The Devil's Excrement

Last night I had to go and get my wife at the airport via the Avila mountain, the same one that the famous pirate Sir Walter Raleigh had to use to take over the city in the 1500’s. It was a clear night, tough road, but it worked. Imagine going from 3,000 feet up to to close to 7,000 feet high and then dropping all the way to sea level in less than an hour at 20-30 Km per hour. I think is the best option today, but I could not take pictures.It takes about an hour and a half each way and your back definitely hurts at the end.

The alternative is to take the old Caracas La Guaira highway. It may take you an hour or three depending on your luck. You can see a sequence of pictures here for that trip, to get an idea of how narrow the road is. Friend Taufpate tells the story of his experience.

Thus, we are set back fifty some years in our connection with the world. As cristina said in the comments, we do not currently even have Fedex or DHL, they are unsure as to when they will get their trucks down or up via the old highway.

Yes, this is definitely a revolution, but we have stepped back five decades into our past.I knew it was a primitive one, but never imagined how much!

I really do not believe that the opposition will have candidates in the December 2006 Presidential elections, unless the current CNE is removed and international observers are invited to follow the procedures. However, if you are a candidate, this is not the time to worry about that, the reality is that none of the candidates have any leverage today to pressure the Government into doing any of these two things.

However, if you are a candidate you may gain that leverage by announcing soon and gaining momentum. In my mind, those that have announced: Juilio Borges, William Ojeda and Roberto Smith have little chance. However, Teodoro Petkoff, who I understand will run and Manuel Rosales who according to Descifrado, has decided to run, may have a better chance. In my mind Petkoff is not very charismatic, but may be the candidate that makes Chavez the most uncomfortable.  I know Petkoff is a terrible candidate, but it may not take that much to win if things continue to deteriorate as fast as they are for the Government. Rosales may be a better candidate, but he is also more open to accusations and tricks, given that he is currently a Governor.

In both cases, they can not wait until the CNE is changed, they have to announce now and start campaigning. In Rosales’ case the price is high, he would have to resign as a Governor to run. Petkoff is freer, but he has no party structure and will have a lot of resentment thrown at him because of his extreme leftwing activities of the past.

And then there are the primaries. Yes, primaries are needed but they have to be part of a later negotiation. Not one of these candidates can accept to particiapte in a primary without knowing who the the other candidates will be. Can you honestly be part of a primary if you will not back the candidate who wins? Can you be part of a primary today, only to find out that there will be a rightwing candidate in it later? I just don’t think so.This is part of the problem with the opposition, it is too diverse to be able to agree to it. But imagine Rosales and Petkoff jump in and later see that together with Julio Borges they are the top three candiadtes. I am sure all three may agree to a primary. But also imagine Alvarez Paz or a retired military announcing, can they accept them in their primary? It does not seem reasonable in my opinion.

So, my point is that those that want to run should announce soon, start campaining and putting the pressure on the Government to change the CNE, invite international observers and  calling for a primary. That is what I would recommend a candidate to do, since I am not one. But neither am I advising anyone.

What would Rosines (Can I even use her name?) think of this?

—Caracas Mayor Juan Barreto: (Sunday):”There are no invasions in Caracas, there are urban occupations”
(Today):”I will apply all of the weight of the law (??) to the invaders”

That’s easy, no invasions, nobody to apply all of the weight of law…

—The Minister of Infrastructure: “The viaduct displaces itself 4.7 centimeters per day”

In twenty nine years it will reach the other side and problem solved..

—Peru’s President Toledo: “Chavez should respect Peru’s internal political problems…He is not the President of Latin America”

Vice-President Rangel: “Toledo’s opinions are biased by his Government’s failure”

I guess Latin America also has a Vice President

—Finance Minister Merentes: “We will buy all of the bonds that Argentina wants to sell us”

That’s what Wall Street investors did in the 90’s until they realized Argentina could not pay the almost US$ 200 billion in debt and defaulted. Investors lost their shirt. Will the Government lose our shirt?

–Hugo Chavez (El Nacional A-2): “Oligarchies have always said soldiers are dumb, gorillas, burly sargents”

Not true, this has always been the opinion of almost all Venezuelans, where do you think the term gorilla comes from?