(Worse than saying that everything is going badly, is to lie on National TV saying that everything is going fine)
In the absence of good news from our beleaguered country, one has to dig below the surface to find out how the good in good news can be redefined by the revolution and/or its detractors:
–How about Rodrigo “single-digit” Cabezas, who earned his name with his predictions on Venezuela’s inflation while he was Minister of Finance, calling twice for inflation below 10%, both times coming out in the high 20%+ range. Cabezas meets with the press to deride those that are predicting 50% inflation, assuring us that it will be between 26%-30%.
What an accomplishment Rodrigo! But first, it has to get there. It is true that demand has collapsed due to the Government spending much less than expected, but it is also true that prices have yet to catch up with the devaluation and many are still repressed.
Not content with these great news, the highest inflation in the Hemisphere, Cabezas then gloats that “the people will not feel this inflation” and he praised the Venezuelan economy compared to that of Europe or that “fragile” recovery in the US economy.
Sure Rodrigo, Venezuela’s contraction is very solid as it has now lasted over six quarters of negative growth in a row, the worst record…who knows? Probably in the world, since the financial crisis began.
But to Mr. Cabezas and the revolution, this is all good news. Sure…
–And in the all important matter of the September elections, which we are told there is nothing to worry about by oppo leaders, there is the good news that even Smartmatic is threatening to pull out.
According to El Nacional, Smartmatic complained about not being paid and is saying it will not participate if it does not get paid before the elections. The company also complained against Chavez’ party PSUV, which “wants control over the electronic voting”.
I guess it must be good news if the voting machine company is worried. No?
And Lara’s formerly Chavista Governor Henri Falcón, now a member of PPT is also complaining about some 92,000 voters magically “moved” in key areas for his party.
To me worrying about the elections is good news, everyone is so sure that there will not be any slight of hand and that o know who will end up with MUD in their face, but somehow I am not sure which way the MUD will fly.
–And on the really good news part, Minister of Electric Power or whatever the name of that Ministry is or may be, Ali Rodriguez announced that the Electrical crisis is over!
Wonderful news! Except that…
Planta Centro, which was going to be ready in February is still barely running at 10% of full capacity, Sidor is still running 40-50%, there was a black out yesterday and surges today, the Aluminum companies are shut down and have no power to run their smelters, rationing at shopping centers continues.
It’s call the “New Normal“, under Chavez’ revolution, good is what used to be bad, normal is what used to be emergency, you get the picture, it is the New Revolutionary Normal. Always look for innovation under the revolution.
There you have it! Good news at last!
The Devil's Excrement 
July 17, 2010 at 10:32 am
How much do you want to bet that Chavez is going to claim that scientists did DNA tests on Bolivar’s bones, and that he himself is a direct descendant?
Only fatter?
July 17, 2010 at 1:23 am
Roy scores a bullseye. Speaking of bulls, all of Chavez’s rants are just the bull’s excrement. His only wish is absolute power, a la his idol, Fidel.
July 16, 2010 at 8:37 pm
In the movie Exorcist, the young priest tells farther Malory, that he has identified at least 7 demons possessing Reagan (Linder Blair) farther Malory replies, “there is just one”
All the theories about Hugo Chavez, what’s his agenda? Is he helping the FARK? Is he a Communist? Does he want a grand Colombia, with himself as king? All Chavez wants is to be president for life. The rest is just noise, to keep the opposition from not seeing the woods for the trees.
July 15, 2010 at 9:08 pm
I am not being sarcastic.
In general, no news from politicians is good news and countries that produce little of these are almost sure to be stable and prosperous internally, with a government that does not mess with (“social-engineers”) citizens…
…and does not mess with other countries either (“nation building”, “solidarity” and the like).
July 15, 2010 at 11:57 am
ok
July 14, 2010 at 11:38 pm
According to El Nacional, Smartmatic complained about not being paid and is saying it will not participate if it does not get paid before the elections.
This would indicate that money is really getting tight, if a friendly company is getting stiffed. Would this indicate that a fair amount of Chavista clients are not receiving their stipends these days? That may also influence the vote, as a substantial portion of the Chavista support came from those who were in it for the money. Like the Trini road march king, the Mighty Sparrow, says, No Money, No Love.
Which also explains why Thugo is setting up institutions that bypass the old ones. The new legislature may be oppo controlled, but it will be powerless.
July 14, 2010 at 8:25 pm
Business by it’s nature is speculation. After all, entrepreneurs take risks speculating that the business will make a profit. So, I should think the revolution will abolish profit. That should help the people!
July 14, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Loboferoz, I was saying with sarcasms. 🙂
Because Robolution have a very special point of view of what is normal.
From Robolution, is better do not have normal or good news from them, because thay are bad for everybody else.
For example, today, cited by El Universal, a Director of BCV, says that is normal that in controlled market only changed like 20 or 40 million dollars per day, that in the past the any other quantity more than this was speculation.
