Chavez and Judge Aponte^2 in better times for both
The Government continues to try to distance itself from the Aponte^2 case and make it go away, but it is finding it hard to do and the more things are said, the worse it seems to become. This is the type of issue that Chavez would have coordinated rather well a couple of years back, but his absence and attention to other matters, is now noticable when things like this happen.
The initial reaction seems to have been to depict Aponte^2 as some sort of opposition crook, when Aponte^2 had sterling revolutionary credentials, down to the military uniform he left behind, his unorthodox path to the Supreme Court and the many honors and Presidential hugs he received.
And Chavez may argue that the revolution got rid of Aponte^2, but it really didn’t. Aponte^2’s relationship to Makled has been hanging in the air for a couple of years and all that the revolutionary Government really did was to get rid of him as a member of the Supreme Court, using the seldom convened Moral Council to impeach him.
But the process simply ended there. The General Prosecutor did not charge him with crimes. There was no order to stop him from leaving the country. The DEA did not help Aponte^2 escape like some Government spokesmen want us to believe, he just left.
And Chavez tried to disregard the news as not being very important, calling Aponte^2 a “criminal”, which he is, but it was a criminal that Chavez personally brought to the highest levels of Venezuela’s Supreme Court because he was a loyal former revolutionary and, even more importantly, a former military officer, loyal to the very end. Aponte^2 was really a creature of the revolution, like so many around.
And Chavez really screwed up when he brought up the case of Antonini and Maletagate. This flagrant case was never investigated in Venezuela and the record in the US trial shows that the Head of Intelligence told Antonini that Chavez personally had authorized paying him to keep him silenced.
And Chavez somehow tried to make a parallel between the two cases, saying Antonini was also a crook. Yes, another special purpose crook, made and created for and by the revolution.
But if there is a mystery in all this, is that the only person that attended the supposed meetings at the Presidential Palace on Fridays that has spoken out was Vice President Jaua, who did not address the issue, but simply spoke to disqualify Aponte^2. But we have yet to hear from either the President of the Venezuelan Supreme Court or the General Prosecutor, both of which Aponte^ 2 accused of participating in these meetings. Could it be because they want to make sure Aponte^2 shows no proof of this, as has been reported in the media he will or did?
In fact, the Government would have been better off making noise, calling for a full investigation, instead of calling for a silly proclamation by the Assembly “rejecting” Aponte^s statements or bringing up some vaporous accusation that two opposition Governors have been laundering money.
The circus is not working, because the crooks were created by the owner of the circus, Hugo Chavez, but everyone knows they worked for the circus and they would have never gotten there on their own merits. They had none.
The Devil's Excrement 
April 28, 2012 at 11:41 am
In drugs, cash is king.
Kill some, and others will sidle in.
It’s also a high risk business.
Make Venezluela productive,
and drugs will become small potatoes.
Destroy the country’s factories and farms.
and easy money will keep flourishing.
But for now, the eggs lead to the omelet,
And the omelet’s being eaten in the highest
strata of today’s political infrastructure.
April 28, 2012 at 10:54 am
“Los sucesos que están ocurriendo presagian graves peligros para Venezuela. Todo indica que el Estado ha sido secuestrado por una pandilla cívico militar de narcotraficantes”
Translated:
The events that are happening foretell serious dangers for Venezuela. Everything indicates that the State has been kidnapped by a military civic gang of narcotics traffickers.
April 28, 2012 at 11:09 am
This is from the article link posted by VJ above.
The article- also mentions links to Cuban intelligence and
Cuban military operating within Venezuela.
I certainly hope Capriles gets rid of these nightmares
that Chavez loves so much.
April 30, 2012 at 9:59 am
Capriles will wish them away….seriously, they own the farm and trust me, will not hand it back just like that. So start figuring out what to do
April 27, 2012 at 8:41 pm
The war between the rojo-rojito drug cartels has begun…!
Just take a look at the following article written today by General (r) Carlos Peñaloza: “Who was General Wilmer Moreno?”
http://www.noticierodigital.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=861219
April 28, 2012 at 10:39 am
VJ, Thanks for pointing it out.
