(Este post está en español aquí)
While idiotic cheerleaders of Chavez and his empty revolution scream democracy in every corner, the actions and words of Chavez and his cronies, promote exactly the opposite of the democratic values that any civilized and free society should have.
Today it was the turn of the all powerful Minister of Energy and Mines and President of PDVSA, rabid fanatic Rafael Ramirez, who begins by confusing who is the oligarch now in this country. It is him that pushes the strings, allows the corruption, flies in jets at whim, hires family members and goes shopping in “ta barato” trips abroad. So HE is the oligarchy now, so he can talk about the opposition, but the oligarchy now is in part led by him and it even has a popular name: The Bolibourgeois.
That is the new oligarchy. The one that controls the bilions in Venezuela and pay themselves millions to boot. The one that can get you jailed either if you are viewed as an enemy, or if you are a friend that does not want to obey orders from the top. The new political Mafia that has taken politics in Venezuela to the realm of white collar crime and bandits. The ones that are slowly allowing this new class to take over the country without effort, just contacts and commissions, no real business or abilities behind them.
But beyond the misconceptions of the Minister about oligarchies, are his words. His words that are not only discriminatory, but which establish hate as a valid political position in Venezuela. No democracy can function like that. A democratic society is supposed to follow the laws, promote respect and human rights of all kinds, not hate and fanaticism as Ramirez clearly does.
His words leave no room for interpretation, PDVSA and PSUV are one, and:
“PDVSA is not only red, very red, but moreover PDVSA is with Chavez…the oligarchy has to fear us, because we hate the oligarchy..PDVSA will be here at the forefront of the revolution under the leadership of Commander Chavez. That is a reality and it is important that we assume it”
Need I say more? These are not the words of the Minister of any democratic country whose Constitution claims to defend equality and the defense of human rights. These are the words of a political bully, a hatchet man for the Dictator, a fanatic who believes the end justifies the means.
This is not new, this was the man that fired 90% of the scientists and engineers of Venezuela’s premier oil research and development center INTEVEP and still celebrates doing it. By firing them and blacklisting them at the same time, he drove them abroad, the largest contingent to Canada, where they now work for the competition. Some strategy, no? And anyone that argues that Venezuela does not need them is simply a fool, as Ramirez has doubled the number of workers at PDVSA, but production keeps dropping and investment is down to nothing.
But for Ramirez such as concepts as a more efficient PDVSA for the good of Venezuelans are not important, what matters is to insure and guarantee the permanent presence of Hugo Chavez in power, no matter what the cost. If it requires allowing corruption (Remember Maletagate?) so be it. If it requires destroying the country’s oil technology, so be it. If it requires firing more people, who cares?
Because in the end Ramirez’ trip was not even about the oligarchy. It was not about Chavez. It was about the fact that Ramirez wants the pro-Chavez union to win in the upcoming elections. Otherwise, he refuses to negotiate with the union that represents the “oligarchy”, i.e. not Chavez, if you are to believe such an oxymoronic concept. Only a feeble and fascist mind like Ramirez can believe such BS. In fact, the members of Slate 9, a pro-Chavez slate to the oil workers union told Ramirez so in no uncertain terms: “You are the enemy we have to beat…we are with the revolution, but you are causing a lot of damage to the industry and its workers… we will not allow your intromission in labor matters.”
Is it clear who is the oligarch now? Is it clear who is against democracy in Venezuela? It is clear who is helping destroy the country and its principles?
After ten years of destruction and discrimination, people are getting fed up with this mediocre and hate promoting leadership. But they continue to act as if they will be there forever.
Note added: I missed the following phrase: “Worker that is not part of a socialist committee is suspect of conspiring against the revolution”
The Devil's Excrement 
July 16, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Boston Review’s recent articles by Lomnitz and Sanchez fit really well with this theme of discrimination and hate under Chavez’s government. The authors offer a response to their earlier piece “United By Hate” (Boston Review’s July/August issue) on the website.
Check it out here: http://www.bostonreview.net/BR34.4/lomnitz_sanchez2.php
Lomnitz and Sanchez debunk some myths about Chavez’s policies and also provide the critique they say is “necessary” from the left.
