Not much to say about today’s decision by the Constitutional Hall. This is what they decided at an illegal meeting, with no quorum and in a decision signed by only three Justices. It simply ratifies last Thursday’s order to the Electoral Hall not to do anything. Ratifies that we live in a totalitarian country with no rule of law.
This decision is illegal, immoral and violates all prior jurisprudence. The Constitutional Hall’s convoluted argument is that they named the electoral Board, so that they have jurisdiction. If they had not named it, they would have found a different argument. When you have no scruples or morals, it is always easy to find a reason, legal or not.
Thus, the law of the jungle prevails now in Venezuela. We have jumped into a new void of illegality and totalitarism. The outlaws win again, except only the perverse could consider it a victory to plunge a country deeper into fanaticism and polarization. The recall referendum was the only peaceful road to resolving, either way, the political conflict in this great and suffered country. It appears as if there will not be such a resolution now and we do know who was responsible. Hopefully, history will judge these three Justices as traitors to their oath, the people and the Constitution.
We have gone from a diffuse Constitutional Dictatorship to a well defined totalitarian regime with no laws. The country is now in the hands of the President of the Supreme Court Ivan Rincon. The same man who in April 2002 offered his good services to become President and replace Chavez. But he was not chosen, but came very close to playing the role of Pedro Carmona in that tragic soap opera of errors, even resigning to “facilitate the transition” after he was not picked. This sorry character will now decide when and if the full Court meets to consider the conflict. He could take months to do it. It is unclear if he was bribed, offered to be lifetime President of the Supreme Court or extortioned by the Government to act the way he has. We will probably never know.
What we do know is that this regime and its lackeys are willing to twist the law and their morals to fit whatever situation is required to preserve Hugo Chavez in power. Whether it is the recall referendum, human rights violations or jailing opponents, there is nothing that will stop them now. Ivan Rincon will now, once again, delay, postpone and manipulate. Despite his obvious bias, he will not recuse himself or morally accept to step aside. And the country will fall into an abyss of violence, because of this weak an amoral man.
The only vestige of democracy left in Venezuela is a limited ability to be critical of the Government. Limited, because the media is constantly threatened by the Government. Limited, because the government boycotts media sympathetic to the opposition, refusing to place ads in them. Limited, because reporters are constantly threatened and attacked and the precautionary measures of the Human Rights Commission of the OAS have been all ignored. Limited, because when there is repression on the streets, an inordinate number of reporters ends up injured or even dead.
So, the next step will be for the Government to shut down a TV station using any argument, using the same lack of scruples that they the Justices of the Constitutional Hall have shown in the last few days. Supporters of the Government will back the measure against these traitors who happen to be fellow Venezuelans. Opposition supporters will go out to support the media. Who knows what will happen then. Protesters will be called common criminals. Victims will be called accidents. Desaparecidos will be ignored.
In the meantime, the democratic will and rights of 3.4 million Venezuelans have been disposed of by the Electoral Board, the Supreme Court and the Government. And there is no one to restore them.
The Devil's Excrement 
Leave a comment