The UREA is the jugular point.
Take that from the trafficers,
and Ojos Bonitos is in the driver’s seat
April 28, 2012 at 4:23 pm
This article leaves me with immense sadness, not only because of its content, but because it is written by one who has seen much, over the years. That there are drug undercurrents in the nation is no surprise. What is horrifying is to think that, in over a decade, the government has engineered to distract collective attentions from the great denominator: turning the country into a major drug distributor. It’s what best explains the ineptness of national leadership, the loss of thousands of venezuelan lives, the mockery towards rule of law, the mismanagement of natural resources, and the spewings by forced broadcasting, to name just a few.
May this airing of dirty laundry protect retired Gen. Carlos Peñaloza. Time will tell.
April 27, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Very generous.
Entregan recursos a la Avec por 1.261 millones
ND.- La ministra de Educación, Mariam Hanson, entregó este viernes recursos económicos a la Asociación Venezolana de Educación Católica (Avec) por un monto de mil 261 millones de bolívares.
La presidente del Avec, sor Nubia Marín, agradeció al presidente Hugo Chávez y a la ministra Hanson por haber entendido “que la mejor inversión que puede hacer un gobernante es la educación (pues con educación) se transforma un país”. Dijo: “Donde hay una escuela, hay esperanza y hay paz”.
April 27, 2012 at 3:40 pm
Trying to buy his way into Heaven–too little, way too late!!!
April 27, 2012 at 4:03 pm
I believe the church still runs a few crammers.
April 27, 2012 at 12:10 pm
If the state had busted Aponte after the state removed this lying and crooked judge from his seat on the court, the irrational bourgeois-led opposition would have howled, growled, and barked “Scapegoat.! Bust the other crooks, too!”
Almost everybody was … and still is … sniveling about the existence of multiple defendants in addition to Aponte.
How were prosecutors and police to complete an investigation of this magnitude in less than a month or, in other words, between March 20 (the judge’s removal) and April 17 ( his arrival in Miami)?
Not even a crack taskforce composed of Mosad and the “glorious” FBI could have done an investigation with such brevity.
April 27, 2012 at 2:07 pm
???
Do you that there was enough evidence to remove him from office, but not enough evidence to simultaneously charge him?
Huh???
April 27, 2012 at 4:07 pm
To remove this lying crook from his seat on the supreme court took only five hours in open and executive legislative sessions. Neither the president of the National Assembly nor deputies of the Assembly are respectively a judge or a jury in a meaningful sense based on ordinary criminal proceedings.
Indeed, judicial impeachment is not even a criminal proceeding.
To convict this crook in ordinary criminal proceedings may take a trial that lasts weeks or even months, not just five hours.
Investigations in support of summary proceedings (like judicial impeachments) are different from investigations in support of ordinary criminal prosecutions which follow rules of evidence and rules of criminal procedure.
In other words, summary proceedings are not the same thing as ordinary proceedings.
Since there are so many complications in ordinary cases, prosecutors should not impetuously began ordinary prosecutions based on summary evidence.
April 27, 2012 at 4:51 pm
“Since there are so many complications in ordinary cases, prosecutors should not impetuously began ordinary prosecutions based on summary evidence.” Justice Afiuni must be laughing to stop herself from crying if she reads this.
April 27, 2012 at 3:25 pm
“Almost everybody was…and still is…sniveling about multiple defendants in addition to Aponte.” Name me ONE sniveling Chavista who is “sniveling”!!! “How were prosecutors and police to complete an investigation…”–Why, that’s easy, the Chief Prosecutor has already said she can’t investigate Aponte because he isn’t in the country–i. e., you can commit a crime, but if you skip you’re home free–That’s Venezuelan justice Chavez-style, UNLESS, you’re in the Opposition. Anyway, there was no investigation started before he skipped since he was going to be taken care of more expeditiously and with less notoriety.
April 27, 2012 at 4:49 pm
As you know, naming people is a tough challenge.
The judge and the drug dealer … who is now in a Venezuelan jail … point their fingers at certain Venezuelan government officials and at certain DEA agents as “multiple defendants.”
You can find out the names of the DEA agents, if you really want to know.
