It was a small opposition march. Between the threat of violence, the lack of permits, people being disouraged and the fact that not a single political party got involved, only a small group by the standard of the past four years went to the march. Curiously it felt like the first march on January 23d. 2001, exactly four years ago.
While it was tense, there was no violence, at least until the point I left. It was erie, wealking down Avenida Francisco de Miranda with the Chavistas lining the sidewalks jeering at us. The pro-Chavez march had all of the resources of the state, buses, printed posters (some absurd, see below), official cars helping out and brand new t-shirts for everyone.
To me the story from within my march, was the Chavistas on the sides as the pictures below attest.
The Government wants to make a hero out of Rodrigo Granda, Chavistas had hundrreds of well designed and printed posters like the one on the top left which says: “Rodrigo Granda the Venezuelan people make you a citizen”. The second poster on the right has Granda’s picture on it. Top middle Chavistas line the sidewalk to jeer at us. Top right, in the backgroung Chavistas, in the foreground oposition marchers.
Bottom left. another Chavista group jeers at us. Middle: Opposition lady sits on the back of a truck singing the national anthem. Bottom right: Truck with signs saying they belong to the urban guerilla Tupamaro group, waits on the sidelines for the opposition march to end. Note that these guys cover their faces even when they go to the pro-Chavez marches.
The Devil's Excrement 
Leave a comment