The Devil's Excrement

This article was written by Attorney Francisco Castillo, it speaks for itself

Chavez and Terrorism

Francisco Castillo

The Venezuelan situation is once again the focus of international attention as a result of the events which took place at Plaza Francia in Altamira on December 6, 2002.

The United Nations has not yet accepted a single definition of terrorism, but there is a consensus that terrorism is a method that produces anxiety about repetitive actions of violence, is carried out by (semi-) clandestine individuals, groups or states (the actors), for reasons which can be idiosyncratic, criminal or political, and where – unlike murder – the direct targets of this violence are not the main targets.  As a general rule, the immediate human victims of the violence are chosen at random (targets of opportunity) or selectively (representative or symbolic targets) from a specific population, for the purpose of sending a message.  Communication processes which are based on threat and violence, between the terrorist organization, the victims (who are in danger) and the main targets, are used in order to manipulate the main target (the audience), thus turning it into the target of terror, target of demands or target of attention, depending on whether the objective being sought is intimidation, coercion or propaganda (Schmid, 1988, United Nations Office for Drugs and Crimes).

It is clear that the actions of Joao Gouveia, who was caught flagrante delecto and who confessed to having shot against a group of citizens, can and should be defined as a terrorist action, because, although he stated that his main target was Venezuelan television, specifically Globovision, indicating that this station had kidnapped and raped him, he attacked several other innocent people in order to achieve his objective.  Little does it matter whether his action is individual or belongs to a group known as the “circles of terror”; in both instances, it would be defined as terrorism because his victims were chosen in one sense, at random, among those present at Plaza Francia, and in another sense, selectively, because they were precisely, people who were taking part in a peaceful protest against the current government.

Extremely significant evidence has surfaced, linking terrorist Joao Gouveia to groups who sympathize with the National Government and most specifically, to Mayor Freddy Bernal; however, instead of making a clear cut and firm condemnation of terrorism and ordering an exhaustive investigation of these presumed relationships, Lieutenant Colonel  Hugo Chavez Frias, acting as President of the Republic, has dedicated himself to defending the terrorist and confessed assassin Gouveia, and even suggested some exculpatory hypotheses, based on psychiatric reasons and on grounds of mental insanity.

On Sunday December 8, during his weekly radio program “Alo Presidente”, while the funerals of the victims were taking place, much to the delight of the cabinet ministers present, he used a family tale for the purpose of jocularly casting doubts on the intellectual authorship of the terrorist acts, thus eluding his responsibility as a Head of State, in condemning all acts of terrorism!  In prior statements he defined as “patriots” those armed individuals who were caught on an amateur video film in the areas surrounding PDVSA – La Campiña, and concluded by saying that the film was “doctored” or that the person who appeared in the video couldn’t possibly be that “gentleman” Gouveia, because at the time he was on a flight from Lisbon.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations, Sergio Vieira de Mello, has clearly declared that States have, not only the right, but also the obligation to condemn terrorism, in order to protect themselves and their populations, in a manner that respects human rights and the right to due process.  Joao Gouveia’s right to due process, as well as his human rights, must be protected, however, he must also be tried.  It is imperative that an impartial and exhaustive investigation, lead to the imposition of the legal sanctions which apply, not only to he who was detained flagrante delecto, but to all those who participated with him in this act of terrorism and, that these terrorist groups or “circles of terror” be disarmed in order to ensure the safety of the civilian population.  If this terrorist has links to the government, we are in the presence of one of the gravest situations that one could imagine:  state-sponsored terrorism.

However, regardless of whether there is proof of a link between terrorist Gouveia and the Government, we have yet to see a clear-cut, overwhelming statement by the President, as Head of State, condemning this act of terrorism, nor have we seen any announcement concerning an investigation, nor steps being taken for the purpose of disarming those who were seen in the amateur video, in the areas surrounding PDVSA – La Campiña, and who can also be described as terrorists.

