Observations focused on the problems of an underdeveloped country, Venezuela, with some serendipity about the world (orchids, techs, science, investments, politics) at large. A famous Venezuelan, Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo, referred to oil as the devil's excrement. For countries, easy wealth appears indeed to be the sure path to failure. Venezuela might be a clear example of that.
I have been told to spread the word that US consulates are asking registered voters to show their visa in their passport as proof of residence in order to vote. Thus my dear friends: Don’t forget to bring your passport to vote, anywhere in the world!
A public service announcement from your friendly blogger!
You can download many images for the “Si” from webpage sipublisi. Use them to make pamphlets, leaflets, t-shirts, whatever you want, they are good and they are free. Si!
Above, two of my favorites.
Minister of Interior and Justice, Lucas Rincon, best remembered for his words in April 2002: “The President was asked to resign and he accepted it”, said yesterday:
“Los indicios que manejamos, y provienen de los organismos de inteligencia, me hacen pensar en que puede existir la probabilidad de hechos violentos antes, durante y después del referéndum”
or
“The indications we are handling and are coming from intelligence organizations, make me think that there is a probability of violent acts before, during and alter the referendum”
His intelligence turned out to be right when minutes later Chavistas attacked opposition groups in Plaza La Candelaria. Let’s see if he does anything about it now!
Minister of Interior and Justice, Lucas Rincon, best remembered for his words in April 2002: “The President was asked to resign and he accepted it”, said yesterday:
“Los indicios que manejamos, y provienen de los organismos de inteligencia, me hacen pensar en que puede existir la probabilidad de hechos violentos antes, durante y después del referéndum”
or
“The indications we are handling and are coming from intelligence organizations, make me think that there is a probability of violent acts before, during and alter the referendum”
His intelligence turned out to be right when minutes later Chavistas attacked opposition groups in Plaza La Candelaria. Let’s see if he does anything about it now!
Minister of Interior and Justice, Lucas Rincon, best remembered for his words in April 2002: “The President was asked to resign and he accepted it”, said yesterday:
“Los indicios que manejamos, y provienen de los organismos de inteligencia, me hacen pensar en que puede existir la probabilidad de hechos violentos antes, durante y después del referéndum”
or
“The indications we are handling and are coming from intelligence organizations, make me think that there is a probability of violent acts before, during and alter the referendum”
His intelligence turned out to be right when minutes later Chavistas attacked opposition groups in Plaza La Candelaria. Let’s see if he does anything about it now!
This article from today’s Tal Cual should be read by all foreign leftists who sympathize with Chavez and think they understand what he stands for andwhat is happening in Venezuela:
The “Si” of the left
By Demetrio Boersner
The Venezuelan left, conformed by its more important social and political groups, is firmly aligned with all of the other forces that defend freedom, within the Democratic Coordinator, in its fight for the victory of the “Si” in the recall referendum next August 15th. Besides the “adeco” social democrats, who stand to the left of center within a relatively moderate position, the progressive wing of the Coordinadora encompasses the parties Alianza al Bravo Pueblo, Bandera Roja, Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS), Solidaridad and Union. It also includes Causa R, a popular workers party.
It also counts with the backing of the Venezuelan Confederation of Workers (CTV) which continues to be recognized internationally as the largest and most representative union group of the Venezuelan working class, despite the failed efforts of the regime to counterbalance it with a Government sponsored union organization with the right to be recognized.
With a progressive and popular wing of such dimension and quality, the Coordinadora Democrática denies with facts the fake idea, spread across the whole world by the billionaire campaign of Chavismo, that it only represents the burgeois, the middle class and other “privileged” groups
Fortunately, there are few groups and individuals within the labor movement and of the inetrnational left that allow their brains to be washed by the propaganda of the Venezuelan militaristic populism. The International Federation of Free Union Organizations (CIOSL), almost all of the International Secretariats of Professional Unions, the workers confederations of the main industrial countries of the world and the union leaders of the Social Forum of Porto Alegre have condemned the “caudillismo chavista”. Eminent spokesmen of the international anti-globalization movement, such as Naomi Klein, have deplored any surge of veneration towards “great leaders” within the new left.
The International socialist organization and its member parties are faithful to the true teachings of its founders and classical thinkers, in the sense that all Bonapartist populism is a worse enemy for the workers that any conservative regime or liberal-Manchesterian regime that respects political freedom. With even greater vehemence, those classic thinkers condemned all authoritarian deformations, personalist and volunteerist within the labor movement.
National and internationally, today, the same as yesterday, the true left says “SI’ to revoking the presidential mandate of Hugo Chavez Frias.
Two years ago I started this blog as a curiosity and as an experiment, it has become a commitment. This was my second or third post, trying to describe what was happening in Venezuela:
Banana Republic 101 Part II: A fable in 4,5 maybe six Acts: Too many bananas or not enough republic? Act I
Imagine a far away country, let’s call it Little Venice, the economy is growing at a 10.5% clip after many years of little growth, but most politicians dislike the President. One night in February, four lowly colonels attempt a coup. Their plan is to establish a militaristic regime to redistribute wealth. On the first day they plan to have trials of all politicians, will eliminate the Constitution and expand their revolution to the whole Continent. Fortunately, while three of the colonels succeed with their military objectives, the fourth one, let’s call him Victor, fails when he holes up in an apparent act of cowardice.
