The Devil's Excrement

-In 1980 Venezuela and Mexico had export levels that were similar,
roughly US$ 20 billion in exports, mostly oil. Twenty five years later
Mexico exports are expected to be between US$ 222 to 240 billion a year+, of which barely 11% is oil,
Venezuela on the other hand will export around US$ 45 billion, still
mostly oil.

-In 1980, Mexico’s GDP was US$ 4130, Venezuela’s was US$3580. In 2004 Venezuela’s was US$ 5800, Mexico’s US$ 9600.

-In 1987, the market capitalization (Worth of all stocks that trade in
it) of the Mexican Bolsa and the Venezuelan Stock Market were roughly
the same: US$ 10 billion. Today, the Mexican market is close to US$ 164
billion, while the Venzuelan Stock Market capitalization is less than
US$ 5 billion.

–Despite not believing in free trade, the Chavez Admisnitration will
send a delegation of 130 people to the WTO meeting in Hong Kong.
Curiously, the only expert in the Foreign Minsitry on the subject is
not going.

–Lost in the shuffle on Sunday, Chavez said that Venezuela had no use
for the Andean Pact of which Venezuela is an integral part. The Andean
Pact has been very good for trade, increasing it by a factor of three
in the last 15 years between all the countries. However, Venezuela has
had trouble competing with manufactured products versus Colombia and
Peru. Can Venezuela compete better with Argentina and Brazil?

+I had earlier used the number quoted by Fox on CNN yesterday, I have
corrected it to reflect the Mexican Government’s projection (US$ 222
billion) and a Wall Street Broker (US$ 240 billion) that I have a paper
report for.

Slowing down the Law of the Jungle, The Venezuelan Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the Government had to suspend the exprpriation of the Polar silos in Barinas state. As described here
in late September the Governor of Barinas State who happens to be
Chavez’ father, expropriated the plant without following any of the
legal procedures established in the law. Of course, they can now go
back and do things right to satisfy the Court, but at least they will
have to follow the procedures established in the Constitution for
expropriating something, which includes the National Assembly
declaring it a public utility and paying compensation.

You have to love the revolution and its “accomplishments”. Today, Globovision reported
that “Venezuelan scientists initiated the operation of the first plant
for the production of blood derivatives, among which one may highlight
human albumin”…Yeap! They initiated it before Chavez even got to
power. In fact, it may have been before Chavez even decided to join democracy and become a candidate*!

You see, a person I know extremelly, extremely well, was on the
Board of
that company for six years until exactly a year ago and the company had
been
producing albumin since before that person was on the Board, that would
make it eight years total, or at least more than one year before Chavez
won his first election. As I recall, we used to laugh because President
Luis
Herrera Campins (1979-1984), held ceremonies to begin the construction
of that plant twice in his Presidential period.

I guess Governements past and present don’t have a sense of the ridicule,
to claim they either started someting or accomplished something. The
more things change the more they stay the same in our beleagured
country and I am not even going to argue about the fact that this was
not a scientific project, but a technological project as there was
nothing “new” involved, just the implementation of well known processes
and techniques.But I guess science under the revolution has little show
other than the Intevep genocide.

*Chavez staged a coup and supported a second one in 1992 and was
calling for the overthrow of the elected democratic Government of
Venezuela until 1997, when he was convinced by Luis Miquilena that he
could win the election.

Teodoro Petkoff, founder of the Socialist Party (MAS) and Editor of Tal Cual, never signs the Editorials he writes, but given the personal attack by the Prosecutor General Isaias Rodriguez, yesterday’s Editorial did carry his signature:

The Prosecutor General at the edge of a nervous breakdown by Teodoro Petkoff in Tal Cual

The best
demonstration that Isaias Rodriguez, the Prosecutor General, has lost it and
should resign is given to us by the childish insult he sent me last week.
Leaving aside the tortuous manner of the offense-in which even a cardboard
psychiatrist like Geovanny Vasquez de Armas would find no major difficulties in finding dark
passages in the personality of Isaias Rodriguez with interesting evidence about
his sexual orientation, but that of course, is of no interest to anyone nor
pertains to the exercise of his position-, what really matters is that Isaias Rodríguez
does not have the stature to continue to hold the high investiture of Prosecutor
and Attorney General of the Republic.

