The Devil's Excrement

As I write, the recall festivities have already started. There are fireworks exploding, Plaza Altamira is already full of traffic and people are honking their horns. Only 9 PM and lot’s of noise, the party was supposed to start at 11:30 PM, but I guess people want to warm it up early.

While Chavez’ MVR has been very quiet about the referendum, bypassing some statements like that by the Vice-President saying “He does not see a referendum this year”, the fireworks in what could become a conflict began today in earnest. The opposition and the Government began trading barbs at each other, when the Minister and the Vice-Minister of the Interior and Justice denied that the opposition had the required permits for tomorrow’s rally/demonstration/march/petition hand in. While Enrique Mendoza, the Governor of Miranda State and member of the Coordinadora Democratica, assured the media that the permits had been handed in on the 12th. and had been handed in to the Ministry and communicated to the Vice-President, the Government asked the opposition to cancel the march since it could not guarantee the safety of the people. As usual, the People’s Defender did nothing but side with the Government, expressing his concern at the absence of permits. Meanwhile, the Mayors of Baruta and Chacao where large parts of the marches will take place, said the permits had been given.  Thus, this becomes the first important conflict on the road to the formal recall referendum. I must say it makes me feel uneasy about tomorrow, when the Vice-Minister of the Interior and Justice says that the marches should be cancelled because in every previous instance when there were no permits there was loss of life, I can’t help but be concerned. Are we being threatened or intimidated?. I really don’t know. What I do know, is that I will be there tomorrow no matter what.

In a positive development, the leaders of Chavez’ MVR in the National Asembly said today that they will obey the decision by the Venezuelan Supreme Court to name the members of the National Electoral Council (CNE) which organizes and decides on all electoral matters. This is a positive devlopment (Yes, I am saying something nice about the Chavistas!) as it implies the law will be followed. The only question is why does the same leadership allow some Deputies to act like they do (See story below)

In an outrageous move, outlaw General Acosta Carles in the company of Deputy Iris Varela, led a group of laid off workers and took over a plant of paper company Venepal. Venepal is a paper products company that has been having difficulties ever since the currency was overvalued. The company had decided to close some plants and attempt to restructure it, while selling some assets that are still worth something. On Monday, Acosta Carles, who is famous for taking over beer distribution plants during teh strike and his famous and disgusting “burp” in front of all the media at the time, joined Miss Varela, an MVR Deputy, in leading a group of disgruntled workers in an “Assembly” that decided to take over the plant. The company has asked the Venezuelan Supreme Court for an injunction, but so far all we know is that two people strongly identified with the Chavez administartion have taken over private property without any respect for the law or without any order by any legal authority to do so. Such is life in a country without law, where anarchy is promoted from the top.

In an outrageous move, outlaw General Acosta Carles in the company of Deputy Iris Varela, led a group of laid off workers and took over a plant of paper company Venepal. Venepal is a paper products company that has been having difficulties ever since the currency was overvalued. The company had decided to close some plants and attempt to restructure it, while selling some assets that are still worth something. On Monday, Acosta Carles, who is famous for taking over beer distribution plants during teh strike and his famous and disgusting “burp” in front of all the media at the time, joined Miss Varela, an MVR Deputy, in leading a group of disgruntled workers in an “Assembly” that decided to take over the plant. The company has asked the Venezuelan Supreme Court for an injunction, but so far all we know is that two people strongly identified with the Chavez administartion have taken over private property without any respect for the law or without any order by any legal authority to do so. Such is life in a country without law, where anarchy is promoted from the top.