Actually, quite the opposite is true; the “circles of terror” continue to be viewed complacently by the highest government officials; During the evening of December 9, while the Minister of the Interior and Justice spoke of peace, the media was being surrounded and intimidated by individuals wearing ski masks and hoods (typical terrorist behavior); in major cities of the interior, things went even further as television and radio stations and newspaper printing shops were attacked and destroyed.   The following day, the Vice President was saying “those who advocate the departure of President Chavez are coupsters and terrorists, who use that kind of language in order to terrorize the population, but there is an overwhelming response by the people of Venezuela, who expressed themselves, for example, Monday night, all over the country”; such is the government’s double and contradictory discourse which fuels the continuous actions of the “circles of terror”.

The government has failed to speak out or take action in the face of the events which took place on September 11, 2001.  The same applies to the many excesses and misdeeds which have been carried out by the “circles of terror”.  These inactions place the government of Hugo Chavez Frias squarely against the international community, who has declared war on terrorism, no matter where it comes from.

Courtesy of Oscar Sabater

This is a press report of what was said today  by the Organization of American States’ Human Rights Commission. It is nice to know somebody outside has an understanding of what is going on.

 The boldface is mine:

WASHINGTON, Dec 12 (Reuters) – A group attached to the Organization of American States (OAS) on Thursday issued a strong statement urging Venezuela to do more to stem a worsening human rights situation.

The Human Rights Commission, part of the 34-member OAS, said in a statement it was “extremely worried with the worsening of the crisis in Venezuela, characterized by violence, intolerance and a generalized lack of confidence in the institutions of the State.”

Tensions are running high in Venezuela as an 11-day strike by the opposition has cut into vital oil production. The opposition is looking to force out leftist president Hugo Chavez.

Efforts by the OAS’s secretary general, Cesar Gaviria, to broker a peaceful solution to the crisis have so far proved fruitless, despite strong backing from the United States and other Latin American states.

The commission condemned attacks against the independent media and expressed concern over the rise of violent armed civil groups which it said operated with impunity.

It also blasted a decision by a takeover by the military of the Caracas city police from the capital’s anti-Chavez mayor, saying it was “a decision of doubtful legality.”

It was that move which triggered the strike.

The commission said it was “profoundly worried about the systematic attacks against human rights activists” and accused the government of stalling on setting a date for a new human rights’ mission to visit Venezuela.

A previous visit in May concluded Venezuela’s justice system lacked independence and free speech was limited.

The top managers of most of the TV stations in Venezuela are giving a press conference from the Hotel where OAS Secretary Cesar Gaviria is staying in which they are informing him of a plot to destroy their facilities tonight by Chavez’ Bolivarian Circles and paramilitary groups.

PDVSA’s all-powerfull President Ali Rodriguez announced this morning that it had fired four of its top four manager’s including the President of the white-collar worker’s union (never recognized by the Government), its civil association, the President of the petrochemical affiliate Pequiven and a Human Resources manager. The reaction by the workers was swift, within two hours they were holding a worker’s meeting where they are now saying they will join the strike not as individuals but as PDVSA workers. They are calling for the resignation of Ali Rodriguez and Hugo Chavez.

While Rodriguez did say that the President of Pequiven was only removed from his post, other sources say he has also been fired. 

Lost in the myriad of news about the strike, protest and negotiations, the Head of the National Assembly told the Head of the National Electoral Commission (CNE) that the Assembly could not provide the required funding for the Feb. 2nd. consultive referendum. According to the President of the Assembly, such funding falls under the category of an “extraordinary credit” which needs to be approved by the President and the Cabinet before the Assembly considers it.

The refrendum was finally approved last week by the CNE, the Chavez adminsitration has tried to block it in the Supreme Court, so far without success. However, without funding, it is essentially impossible to hold the vote.

In the interest of fairness, this report by the BBC on Venezuela and the strike is actually fairly accurate.