Serious psychiatrists
have told me that Isaias is at the edge of a nervous breakdown.

On TV he
appears overwhelmed by stress and, for his health as well as for that of the
country, he should hand over the position.

The Prosecutor General’s office has handled the Danilo Anderson case
in a somewhat pitiful way. It has been a year of contradictory postures and
movements forward and backwards that have culminated with the presentation as
witness of a psychopath, whose identity the Prosecutor’s office – the nth
evidence of its incompetence- did not even take the precaution of verifying. .

Isaias Rodriguez is a public servant that can not consider
himself to be above criticism. Least of all when his handling of the case has
been tinted with errors and clumsiness that we do have a reason to complain
about.

His frequent discourteous reactions, sliding
into the terrain of the most primitive personal attacks, speak of an inadmissible
intellectual indigence in a public servant that is in charge of a position as
demanding which is as that of Prosecutor and Attorney General of the Republic.

An emotionally disequilibrated person lacks the discretion
to run the public ministry

The only dignified path he has in the face of this is his resignation

Teodoro Petkoff

(picture taken from Tal Cual)

So,
yesterday President Chavez proceeded to insult Mexican President
Vicente Fox, escalating the friction between the two countries to
unparalleled levels and inducing both countries to recall their
respective Ambassadors and de facto breaking relations between the two
countries. Curiously Venezuela breaks relations with the Latin American country that has maintained relations with Cuba for the longest time since Fidel Castro assumed power forty seven years ago.

Yesterday’s words by Chavez were once again personal insults against Fox, repeating those that Chavez had made a few days ago. Then, in a nationwide speech Chavez called Fox “a puppy of the US”, who was left “bleeding through his wounds” at the Mar del Plata summit and “was giving himself up to the US”. The new insults
repeated the charge that Fox was bleeding through his wounds and Chavez
threatened Fox directly using a local song saying essentially: “if you
start trouble with me, I will prickle you”

Chavez personalized the attacks both times, making it impossible for the Mexican Government not to react. The first time around Mexico, via its Foreign Minister, called for an explanation of Chavez’ first statements, which Venezuela’s Foreign Minister justified saying
that Chavez was responding to Fox attacks. Sadly, it was Chavez that
personalized things, Fox was careful all the time not to mention names
and what he said was
that countries had a choice and those that opposed the free trade
agreement of the Americas, did not have to join it, but did not need to
stop those who did from joining it. He concluded that the free trade
pact was simply inevitable.

In fact, it was Chavez that was defeated in the Mar del Plata Summit, as he arrived in Argentina for the People’s Summit saying that he was there to bury the free trade agreement of the Americas (ALCA in Spanish). By the end of the Summit, a topic that was not part of the agenda became one, it actually forced a headcount as Venezuela
and four of the Mercosur countries objected the mention of ALCA, while
Fox pushed for it to be explicitly included. When no agreement on the
wording became possible and Venezuela even said that its Constitution was being violated, then a divisive paragraph, forced by Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay
was included in the final declaration. But in the end the headcount was
clear: 28 countries were for ALCA, four want concessions before they
join and one, Venezuela, was alone in its total objection to the treaty. Its intolernace had forced the unexpecetd conclusion of the summit.

By
the weekend, we were hearing different reports from the Mexicans and
the Venezuelans as to the talks between the two countries. The message
from Mexico was that things had cooled down, but the situation was still mixed; from Caracas
the message was that differences were ironed out and things were just
peachy. But those that expected this to escalate knew that Chavez’s
Sunday program would be crucial, he would either ignore the issue
altogether, send some sort of peace sign or, our favorite: simply
escalate.

Escalation
seemed in order to those that saw the first attack as being purposeful
and carefully planned and simply a result of Chavez’ intolerance.
Indeed, fellow blogger Daniel of Venezuela News and Views had noted the speed and efficiency with which the Ministry of Information had posted the
attack on Fox, almost live simultaneoulsy with Chavez nationwide
speech, picture included! Thus, this seemed to have been carefully
orchestrated.