Victor is the only one of the four colonels to appear on TV that night to call on all his co-conspirators to give up the fight. All four are jailed and pardoned three years later by the new President.
Of the four colonels, one dies, another one, call him Pancho, becomes a Government official and later runs for Governor. Victor goes around the country calling for a people’s revolt and speaking against democracy. Suddenly, two years later, he decides to run for President. One year before the elections, the front runner is a former Miss Universe turned politician, followed by an eighty year old politician. As election time approaches, the Miss Universe drops sharply in the polls, the old politician is not doing well and a former Governor let’s call him Henri is the only threat to Victor’s chances. Two weeks before the elections, the other two candidates drop out, turning their votes to Henri. Victor wins easily with 56.2% of the vote with Henri a distant second with 39.97%. The rest don’t even count. Victor celebrates his victory as crowds gather to cheer him. Seems like a happy ending.
Right now we are looking for our own happy ending. It seems like it has been longer than two years, it has been a lot of work, but it also has been quite gratifying to see so many people interested in what I have to say. This is what bloggers have in common, we think we have something to say. I do hope we have a happy ending and my audience decreases as I write about more mundane and boring subjects. Thank you all for your attention!
Two years ago I started this blog as a curiosity and as an experiment, it has become a commitment. This was my second or third post, trying to describe what was happening in Venezuela:
Banana Republic 101 Part II: A fable in 4,5 maybe six Acts: Too many bananas or not enough republic? Act I
Imagine a far away country, let’s call it Little Venice, the economy is growing at a 10.5% clip after many years of little growth, but most politicians dislike the President. One night in February, four lowly colonels attempt a coup. Their plan is to establish a militaristic regime to redistribute wealth. On the first day they plan to have trials of all politicians, will eliminate the Constitution and expand their revolution to the whole Continent. Fortunately, while three of the colonels succeed with their military objectives, the fourth one, let’s call him Victor, fails when he holes up in an apparent act of cowardice.
Victor is the only one of the four colonels to appear on TV that night to call on all his co-conspirators to give up the fight. All four are jailed and pardoned three years later by the new President.
Of the four colonels, one dies, another one, call him Pancho, becomes a Government official and later runs for Governor. Victor goes around the country calling for a people’s revolt and speaking against democracy. Suddenly, two years later, he decides to run for President. One year before the elections, the front runner is a former Miss Universe turned politician, followed by an eighty year old politician. As election time approaches, the Miss Universe drops sharply in the polls, the old politician is not doing well and a former Governor let’s call him Henri is the only threat to Victor’s chances. Two weeks before the elections, the other two candidates drop out, turning their votes to Henri. Victor wins easily with 56.2% of the vote with Henri a distant second with 39.97%. The rest don’t even count. Victor celebrates his victory as crowds gather to cheer him. Seems like a happy ending.
Right now we are looking for our own happy ending. It seems like it has been longer than two years, it has been a lot of work, but it also has been quite gratifying to see so many people interested in what I have to say. This is what bloggers have in common, we think we have something to say. I do hope we have a happy ending and my audience decreases as I write about more mundane and boring subjects. Thank you all for your attention!
Two years ago I started this blog as a curiosity and as an experiment, it has become a commitment. This was my second or third post, trying to describe what was happening in Venezuela:
Banana Republic 101 Part II: A fable in 4,5 maybe six Acts: Too many bananas or not enough republic? Act I
Imagine a far away country, let’s call it Little Venice, the economy is growing at a 10.5% clip after many years of little growth, but most politicians dislike the President. One night in February, four lowly colonels attempt a coup. Their plan is to establish a militaristic regime to redistribute wealth. On the first day they plan to have trials of all politicians, will eliminate the Constitution and expand their revolution to the whole Continent. Fortunately, while three of the colonels succeed with their military objectives, the fourth one, let’s call him Victor, fails when he holes up in an apparent act of cowardice.
Victor is the only one of the four colonels to appear on TV that night to call on all his co-conspirators to give up the fight. All four are jailed and pardoned three years later by the new President.
Of the four colonels, one dies, another one, call him Pancho, becomes a Government official and later runs for Governor. Victor goes around the country calling for a people’s revolt and speaking against democracy. Suddenly, two years later, he decides to run for President. One year before the elections, the front runner is a former Miss Universe turned politician, followed by an eighty year old politician. As election time approaches, the Miss Universe drops sharply in the polls, the old politician is not doing well and a former Governor let’s call him Henri is the only threat to Victor’s chances. Two weeks before the elections, the other two candidates drop out, turning their votes to Henri. Victor wins easily with 56.2% of the vote with Henri a distant second with 39.97%. The rest don’t even count. Victor celebrates his victory as crowds gather to cheer him. Seems like a happy ending.
Right now we are looking for our own happy ending. It seems like it has been longer than two years, it has been a lot of work, but it also has been quite gratifying to see so many people interested in what I have to say. This is what bloggers have in common, we think we have something to say. I do hope we have a happy ending and my audience decreases as I write about more mundane and boring subjects. Thank you all for your attention!
Another cute parody of an ad going around the Internet. On August 15th. you decide what you drink:
Unknown Feed
The Devil's Excrement 