The DEA has the Venezuelan judge, but DEA doesn’t have the Venezuelan drug dealer.
The dealer will likely name DEA agents who were for years the dealer’s associates in drug dealing.
And, these DEA agents will as usual reply that they associated with drug dealer in order to learn about his operation, solely for the enlightenment of the DEA.
Reactionaries naturally will believe DEA agents.
April 27, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Can you please elaborate? Makled was located and captured in Colombia by US DEA ( not the Colombians as they want you to believe). Makled sang like a bird. We don’t know the real reason why USGOV Eric holder passed on Makled but it’s starting to look like a good call. Your second-third paragraphs confusing
April 27, 2012 at 6:18 pm
“Can you please elaborate? Makled was located and captured in Colombia by US DEA ( not the Colombians as they want you to believe).”
In this case, I believe as the Colombians want us to believe. I also believe the DEA did everything it could to prevent the location, captured and US extradition of this drug dealer.
You shouldn’t forget that bourgeois Colombians are allies of the US imperialists. So, if the puppets moves to right or left or up or down, the puppet master may have something to do with it.
“Makled sang like a bird. ”
Yes, naming, among others, a bunch of DEA agents.
“We don’t know the real reason why USGOV Eric holder passed on Makled but it’s starting to look like a good call.”
It’s not clear what you mean by “passed.” The Colombian dictatorship chose the Venezuelan request for extradition over the US request for extradition of the drug dealer, most likely because Colombian and US officials were involved in the drug dealer’s operations. Colombia would have never sent the drug dealer to Venezuela, if either FBI or DEA or CIA, or DIA opposed it.
“Your second-third paragraphs confusing”
I agree.
April 29, 2012 at 7:51 am
Sorry but I am privy to some info and you are incorrect on several counts. Way off
April 27, 2012 at 6:56 pm
In your post below, you call Colombia a “dictatorship”, and I suppose by this statement you are automatically disqualifying yourself from the mostly intelligent/well-informed/serious discussion present on this Blog. As for Makled, he was thoroughly de-briefed by the DEA in Colombia, did “sing like a bird”, and was sold to Venezuela by Santos in exchange for Venezuela re-paying Colombian $800 million of old commercial debt + restoring Venezuelan imports from Colombia, and this sale was supported by the Colombian Supreme Court’s ruling of Venezuela’s prior request and more substantive need.
April 28, 2012 at 4:19 am
Makled was extradited to Venezuela in strict accordance to Colombian law which in extradition proceedings takes into account:
1) What country asked for the person first (in this case, Venezuela)
2) Where the most serious and numerous crimes were committed (Venezuela)
amongst other factors the two mentioned above carry the most weight, so regardless of whether we think that Santos made a deal with Chavez or that Holder passed or whatever, the fact is the law is pretty clear and it was followed to the letter.
A Venezuelan judge needs all of 5 minutes to place anybody on the “not allowed to leave the country list”. All you need is a court case, not a trial, but simply penal proceedings to be initiated against you for that to happen.
Giving a known drug dealer security credentials, the public reason for Aponte’s destitution, is enough to file charges.
This is one of the reasons Aponte left by fast boat to Curacao, any minute and the list would have had his name on it.
“Since there are so many complications in ordinary cases, prosecutors should not impetuously began ordinary prosecutions based on summary evidence.”
Just by this sentence alone you demonstrate that
A: You have no clue whatsoever about how justice functions (or rather DISfunctions) in Venezuela
B) As Jeffrey House mentioned above, Judge Afiuni, and others would die from laughing at your, at best, naivete regarding justice in Venezuela.
Do yourself a favor, as we would say in Venezuela, change out the “cassette” and re-program yourself.
April 28, 2012 at 9:17 am
“Just by this sentence alone you demonstrate that
A: You have no clue whatsoever about how justice functions (or rather DISfunctions) in Venezuela B) As Jeffrey House mentioned above, Judge Afiuni, and others would die from laughing at your, at best, naivete regarding justice in Venezuela.”
oooo
You’re a little sanctimonious.