Obviously, the question is why? Was it simply resentment because of the defeat in Mar del Plata? Or was the attack aimed at helping Ciudad de Mexico’s Mayor Lopez Obrador? Or was it some different motive?

We suspect the explanation lies in an effort by Chavez and his buddy Castro in dividing Latin America
on the issue. While most Governments in the region want free trade,
they can not, and do not want to align themselves directly with the US. Chavez’ attacks appear to be a much focused effort at identifying Fox with the US
and trying to create the impression that if you are with ALCA you are
with Bush. We do not think that Lula of Brazil supports this effort,
but Argentina’s President may also sympathize with it.

The Lopez Obrador theory does not appear to hold water at this time. Lopez Obrador came out immediately
in Fox’s defense last week so it would not have made much sense to
continue the attack on Fox at this time. Moreover, polls reveal that
Mexicans do not have such a positive image of our President, so that
siding with Chavez may not be the best strategy for Lopez Obrador at
this time.

The
incident has revealed somewhat to the outside world how Chavez likes to
manipulate facts and people to fit his goals and how intolerant he can
be. Today the Foreign Minister in recalling the Venezuelan Ambassador blamed Fox for everything,
reaching the ridiculous level of saying that it was Fox that made the
free trade agreement part of the Mar Del Plata Summit. In fact, it was
Chavez that did, saying he was there to bury the free trade pact upon his arrival in Argentina.

The
world has also seen how Chavez can personalize what should be high
levels discussions, using language unbecoming of a statesman and even
language that is not fit for kids to hear or polite for people to use.
How Chavez and his Government are absolutely intolerant of dissent, how
things have to follow his own autocratic way. How no discussions are
allowed. How those that were at one time with him have been left aside, when they objected to any action by the Government. This
is the form of Government of an intolerant administration, led by an
autocrat that passed a bill to “make sure” the media was upheld to the
highest standards, but which is nothing but a tool of censorship. But
he can not control foreign Governments or the international media in
the same fashion. Unless they need aid and Mexico happens to have oil
and not need help as much as other countries.

As Chavez attempts to export now his so called and failed “revolution”, people have begun to notice these facts. In Venezuela we
have been trying to tell our story for almost five years. Maybe those
abroad will notice it more now that he is applying the same tactics of
disqualifying and attacking those that simply disagree with him. It is
simply called intolerance. And Chavez, a former miltary, is an expert
at that.

–Venezuelan Foreign Minister rejects Mexico’s ultimatum as an aggression against Venezuela

–Venezuela blames Fox for this impasse

–It was Fox that began the aggression.

–Venezuela removes its Ambassador from México

After yesterday’s statement by President Chavez in his Sunday’s program Alo Presidente, the Mexican Foreign Minister essentially threatened to withdraw its Ambassador
tomorrow unless an apology is forthcoming in the next 24 hours.
Yesterday Chavez used a phrase from Florentino and the Devil, a
Venezuelan musical piece, in which a man argues with the Devil all
night. In this piece, one part says something like “if you start
trouble with me, I can prick you”.

For the last few days we have heard from the Venezuelan Foreign
Minister and Venezuela’s Ambassador to Mexico that the conflict between
the two countries had been ironed out, but the tone from Mexico was
still one of concern. Withdrawing its Ambassador is a de facto breaking
of relations between the two countries.

Somehow,
the Prosecutor General gets the best of me. I find the things he says
so outrageous, that I just react viscerally to them. The other day it
was his claim that he was being very “coherent” about the Anderson
case, today it is his claim that his only witness, the one that
Colombian intelligence police says was in jail, is a false
psychiatrist, member of the paramilitary and was in jail for identity
theft, is not a crook, according to our wonderful Prosecutor General.

Imagine, a guy capable of smuggling 12 kilos (26.45 pounds) of C4, according to his own testimony, of
the powerful, high velocity explosive, is considered to be by our own
Prosecutor General a stand up citizen, a “good” guy, but certainly not
a crook or a delinquent, in the words of the man anointed in by the
empty revolution to defend the law.

