The Devil's Excrement

I was trying to ignore Danny Glover’s visit but succumbed yesterday with my post “Lethal Ignorance”, I do it again today, this article by Gustavo Coronel is too good not to post:

Danny Glover travels to Venezuela to show his support for Black Venezuelans
By Gustavo Coronel

Andres Izarra, spokesman of the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington and the son of one of Chavez’s most intimate friends, has informed us that actor Danny Glover is visiting Venezuela for nine days to “meet with Chávez and to study the situation of blacks in the country.” Welcome to Venezuela Danny! I hope they show you how the Venezuelan poor really live and that you tell the U.S. people about it when you return home. I hope you are honest about it.

However, on the basis of your public record, I doubt that you will make an honest report of the Venezuelan situation to your people. You are an admirer of Fidel Castro and signed a letter in his support in May 2003. Although Cuban black political dissidents like Angel Moya, Oscar Biscet, Ivan Hernandez and Jorge Olivera are in a  Cuban prison for 18 to 25 years only because they do not agree with the dictator, you have never said a word about this. Another Cuban black, Eusebio Penalver, spent 28 years in a Castro prison and you never said a word. In a seminar held in Stanford University on September 15th, 2003, you actually asked for the life of Osama Bin Laden to be spared! Since you said that you opposed the death penalty, you added that even Bin Laden should be protected, since everybody has human rights. This is an extreme position that would deserve respect if you were ethically coherent, but you are not.

You are not ethically coherent because, in your movies, you play a cop who kills everybody who moves, before giving them their day in court. In the “Lethal Weapon” series of movies, mentioned by Izarra with pride, you and your clearly psychopathic partner (Mel Gibson) really have a field day shooting and destroying the bad guys but do not think of reading them their rights. And yet, you claim that the life of Osama Bin Laden should be spared. Go and tell this to the relatives of the thousands of victims of September 11!

You have also expressed your support of Bertrand Aristide in Haiti, although he also leaves a lot to be desired in the realm of human rights. Predictably you are a rabid anti-Bush activist and call him “racist.” Of course you are entitled to your political views but you have to pay the price for your unwise preferences. You cannot claim to be a human rights activist and defend Castro, Bin Laden, Aristide and now, Chávez.

This is why I have little hopes that you will return to your country really enlightened about the sad situation of the Venezuelan people under the government of Chávez. Although you have more than the money required to pay for your own fact finding trip to Venezuela, the briefing from the Venezuelan Embassy, at the service of Chávez, suggests that you are a guest of the government, not a guest of the Venezuelan people.

The pretended purpose of the trip is, in itself, an indication of the distorted nature of your visit. You are coming to Venezuela to “study” the situation of the Venezuelan blacks. Sir, you are being a racist. You would be hard put to find “blacks” in Venezuela, except in villages such as Curiepe. In Venezuela almost everybody is dark. We are a mestizo country, Sir. We have no black oppressed minority in Venezuela, but a great mass of mestizos and mulattos lacking running water, decent schools and hospitals, running like rabbits to get home before sunset arrives, together with murderers and robbers; lacking decent employment and the required amount of daily calories. Are you telling me that, in the middle of this social chaos produced by the most inefficient and corrupt government we have had in modern Venezuelan history, you are coming to “study” the situation of blacks in the country? As they say in your native San Francisco: Give me a break.

On the strength of your frequent visits to Cuba and of your friendship with Aristide, it would seem that your visit to Venezuela is just one more propaganda trip, paid by Venezuelans, black and white alike. The government spends a lot of money inviting fellow travelers to Venezuela: Ignacio Ramonet, Greg Palast, Michael Lebowitz, an Argentinean lady who wears a handkerchief over her head and rejoices in the destruction of the twin towers and other assorted members of the intellectual lower Pliocene. Now they have recruited you.

I think I understand. You are running out of worthy crusades to embrace and you feel that, next to a worthy crusade, your best choice is an unworthy crusade.

I have been extremely busy this week. A lot has happened that should be posted about, but I had little time to do it. Thus, a short wrap up of important news this week:

-Chavez shakes up military authorities. President Chavez changed the Minister of Defense, removing retired General Prieto and replacing him with his buddy, classmate and soul mate General Garcia Carneiro. Garcia Carneiro’s position as Chiefs of Staff will be filled by General Raul Baduell. Baduell is the General that single-handedly forced the return of Hugo Chavez in April 2002. there have been many interpretations as to the meaning of the move. Some think Baduell was weakened by going to an administrative post. Others think Baduell is outright pro-Chavez and it is irrelevant. My understanding is that Baduell not only feels that the Constitution has to be followed by Chavez, but that he has told the President so. Baduell has political ambitions of his own and Chavez knows it. To me Baduell is dangerous because in any conflict he could come out on top and forget about the law if he can grab power. For the same reason he will not allow Chavez to grab absolute power if he tries. He thinks he is much better.