Justice in Venezuela … although far from Plato’s pristine standards … is still superior to the utter rottenness and to the utter perversity of “justice” in the USA, your presumptive model of goodness.
April 28, 2012 at 9:39 am
Which shows yourbabsolute ignorance about Venezuela
April 28, 2012 at 10:11 am
Shaw, you are an ignorant. Let’s talk in Spanish, please…let’s see how good your Spanish is…I suppose you know very well about Venezuela. Explícamelo, explica cómo la justicia en EUA es peor que en Venezuela. Vamos: en cristiano.
April 28, 2012 at 10:29 am
A. Shaw:
You don’t live in Venezuela – of that I’m sure.
You are an a typically uninformed yankee leftist who hates his own country & delights in sticking his nose & opinions in places where his ignorance is amplified.
April 28, 2012 at 1:48 pm
I’m, of course, alluding to the over 2,000,000 holocaust in Iraq that resulted from the US aggression, occupation, and dictatorship over Iraq between 2003 and 2012. These two million war-related human fatalites which are still explained and still justified by the alleged presence of “weapons of mass destruction” exceed in bestiality and in barbarity any injustice I heard of that has occurred on Venezuela soil of late.
I’m aware that some Venezuelan reactionaries believe the specious argument that only US citizens … not Iraqi or Venezuelan citizens … can be victims of US injustice.
April 28, 2012 at 2:42 pm
A. Shaw: This is the wrong blog for your US-centric diatribes. Go peddle them somewhere else, instead of stretching your fabric, here, a blog about VENEZUELAN politics.
April 28, 2012 at 3:17 pm
You complain about justice in the U.S.A., yet below, you cite as your example the invasion of Iraq.
Surely you realize that foreign policy is always quite a different matter than domestic judicial policies–or do you?
More important, where in the world do you come up with your “2,000,000 holocaust” figure that you state below? (And what does that mean anyway?) According to all reliable sources, and the most reliable resource of ALL–The Iraq Body Count Project–from 2003, the date of the invasion, until January 2012, these are the numbers:
Between 100,000 and 115,000 civilian deaths. And 50,000 combatant deaths, including coalition forces, original Iraqi military, and later insurgents such as Al Qaeda and other groups.
So, I ask thee who professes to have a brain in his head:
Where did you come up with this 2,000,000 figure? Chavez?
Look–100,000 to 150,000 innocent deaths is a horrible thing, but claiming 2,000,000 deaths is just plain stupid. Or are you including injuries in your figure, and if so, can you please point out the stats?
6,000,000 Jews killed in Europe is a holocaust, as is what is happening in parts of Africa. But sorry buddy–you don’t have the right, northe brains, nor the evidence, to claim that what has been going on in Iraq is a holocaust.
April 28, 2012 at 10:30 pm
Ira-
The “Jews are the only real victims” crap is getting old, lame, stale, and insulting. Over 60 million people died in that war, and Jewish blood is not worth one cent more that anyone else’s except to racist bigots. Give it a rest.
April 29, 2012 at 8:07 am
USGOv had first choice and they passed…they never bothered to do paperwork. No real reasons given and it was DEA that found him. Makled was political hot potato and extradition to US prior to US presidential election recipe for trouble. Little to gain and much to loose scenario. Makled also not a great witness.
the decision to pass on Makled now makes more sense.
April 29, 2012 at 4:53 pm
M-astera–do you even know what a holocaust is? Those killed in a war don’t constitute a holocaust. A holocaust is defined by the systematic, STATE-RUN extermination of a certain people.
And the reason I don’t give it a rest is because morons like you don’t even know what it is!
No one really gives a crap whether you find it old, stale, insulting or boring. Because after all, you didn’t live through it or lose anyone to it. You don’t give a crap, because they were just Jews as you say, whose “blood is not worth one more cent more than anyone else’s.” But you take it a step further as to imply that I’m a BIGOT to mention the REAL holocaust. Now talk about idiocy and arrogance! I’M the bigot for mentioning my descendants killed by the Nazis? How did you come up with THAT one?
But like I said, other holocausts have taken place in Africa. State organized murders in China and the Soviet Union ALSO constitute real holocausts.
But certainly not total war dead in WWII.
