's Excrement

These are pictures of Miguel Eduardo Sucre Vegas a person I know (he is even a distant cousin of mine) and was at the peaceful protest yesteday. These are the effects of the pellets that the National Guard shot at  him, not a pretty sight, but this is what we are living and it may get worse.

Miguel Eduardo’s sister in law tells me that he was not even at the protest, he lives nearby and was in front of a supermarket when the Guard first approached the protest and he was savagely attacked. The municipal police had to help people out to protect them from the violence of the National Guard. An amateur made a video of his attack and a suit has already been presented in the Attorney General’s office, but he is a Chavez supporter and nobody really expects him to do very much about it.

While the passion of the moment, makes people concentrate on the events of the last 24 hours, the repression and the marches, people, both venezuelans and foreigners should read the statement by COFAVIC issued today. COFAVIC is the most reputable Human Rights organization in Venezuela and has always has the ability to look at the trees and the forests at the same time as they do today. A brief summary of their statement:

1) Condemns the disproportionate use of force by the National Guard yesterday.

2) Condenms the agression to the media, more so, given the precautioanry measures issued by the Interamerican Commission for Human Rights and that the Government has not investigated any of the charges made by this commission.

3) That the principle of separation of power was violated by the National Assembly yesterday when it suspended one of the members of the Supreme Court. Cofavic says that it was highly critical of the way independent powers were elected, but that this action only weakens these powers.

4) Cofavic asks for the return of the Metropolitan Police to the Mayor of Caracas, calling it a violation of the law.

5) Cofavic rejects as well as the militarization of the city which is not contemplated in the Constitution under the current circumstances.

6) Cofavic says points 3,4 and 5 are violations of the interamerican system for the protection of human rigts as well as Article 3 of the Interamerican Democratic letter.

Huge march today from where the repression took place yesterday, to the hotel where the Secretary General of the OAS is staying. A document was presented to Gaviria asking him to invoke the Democratic letter of the OAS. (He can’t, it has to be a unanimous vote of all foreign Ministers of the OAS). Given the improvization and the fear of people after what happened yesterday, attendance was quite impressive. Meawhile, some Government officials are beginning to admit that the oil industry is running into problems, but they claim they have been contained by the contingency plan.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the country there was violence as pro and anti Chavez groups met. That things are not going well for the Government could be shown by the fact that President Chavez cancelled his trip to Brazil, a rare occurrence as he always like to escape conflicts.

Meanwhile, one of the members of the negotiating team for the Government said today that it was the media’s provocation of the National Guard which caused the agressions against them yesterday (???), while the President’s lawyer said they were going to accuse the two leaders of the strike for inciting the people, while sending  veiled threats to the media, for their role in the protest. The Government continues to say it will not negotiate with the oppsoition unless the general strike ends, but there have been negotiations going on both yesterday and today looking for a way out of this juncture.

Thanks to Carla, I found out about a  site called venezuelalibre that has news and I particularly like the gallery of pictures, including this set from yesterday’s repression

The General Strike continues today but this time there will be a march, from “Meritocracy Square” where all the repression took place yesterday and I understand the idea is to go to the Hotel where the Secretary General of the Organization of American States Cesar Gaviria is staying and present him with a document asking the OAS to invoke the Democratic letter of the OAS.