So, I presume everybody is happy in Venezuela, and very pleased, pretty full of dollars for the industrial necessities and for their vacation trips abroad. Well at least, Happy? 😉
July 14, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Gordo:
I’m beginning to think that this is not really a “revolution,” but a plan to create a Bolivarian Empire over Latinamerica with Hugo Chavez the Emperor.
Agreed. He spends a disproportionate time both on foreign affairs and on traveling abroad. Why else would he make a big stink about the Raul Reyes, the FARC #2 in command, being killed in Ecuador, a country that doesn’t even border Venezuela? Why else would he expel the US ambassador, an act shown in his Yanqui de mierda rant, over something that occurred in Bolivia?
Thugo has always looked at the big picture: Thugo controlling a swath of the world much bigger than Venezuela. While his administrative skills would fail him as the manager of a Dairy Queen- rotten food anyone?- Thugo lacks neither ambition nor ability to amass power.
July 14, 2010 at 12:16 pm
I’m beginning to think that this is not really a “revolution,” but a plan to create a Bolivarian Empire over Latinamerica with Hugo Chavez the Emperor.
This occurred to me during the spat between Cardinal Archbishop Jorge Urosa Savino (Representing the remnant of the Roman Empire), and Hugo Chavez, (Aspiring to expand the Cuban revolution, using Venezuelan oil money, and aspiring to assume Fidel’s position at the helm).
What do you all think?
July 14, 2010 at 10:25 am
A_Antonio: No news is good news.
That’s why. The Scandinavians, Swiss and many others that produce little news and little political noise and whose Presidents and Prime Ministers are unknowns, should be accounted happy.
July 14, 2010 at 9:47 am
I checked it out…it is true. Qué bolas! el cinismo!
July 14, 2010 at 9:43 am
Carlos,
Are you pulling our leg? Do they say that?
July 14, 2010 at 9:38 am
Carlos, you beat me to it. That motto is on those billboards on the highway.
silly us, what we did not know, is what kind of extraordinary.
July 14, 2010 at 9:31 am
To be happy, We have to lower our expectations about this Robolution.
Let’s say it is a good new at all, that if we have only one day with no Robolution’s news.
July 14, 2010 at 8:23 am
MO
“En Revolucion lo extraordinario se hace cotidiano”
July 14, 2010 at 7:21 am
correction …. not 1990’s but 1900’s
But you get the picture.
July 14, 2010 at 7:19 am
If you want to see where all this is heading the you already have a Cuban manual …
In the mid 1990’s Cuba had Latin America’s highest per capita consumption rates of meat, vegetables, cereals, automobiles, telephones and radios and by 1958 was a relatively well-advanced country, certainly by Latin American standards, and in some cases by world standards.
Cuban workers enjoyed some of the highest wages in the world. Cuba attracted more immigrants, primarily from Europe, as a percentage of population than the US. The United Nations noted Cuba for its large middle class. On the other hand, Cuba was affected by perhaps the largest labour union privileges in Latin America, including bans on dismissals and mechanization. They were obtained in large measure “at the cost of the unemployed and the peasants”, leading to disparities.
On December 2, 1956, a party of 82 people, led by Fidel Castro in a small boat, the Granma, landed on the shore of Cuba with the intention of establishing an armed resistance movement.
Castro’s forces entered the capital on January 8, 1959
In its first year, the new revolutionary government expropriated private property with little or no compensation.
By the end of 1960, all opposition newspapers had been closed down, and all radio and television stations were in state control. Moderates, teachers and professors were purged and about 20,000 dissenters were imprisoned.
In the 1961 New Year’s Day parade, the administration exhibited Soviet tanks and other weapons. Eventually, the tiny island nation built up the second largest armed forces in Latin America, second only to Brazil.
By 1961, hundreds of thousands of Cubans had left for the United States.
During the 1970s, Fidel Castro dispatched tens of thousands troops in support of Soviet-supported wars in Africa, particularly the MPLA in Angola and Mengistu Haile Mariam in Ethiopia. The standard of living in 1970s was “extremely spartan” and discontent was rife. Fidel Castro admitted the failures of economic policies in a 1970 speech. By the mid-1970s, Castro started economic reforms.
As of 2002, some 1.2 million persons of Cuban background (about 10% of the current population of Cuba) reside in the U.S.
….. I’ve been read this blog from the UK and feel genuine sorrow for Venezuela. I hope, some how, history can be avoided and Venezuela could blossom.
July 14, 2010 at 6:20 am
“…Ali Rodriguez announced that the Electrical crisis is over!”
Certainly not here in Margarita. We are under full blown rationing.
Oh they are calling it “maintenance” but that’s really hard to believe.
What other electric company in the world would shut off it’s clients for hours over weeks for “maintenance”.
3 times a week – 2 hours a day. Maintenance?? LOL!
This is now the second week.
Have a look at http://senecamargarita.wordpress.com/2010/07/09/plan-de-administracion-de-carga-del-12-al-17-07-2010/ & tell me if this is “maintenance”.
The thing is people grudgingly accept all this. Why are they not in the streets burning tires & bitching like hell?