I mean, do you really not understand what constitutes a true holocaust? Or does your ignorance and/or hatred of the Jewish experience simply prevent you from recognizing that this is what actually occurred, and you decide to redefine the word to suit your agenda?
Whatever the reason, your viewpoint is based on ignorance based on the facts.
April 29, 2012 at 10:14 pm
Ira, you and I have had this discussion before. The holocaust, during WW2, encompasses, not only 6 million Jews but MILLIONS of non-Jews, who, too, were persecuted and killed by the Nazis for their race, religion, beliefs, or simply by their way of being. This should not be news to you. Here are other groups in Nazi cross-hairs: Slavs, particularly Poles, before 1942; the early intelligentsia in Poland (professors, priests); the blind and “minusválidos” of all ages, in Germany and elsewhere; Gypsies; Blacks; Homosexuals; Jehovah Witnesses. These millions of others are never included in exhibits on the Holocaust (funded by whom?), or are given a “by the way” mention, long after giving front row and center to the suffering of Jews. Ask yourself why. So yes, it’s insulting, when the memories of millions of non-Jews who were also persecuted during WW2, are given second fiddle, if at all. It’s also dishonest. For as you know, deliberate ommission is considered a lie.
I believe that is what M_astera is referring to.
April 27, 2012 at 11:40 am
chavista position: All you need to know is ex-Magistrate
Aponte^2 is a traitor. We are your friend-your BEST friend.
April 27, 2012 at 10:48 am
The PSUV might find it hard to distance themselves from Aponte^2 but they are doing a darn good job at it. Their audacity can only be qualified as “chutzpah” which is ironical considering what an antisemitic bunch they are.
April 27, 2012 at 9:58 am
Sorry to butt in 🙂
UHH! AHH! el muerto ya se va!
Now’s the time for the charitable foundation –
All gov’t Employees will donate 5% to PSUV, and
25% of their earned pittances to the CONSTRUCTION
of the MOST revolutionary MEMORIAL for the
beloved father [fidel] & son [hugo], erasing all
memory of Venezuela’s capitalist past, AND
putting even the world’s famous cathedrals to shame.
April 27, 2012 at 10:22 am
And to fund an Army division 24/7 to guard it night and day…..
April 27, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Net, are you in Indiana?
April 27, 2012 at 7:09 pm
Indy National Guard, as in Independent. Cheers.
April 27, 2012 at 9:34 am
Hey Rojorojito, the fascist is back!
I bet you love that Aponte Aponte was not accused, just demoted
Or that Chavez violates the Electoral law and is never investigated
Or that two of his Buddy Generals are shot to death and we hear nothing about it.
Fascists and Dictators are such nice people.
April 27, 2012 at 8:38 am
This is serious!-Chavez said he will die soon and his last wish is to see everyone united -the good holding hands with the bad-all united to build
a better Venezuela. (Pass the kleenex, please.)
Also, Chavez said-Remember, if Chavez insults you- it is because he
loves you.”(Does that include his ex-wife?-ha)
Another quote that struck me as most rediculous-“Aristobulo Istariz is the
“creole version” of Martin Luther King. Yeah, right and I am the
half-french version of Einstein…
April 27, 2012 at 8:47 am
How do I love thee, let me count the ways______
(Insert tourette syndrome)
Honestly, I have always believed Chavez to be a sadomasochist.
April 27, 2012 at 4:51 pm
Sadistic behavior is confused with narcissistic disorders. Chavez does not take pleasure. He just doesn’t give a shit ( no empathy) thus everyone treated like dirt unless he needs you
April 27, 2012 at 9:15 am
That speech was a spoof, he didn’t really give it, right?
April 27, 2012 at 10:53 am
No he didn’t–a very good spoof!!
April 27, 2012 at 12:01 pm
You’ll enjoy this one!
http://www.lapatilla.com/site/2012/04/27/laureano-marquez-que-bolas/
[Noone talks about “bolas” more than Venezuelans-ha.]
[Also, I have noticed many unusual statements and behaviors
from Chavez-while Chavez is in Cuba- like he’s a different person there..-
for example-bocce balls the other day. I remember in the past he
was suggesting to cubans to take up bowling… who is this guy??
