If anyone had any doubts that Diosdado Cabello is the de facto successor, the recent water wars between Chavismo and the Governor of Monagas state, José Gregorio Briceño, whose nickname is “The Cat”. You see, the central Government and PDVSA have tried their utmost at covering up their incompetence in handling the big oil spill into a Monagas river. You see that river is the one that provides the city of Maturin with water and the citizens have put up with no water since the Feb. 4th. oil spill, a true disaster for Chavez’ PSUV on an electoral year.
Thus, the central Government has been pushing for the water to be turned on, but Briceño has refused to allow water to be pumped, because it believes that it is still highly contaminated. But Briceño’s true sin, was to suggest that this is just an attempt to get rid of him as Governor and that heir apparent Cabello is behind the whole thing. And no sooner that you could say Godgiven, Briceño was kicked out by Diosdado and Chavez said from Cuba he agreed with the idea.
Briceño was never true rojo-rojito. He was more of an independent, but so popular, that Chavismo knew that they would lose the Governorship if they did not ask him to be the candidate for PSUV, instead of his party which is colorfully called “Mi Gato”.
But Chavismo is worried about leaders jumping ship at this delicate juncture and could not tolerate dissent.
By now, even the Minister of the Environment, who had treated Briceño well, has joined the attack, suggesting that either Briceño turns on the water or the central Government will expropriate the Monagas water system. The mode continues to be one of denial, nothing much happened, it’s all fake, and just another opposition plot to make the Government look bad.
You have to give it to the opposition, imagine how hard it must have been to paint the kids dark in the picture above to manipulate the news.
Politically, all that matters to Chavismo is the Presidential election in October. While “El Gato” was important before, they can get rid of him and send the signal that dissent will not be allowed. And if express dissent, Diosdado, the heir apparent, will deal with you.
These cat and water fights are getting very interesting…
The Devil's Excrement 