-While Chavez keeps complaining about the fact that banks don’t lend to the agricultural sector the amounts required by law and prefer to pay fines, Banco Industrial de Venezuela, the largest state-run bank, has the smallest agricultural portfolio in the banking system.

-All major and minor political parties, except Primero Justicia and Proyecto Venezuela, have informally told the Coordinadora Democrática that they will join the movement to field single unity candidates for all Governorships and Mayoral races. Primero Justicia is likely to join the effort putting the pressure on Proyecto Venezuela to join. This effort, if successful, would according to polls win most Governorships in the country.

-Despite the fact that it is illegal to declare candidacies until February 25^th. now that the date for regional elections ahs been set for July 25^th., Chavez’ MVR party announced its fourth candidate for Governor. This time Ramon Machuca declared his candidacy for Governor of Bolivar state.

–Venezuela issued a 30 years bond at a yield to maturity of 10.25%. The US$ 1 billion issue was oversubscribed by a factor of four. With this issue the country has a very well defined yield curve for the first time in its history. The Minister of Finance, who knows what he is doing, said that the funds would be used to pay Bolivar denominated debt. If true this is positive, but I suspect that political pressure will in the end prevail and new local debt will be issued anyway.

-Both Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, separately called on the Chavez administration to stop throwing stumbling blocks in the path of the recall referendum and allow the process to continue.

-The Caracas Stock Exchange rose 15% in the first five days of the year. A combination of cheap valuations, expectations of change and a strong devaluation of the currency in the last two weeks of 2003 were the main reasons.

-A report from Chavez MVR party to the President leaked to the press. In it, it is recognized that the opposition gathered more than three million signatures but 400,000 less than it claimed (just over three million according to the report). The report continues by saying that 30% of them “can” be invalidated, which would stop the referendum.

I have been extremely busy this week. A lot has happened that should be posted about, but I had little time to do it. Thus, a short wrap up of important news this week:

-Chavez shakes up military authorities. President Chavez changed the Minister of Defense, removing retired General Prieto and replacing him with his buddy, classmate and soul mate General Garcia Carneiro. Garcia Carneiro’s position as Chiefs of Staff will be filled by General Raul Baduell. Baduell is the General that single-handedly forced the return of Hugo Chavez in April 2002. there have been many interpretations as to the meaning of the move. Some think Baduell was weakened by going to an administrative post. Others think Baduell is outright pro-Chavez and it is irrelevant. My understanding is that Baduell not only feels that the Constitution has to be followed by Chavez, but that he has told the President so. Baduell has political ambitions of his own and Chavez knows it. To me Baduell is dangerous because in any conflict he could come out on top and forget about the law if he can grab power. For the same reason he will not allow Chavez to grab absolute power if he tries. He thinks he is much better.

-While Chavez keeps complaining about the fact that banks don’t lend to the agricultural sector the amounts required by law and prefer to pay fines, Banco Industrial de Venezuela, the largest state-run bank, has the smallest agricultural portfolio in the banking system.

-All major and minor political parties, except Primero Justicia and Proyecto Venezuela, have informally told the Coordinadora Democrática that they will join the movement to field single unity candidates for all Governorships and Mayoral races. Primero Justicia is likely to join the effort putting the pressure on Proyecto Venezuela to join. This effort, if successful, would according to polls win most Governorships in the country.

-Despite the fact that it is illegal to declare candidacies until February 25^th. now that the date for regional elections ahs been set for July 25^th., Chavez’ MVR party announced its fourth candidate for Governor. This time Ramon Machuca declared his candidacy for Governor of Bolivar state.

–Venezuela issued a 30 years bond at a yield to maturity of 10.25%. The US$ 1 billion issue was oversubscribed by a factor of four. With this issue the country has a very well defined yield curve for the first time in its history. The Minister of Finance, who knows what he is doing, said that the funds would be used to pay Bolivar denominated debt. If true this is positive, but I suspect that political pressure will in the end prevail and new local debt will be issued anyway.

-Both Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, separately called on the Chavez administration to stop throwing stumbling blocks in the path of the recall referendum and allow the process to continue.

-The Caracas Stock Exchange rose 15% in the first five days of the year. A combination of cheap valuations, expectations of change and a strong devaluation of the currency in the last two weeks of 2003 were the main reasons.