April 27, 2012 at 8:04 am
The Coronel nailed it with the speech by Chavez as he was standing on the steps boarding the airplane from Havana back to Venezuela.
http://lasarmasdecoronel.blogspot.com/
Now, Chavez wants to be friends with everyone-even Machado.
Special note to Devil- you ‘ ll love this quote:
Chavez said –“y genios de las finanzas como Jorge Giordani. ”
Anyway, here’s a song to go with Chavez’s new theme of unity:
April 27, 2012 at 8:03 am
When people are honest about the revolution and the “workers paradise”:
Venezuela and the ‘Bolivarian Revolution’: Beacon of hope or smoke and mirrors?
http://www.anarkismo.net/article/22640
April 27, 2012 at 10:51 am
“Anarkismo” is a great title for the ideas espoused in this article–true unrealistic Marxist Paradise B.S. worker freedom/equality and control of State and means of production (Read last paragraph of Conclusions) against all “Elites”, be them Bolivarian, Imperialistic, or Capitalistic–the French Revolution all over again!!! What these idealistic thinkers don’t get is that there is NOT enough capital in the world to make everyone provided for and happy, and once you remove the individual motivation to strive and improve your own lot by working/studying harder and longer than those around you, the result is “Anarky (sic)” !!!!
April 26, 2012 at 11:39 pm
Rojo rojito is a PSF who sits comfortably at home, ignoring how his stupid revolution is unmasked by its own supporters and how in the end they are fighting to steal the last ddime before Hugo dies.
April 26, 2012 at 10:08 pm
Estimado Rojorojito,
Cancer is history repeating itself.
Cancer cells repeat themself, it is their nature.
They run wild, multiplying endlessly, and
destroying the healthy ones, causing
unbearable pain and suffering.
El 2013 viene siendo pavoso.
The black raven is circling endlessy over your revolution,
constantly cawing, constantly celebrating yet another
dying political system that you care so much for.
Laugh on! laugh on! is that hysteria in your laugh?
April 26, 2012 at 10:16 pm
I see the Devil has a Poet Laureate.
April 26, 2012 at 8:57 pm
Everything is going wrong for you, mahunches!!! Chavez’s cancer is history, aponte is being shown as the liar that he is and pdvsa keeps improving. Too bad you are not a part of this great revolution!!! Hahaha!!!
April 26, 2012 at 9:29 pm
Rojorojito is just another international Leftist instigator (or maybe the same one as always on this Blog). He uses the word “trounce”, which is not usual for a native Spanish speaker, Venezuelan, or Cubanoide (but could be British–i.e., Cort, et. al.). And, he doesn’t know how to spell “majunche”, so he’s not local. But he does provide some comic relief (unintended, I’m sure).
April 27, 2012 at 9:48 am
he is and pdvsa keeps improving.
Every day and every way it’s getting better and better. You keep preaching the truth to power my friend, don’t let these, these um these running dawg yankee lovers steal your power.
Red Sox Forever!
April 27, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Me pregunto por q escuela pasastes. Conoces La habana?
April 26, 2012 at 6:59 pm
Luisa Ortega-Fiscal Judge is such a lying, blowing chavista.She says it would be illegal to open an investigation and they are not going to have one unless the AN orders them to??
On another note- I think Makled mentioned the payments to Aponte -because
he wanted to get a break somehow -and he will probably get rewarded for that..
Who in the military are going to speak out? Who will investigate the
narco-generals?
April 27, 2012 at 7:47 am
From another blogger-
“So the Fiscal says today there is not sufficient basis to open an investigation. Which would have been of course, an investigation into her own office. In other words, illustrating exactly the point AA was making.”
April 27, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Charles, US law enforcement is investigating. It’s multiagency and includes joint task force also State dept. The narco-generals run the country and some report to Chavez. Makled is being told what to say….he’s a dead man as far as I’m concerned so the reward is live another day
April 26, 2012 at 2:20 pm
Reminder: behind the chavistas are the Cubans and one of the very best intelligence operations in the world for the past fifty years thus I tend to go for bad scenarios involving the cubans
April 26, 2012 at 2:25 pm
Is it possible that at this point, Fidel (forget Raul) thinks that his prodigal son is screwing everything up for everyone of their ilk?