July 16, 2009 at 7:11 am
El Pais (Spain):
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/narcotrafico/penetra/Venezuela/elpepuint/20090716elpepiint_1/Tes
July 16, 2009 at 7:08 am
WSJ:
http://news.google.com/news?um=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=slams+caracas+on+drugs
July 16, 2009 at 6:57 am
Hi, Gweh. Thanks for the links. It has been busy here, I will process the links in the following days and extract the basics for the mind map on Chavista corruption
July 15, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Drugs and Chavez are going to be in the news in the coming days. Here is a good backgrounder:
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=331427135557475
July 15, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Also read WSJ later on… they’re packing a wallop
Drugs are one of Chavez’ Achilles’ heels… this is indefensible.
The facts are going to come out: Plan Colombia has been neutralized by Chavez and FARC.
Today Chavez is the world’s biggest drug kingpin and that is a fact. Chavez does not have to be directly involved or even have knowledge but then how does a DC-9 with world-record cocaine load depart from Maiquetia? Ask Jesse Chacon and his concunado who ran ONA. Also ask Diosdado and his brother who ran the airport. And the list goes on….
July 15, 2009 at 6:10 pm
the full article is not appearing at time with the above links… try this one
http://www.ft.com/world/americas
or this one
http://news.google.com/news?q=Venezuela%20accused%20of%20corruption%20in%20drugs%20fight
July 15, 2009 at 6:07 pm
try again
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dc5949a6-716f-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html
July 15, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Hey Kepler, another one for you:
Venezuela accused of drug corruption by US
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dc5949a6-716f-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1
July 15, 2009 at 3:40 pm
[…] La promoción del odio y la discriminación por el no tan democrático Gobierno de Venezuela Julio 15, 2009 (This post in English here) […]
July 15, 2009 at 1:03 pm
FP,
I have no problem with these idiots calling me reactionary. I actually embrace the term. After all, I ‘react’ to the moonbats.
July 15, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Maybe not forever, but they might stick around in power for a few decades. The Soviet Union lasted a long time. Castro is still around, more or less, in Cuba.
So the thugs have good reason to think they can stay in power.
July 15, 2009 at 11:49 am
You don’t need new jails when you feel you are above the law and untouchable. I am glad that they are not upgrading their future accomodations so that when that day comes, the stark reality will be as painful as the tough love from their new cellmates.
July 15, 2009 at 11:12 am
Its unfortunate that the powers that be in Venezuela are not upgrading their current jails to be more humane or building new state of the art prisons as a lot of the present administration will be spending much time in these facilities in the near future.
As you can understand these people are not too bright or they would be taking care of their future accommodation.
This illustrates their contempt for all public/private entities whether these entities make money for them or not.
No love – no care – no nurture – no future – NO HOPE!!! This is what they would have us believe. But we ALWAYS renue ourselves so therefore we continue or we would die.
July 15, 2009 at 10:39 am
This article is in Spanish and appeared today in a Uruguayan newspaper: http://www.elpais.com.uy/09/07/15/predit_429631.asp. The title reads: “Encouraging Resentment”, and this appears to be an attitude that most so-called left-wing governments in Latin America endorse. The editorial mentions words by one of the authorities of the main syndicate in the country: “The labor union is in campaign and will not allow one single vote to go to the domineering class”. That says it all! They just command and anybody that thinks differently is called “names”, such as oligarch, neoliberal, etc. that we have allowed to be transformed into insults! And they have monopolized human rights and democracy as their values, when their actions are totally opposite to what we consider human rights and Democracy.
July 15, 2009 at 9:41 am
I agree with afraid.Most people listen to words without hearing so they are easy to fool.Pervert words, use them differently and people will follow you like sheep.
Advertising folks know this better than anyone.This is true with politics all over the world, but few places use this evil technique as much as Chavez does.
Take the word reactionary.Many thoughtful people are labeled with that term when in reality they are the opposite.The word ‘reactionary’ has been used to denigrate conservatives.Reactionaries are the knee jerks who automatically follow an ideology of any kind.
July 15, 2009 at 9:37 am
[…] Dos doble estándards más El hermano de Chávez y la no tan inocente OEA Julio 15, 2009 (This post in English here) […]
July 15, 2009 at 6:29 am
scary…not because of what he says (I’m sure he doesn’t even believe it) but because the others do believe him …