-A report from Chavez MVR party to the President leaked to the press. In it, it is recognized that the opposition gathered more than three million signatures but 400,000 less than it claimed (just over three million according to the report). The report continues by saying that 30% of them “can” be invalidated, which would stop the referendum.

I was not going to mention the visit by US actor Danny Glover until I read a very funny article in Tal Cual written in pseudo-English by Laureano Marquez (who calls himself Laureass Marquez in the article). Then Guillermo saved me the trouble by posting it in his blog, so why duplicate? I do want however to quote one of my favorite parts from the letter:

“Our government, a difference of yours, no fuk only a blacs, sino a all of us parejo. I don’ t know if I am explain. We don’ t have blacs who like to be guaits an somete itself to a process of blanqueition, like Michael Jackson., ni de pod. Here never a blac woman have to stand up of the seat because a guait don’ t have seat, we like very much blac woman, because they are very good. Here the word “negro”, “negrita” shows love.”

In any case, since I am touching on the subject, all Mr. Glover has shown to me, among other things is that:

-He is arrogant. When asked by a reporter if he was only going to get the Government’s view about Venezuela, he got pissed, snapping back that he was here to meet with the “people”. Well, he was holding a press conference in the office of the Vice-President of Venezuela, where among other things it was announced that he will take part on Sunday in President Chavez’ Sunday TV program.  These are not exactly the “people” in this country.

-He is ignorant. He defends the right for Cuba to be a totalitarian regime on the basis of the country’s “sovereignty”. Well, Cuba attempted to overthrow Governments in all of Latin America, including plotting to kill Venezuelan President Romulo Betancourt. Cuba sent soldiers to Angola, interfering with that countries “sovereignty”. Finally, Mr. Glover himself worked very hard to destabilize another “sovereign” country, South Africa, without respecting that same principle he so eagerly defends now.

-He is insensitive. He claims to be here to see the status of black people, how free they are and that they are treated equally. But he fails o voice his concern for the three young black men, sentenced to death by firing squad for hijacking a ferry to get out of Cuba. Nobody was even injured in that incident.

-He is naive. He defends a white dictator who jails black poets, writers and artist for the simple crime of speaking out against him. Does he realize that if he lived in Cuba he could not voice his opinions which he is allowed to broadcast freely in his country because there is a true democracy?

Jeez, maybe that toilet explosion left some permanent brain damage!

I was not going to mention the visit by US actor Danny Glover until I read a very funny article in Tal Cual written in pseudo-English by Laureano Marquez (who calls himself Laureass Marquez in the article). Then Guillermo saved me the trouble by posting it in his blog, so why duplicate? I do want however to quote one of my favorite parts from the letter:

“Our government, a difference of yours, no fuk only a blacs, sino a all of us parejo. I don’ t know if I am explain. We don’ t have blacs who like to be guaits an somete itself to a process of blanqueition, like Michael Jackson., ni de pod. Here never a blac woman have to stand up of the seat because a guait don’ t have seat, we like very much blac woman, because they are very good. Here the word “negro”, “negrita” shows love.”

In any case, since I am touching on the subject, all Mr. Glover has shown to me, among other things is that:

-He is arrogant. When asked by a reporter if he was only going to get the Government’s view about Venezuela, he got pissed, snapping back that he was here to meet with the “people”. Well, he was holding a press conference in the office of the Vice-President of Venezuela, where among other things it was announced that he will take part on Sunday in President Chavez’ Sunday TV program.  These are not exactly the “people” in this country.

-He is ignorant. He defends the right for Cuba to be a totalitarian regime on the basis of the country’s “sovereignty”. Well, Cuba attempted to overthrow Governments in all of Latin America, including plotting to kill Venezuelan President Romulo Betancourt. Cuba sent soldiers to Angola, interfering with that countries “sovereignty”. Finally, Mr. Glover himself worked very hard to destabilize another “sovereign” country, South Africa, without respecting that same principle he so eagerly defends now.

-He is insensitive. He claims to be here to see the status of black people, how free they are and that they are treated equally. But he fails o voice his concern for the three young black men, sentenced to death by firing squad for hijacking a ferry to get out of Cuba. Nobody was even injured in that incident.

-He is naive. He defends a white dictator who jails black poets, writers and artist for the simple crime of speaking out against him. Does he realize that if he lived in Cuba he could not voice his opinions which he is allowed to broadcast freely in his country because there is a true democracy?

Jeez, maybe that toilet explosion left some permanent brain damage!