But
I guess that I am not the only one that gets irked by the Prosecutor
General, as Tal Cual Editor Teodoro Petkoff continues to blast him in
his Editorials. For Petkoff it is somewhat personal, as the Prosecutor
General Isaias Rodriguez was a friend and member of his party
Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) from its birth. Isaias took the time to
snipe back at Petkoff yesterday in terms that are to me quite
inappropriate for a man holding an office as important as his. Said Isaias:
“I want to tell Teodoro that I am not going to marry him, to please
stop all that love with me. I don’t like men. For a long time he has
been devoting an inordinate amount of Editorials to me”

Meanwhile, showing their utmost stupidity the leaders’ of Chavez’ party MVR, automatically disqualify the information coming from Colombian intelligence services about the star witness in the Anderson
case. For them “it is a plan by Colombian oligarchy against the
Venezuelan Government, directed by President Bush”. They fail to note
that the Prosecutor’s office failed to contact the Colombian
intelligence agency to check on the credentials or even existence of
their now star witness, but they provide instant solidarity to the
Prosecutor General, which by the way should be an office which is
independent of the Government, as its most important and basic mandate
is very simple to uphold the law. But this is the silly revolution.

Oh yes, I was almost forgetting that our esteemed Prosecutor General claims
the Colombian paramilitary are out to murder him. He never explains why
he is the target, but I guess we do not have the grandiose image of
himself that he clearly holds.

To
complete the post, Petkoff’s Editorial in Tal Cual. Even before I read
it I was quite sure I was not only going to translate, but how could I
miss posting the picture accompanying it of Agent Smart talking into
his shoe:

The Super Witness by Teodoro Petkoff in Tal Cual

Well,
now the cat has jumped into the sink! It so happens that according to
the Colombian DAS (Intelligence Agency), the man that “saw, heard,
touched, smelled and tasted it”, the super witness of Isaias is a guy
with “a penal record in the Colombian Prosecutor’s office for the
crimes of identity theft, swindle and use of false documents”

The
key man of Isaias, according to DAS, is thus, a charlatan, a swindler
and probably mitomanous. The guy, says the DAS, “was detained in 1999
for making believe he was a medical psychiatrist”. The same fib that he
told Isaias who swallowed it whole.

In all of this,
what amazes the most is the incredible ineptitude of the Prosecutor’s
Office. Not taking even the smallest precaution of finding out in Colombia
who the guy is, borders on mental retardation. People like Isaias are
the ones that always fall for the old trick of the “fake money swindle”.

Any
competent charlatan could have tricked the. That neither DAS nor the
Colombian Foreign Ministry have received “any requirement for the
Venezuelan authorities” is simply astonishing. All of the Venezuelan
media have been looking for , from the first moment, information in Colombia, but the Prosecutor’s office did not even think of doing it. My God, in whose hands are we!

Besides the fact that a single testimony does not constitute proof, that an accusation of the gravity
like the ones he made, can be faked-if the DAS is correct- on the bases
of a charlatan, of a swindler, whose personality was never verified, it
practically leaves the case hanging fromm a string.

The only thing missing is for the Prosecutor’s Office to present Super Agent 86 as a witness to the Court.

Alter a ridicule of this magnitude, Isaias Rodríguez will have to seriously consider his resignation. It is a matter of decorum.

Unless
he prefers to resort to, to analyze his case, the professional services
of Doctor Giovanni Vasquez De Armas (the name of the super witness),
the famous Colombian psychiatrist.

Abuse of Power, Corruption, Misuse of Funds, Mismanagement, Wasting
Public Funds, Misapropiation of Funds, Violation of Electoral Laws,
Lack of Transparency, Absence of Ethical Values, Dishonesty…In any
other country this would cause an outrage, this money could be used for
better purposes, rather than this self-serving, self-promoting, misuse of public property..

Only the empty revolution can show so much in a single picture!

(Thanks Tupa for the picture in ND)