Sometime around Monday, Venezuelans began marching essentially twice a day. Once whenever the Democratic Coordinator calls for a march, and once again at night in a new form of pot-banging and march at the same time, which started spontaneusly and now has become a daily event at 8 PM. Essentially, rather than simply start banging pots out of your window, people have begun taking to the streets and getting together to walk around their neighborhoods.  Dozens of marches sprout nightly around the city at 8 PM, some of the lasting well beyond 10 PM in a remarkable display of protest.

Pro-Chavez forces attempted in mid-week to short-circuit this type of protest by doing their own pot-banging at 7 PM, but they have not been able to gather the momentum, neither in size nor in the intensity, of the protest, most of them ending well beyond the strat of the opposition protest.

Last night, the oppossition decided to stage a demonstration of support in front of the Globovision TV station, not only as a way of showing their appreciation towards the station, but also as a way of stopping the violent Chavista circles from taking over the outside of the station as they had done the two previous nights. The gathering was a resounding success despite the initial fears of those that went to it, that the Bolivarian circles might show up, but they never did. The demonstration was peaceful, festive and some of the anchormen and anchorwomen came out to join the crowd. Supposedly similar demosntrations of support to the media will be done in the next few days in order to “recover the streets” as one opposition leader called it.

Caracas’ afternoon newspaper Tal Cual carries today a number of interesting stories on the massacre at Plaza Altamira, I will summarize mostly what the front page editorial says:

Petkoff, Tal Cual’ Editor, suggests there is something strange going on in the investigation. Tal Cual points out that the assasin that was captured already confessed, but the police have been negligent at investigating the man’s past life. It points out that the newspaper found out a lot about the man’s life by visiting places he lived, where the police have yet to go. It also notes that the asassin had a lifestyle, including guns and cars, beyond his salary as a waiter.

While the Government has accused the opposition of hiring the gunman, it has yet to explain how one person managed to kill three and injure 28 by himself. Chavez himself showed the man’s passport on his Sunday TV program, which had a stamp indicating the man arrived from Portugal the morning of the shootings. However,  a Portuguese newspaper reports the man has not been in that country for six months. In any case, the President can not interfere in such an investigation, for him to have the passport is not only a conflict of interest, but it also indicates how easily it would be to simply stamp it too!!

One of the saddest things is that much like in April, Venezuelans are not even scandalized by such a situation. Since Chavez controls all powers, there is no outcry from the Attorney General to investigate the shootings, much like what happened in April. The same can be said about the National Assembly, where decency among Chavez’ Deputies appears to be a word that only exists in the dictionary. And we wait, as Chavez says, right now, on TV that he feels very good. About what? What a cynic! What a criminal!

Gasoline supplies in Caracas were improving, at the same time that they were getting worse in some parts of the country. The Government managed to take over a ship, but it has yet to move or reach port. Some ships that were docked left filled with crude, but they had been filled before the strike stopped the wells. Oil production continues to drop at this time. In Maracaibo there are still 800,000 barrels of crude waiting for shipment but no way to ship it out. Only 2 of the 28 drills in Zulia State remain functioning. Two barges in lake Maracaibo carrying sludge from oil wells overturned as they were being handled by temporary replacemnets. Two boats transporting PDVSA personnel collided and a russian tanker had to anchor and it is in a dangerours position, due to the inexperience of the pilot. The Curacao refinery has shutdown due to the lack of crude to process.

Meanwhile, finance authorities were trying to solve the problem with low inventories in cash to distribute to banks, as Venezuelans began hoarding bills given the uncertainty ahead. Banks are opening only half days and there are huge lunes at those offices that actually manage to open.

Chavez and his Government continue to call the strike “sabotage” and refuse to give in into any of the demands of the opposition for elections. His former comrade in arms Francisco Arias Cardenas, who joined him in the ’92 coup, has called on him to hold elections in the first quarter of 2003.