Being rational is not easy. Trying to understand how things work as a way of forming opinions or proposing a better way of doing things may simply be futile in Venezuela. One of Hugo Chavez’ main problem as a President has been to surround himself by ass kissers or mediocre professionals for whom following the President was simply a way of advancing in their lives to levels orders of magnitude way above their  so called Peter Principle. But the more bizarre and irrational things get here in Venezuela, the more the lies and the stupidity become the accepted truth.  Thus, while Francisco Toro in  his latest post challenges anyone that can still support a government that pisses over the Constitution in order to steal from its own citizens (a challenge I was going to broadcast here, but which might also be an exercise in futility) and the Venezuelan Central Bank issues a press release explaining its role and why it can not simply give away any part of the international reserves, that depository of mediocrity, irrationality and irresponsibility called the National Assembly exhorts the Venezuelan Central Bank by a vote of 57 to 37 to “cooperate” with Chavez in  the request for his “millardito” (little billion). The discussion was so incredible bizarre, that the former President of the National Assembly William Lara even told the opposition not to worry that the money would not be used for the “political needs of the officials”. The only words missing appeared be “this time around”. Such is the callousness, cynicism and irrationality that permeates these individuals that rode Chavez’ coattails to positions beyond their abilities and interests and whose ethics leave a lot to be desired.

In the end, it may be us fools that spend their time writing in blogs, arguing, dreaming and discussing about a better Venezuela and trying to be rational about it, that are wasting our time. Maybe nobody will answer Francisco’s challenge, not because there is nobody who is ready to defend Chavez and his policies, but because those that still do, are not interested in creating a better Venezuela or truly solving the country’s policies, but simply are interested in preserving their own positions, getting richer and being on TV once a week. So, who cares about an intellectual challenge by a Caracas reporter-turned-oligarch (or is it the other way around?) who lives in Holland?

As a rational and educated individual, I always tend to believe that people are essentially good, well-meaning and honest. With time one learns this us far from the truth, but even that learning does not prepare you for how cynical, unethical or dishonest people can be. Fifteen years or so ago, part of the world was equally in love with the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua as they appear to be in love with our President today. When one reads Guillermo’s translation of the interview of former Sandinista leader Ernesto Cardenal, one can’t help but link it directly to what is going on in Venezuela today. Cardenal quotes Galeano as saying: “Those who were not afraid to give their lives were afraid to hand over their Mercedes Benz, their houses, and the products of that robbery carried out by the Sandinista leadership.” It seems as if the same is happening here, the main difference being that in our case they were never even willing to give their lives for their cause, neither literally, nor figuratively…

I thought I had heard everything until Humberto (thanks, I also borrowed some of your comments!) pointed out these words today by Chavez in the same speech as in the one in he threatened to intervene the Venezuelan Central Bank. With these words it seems like this time Hugo Chavez has actually managed to out -Chavez himself.:

“We are overwhelmed by common thievery, subversion, contra-subversion, paramilitary forces, drug traffickers, all of that comes from Colombia, that was not born here and it has impacted us a lot”

Where should I begin? In one single and short sentence, and unless the Ministry of Foreign Relations issues a press release saying these words have been taken out of context, Hugo Chávez has managed to:

-Insult Colombians.

-Attack the concept of a single Bolivarian continent, which he previously praised.

-Make one of the most xenophobic statements ever made by a Venezuelan President.

-Blame the incompetence on his Government on another country.

-Shift the blame from poverty for our problems, to the citizens of another country.

-Ignore who is the one that has been careless about the border, including the protection of some of the people he mentions.

-Complete a sentence without blaming the local oligarchs for something.

-Outdone himself.

And I thought the previous post was hard to top…what a sad parody of a President we have!

I thought I had heard everything until Humberto (thanks, I also borrowed some of your comments!) pointed out these words today by Chavez in the same speech as in the one in he threatened to intervene the Venezuelan Central Bank. With these words it seems like this time Hugo Chavez has actually managed to out -Chavez himself.:

“We are overwhelmed by common thievery, subversion, contra-subversion, paramilitary forces, drug traffickers, all of that comes from Colombia, that was not born here and it has impacted us a lot”

Where should I begin? In one single and short sentence, and unless the Ministry of Foreign Relations issues a press release saying these words have been taken out of context, Hugo Chávez has managed to:

-Insult Colombians.

-Attack the concept of a single Bolivarian continent, which he previously praised.

-Make one of the most xenophobic statements ever made by a Venezuelan President.

-Blame the incompetence on his Government on another country.

-Shift the blame from poverty for our problems, to the citizens of another country.

-Ignore who is the one that has been careless about the border, including the protection of some of the people he mentions.

-Complete a sentence without blaming the local oligarchs for something.

-Outdone himself.

And I thought the previous post was hard to top…what a sad parody of a President we have!