I mean, Fidel has to look at some of the crap going on in VZ and think we’re just ASKING for problems here.
Of course, I post this with the assumption that Castro is a normal human being, and that’s always a mistake.
April 27, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Absolutely. Same with Russia and china! Castro not normal…he has a behavioral disorder in the narcissistic vein for starters. There’s new book ‘Castro’s Secrets’ by Brian Latrell ex-CIA that I’m reading.
i see retaining venezuela as top priority for cuba and the environment tells me they can do it.
April 26, 2012 at 2:16 pm
A. Shaw, the timeline gave the regime ample time to deal with aponte but they didn’t and he got away. This hints at problems within regime
April 26, 2012 at 12:09 pm
Many opposition NA deputies evidently believed the government was doing the right thing on March 20 in the Aponte case because these opposition deputies voted with the governemnt to remove the Aponte from the supreme court. The Constitution requires a two-thirds vote to remove a supreme court judge and revolutionary forces don’t occupy 2/3s of NA seats.
Another thing, the Constitution requires the organs of government to “cooperate” to “attain the ends of the State.” Clearly, the alleged Friday morning rigging of the outcome of cases is not an “end of the State.” But so far, we only have Aponte’s word for the alleged rigging and Aponte is a known liar and crook. That’s why he was removed … again, with opposition support.
One more thing, there is no evidence that the government decided against criminal prosecution of the crooked judge. The judge was removed on March 20 and showed up April 17 in the USA. Sometime between the 20th and 17th, the judge fled to Costa Rica. This timeline didn’t the government a lot of time to institute criminal proceedings against the judge. Evidently, the judge himself believed he would be indicted and jailed because this concern seems to be his motive for running away to Miami.
April 26, 2012 at 2:11 pm
The “State” knew Aponte Aponte was a liar and a crook–those were his qualifications for his positions of influence in the first place. The Opposition simply voted what was morally right and well-known when the Government decided to sacrifice Aponte Aponte for whatever reason or Presidential whim (a la Baduel, et. al.).. Criminal proceedings in Venezuela can be/have been instituted on a moment’s notice. Aponte Aponte fled because he was going to be “whacked”.
April 26, 2012 at 2:22 pm
I don’t think you’re following this properly:
Everyone admits he’s a lowlife crook, but that doesn’t mean he’s not telling the truth about the corruption in the upper echelons of Hugomocracy.
Ever see the Steve Martin movie, “My Blue Heaven?” At least check out the last 10 minutes to understand what I’m talking about.
April 26, 2012 at 2:43 pm
Yes, everyones knew the guy was a crook, including the opposition.
The Prosecutor General should have filed charges immediately y to at least stop him from leaving the country. When opposition figures are persecuted the Prosecutor General acts with diligence, few of those Chavistas removed because of corruption are ever charged.
The Judge claims he was afraid for his life. Makled now says that the judge was his partner. Nice!
April 26, 2012 at 4:09 pm
“Makled now says that the judge was his partner.” But, Makled wasn’t asked about who else he was paying off.I think it was all of them.
April 26, 2012 at 4:26 pm
He said he owned the airline with Aponte^2
April 26, 2012 at 10:18 am
Plenty of time until October, but I’ll still stand by shared predictions here that he’ll be dead way sooner.
That being said, I think Capriles has to knock off criticizing the fat man for ruling outside of the country and by Tweets. Those who know this know this, and it just doesn’t come across well to those sitting on the fence.
In other words, it makes him look bad. Capriles has enough issues to campaign and gain ground on, but doing it on the back of Stupigo’s illness is a no-win situation.
April 26, 2012 at 9:01 am
I dont think his health is our problem. Capriles has to continue his path on his own. Chavismo has to deal with what to do, they will be more prone to errors and mistakes.
April 26, 2012 at 8:26 am
Miguel,
As I have said, we should perhaps assume Chávez will be alive and all for October, but just in case, look at this:
http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/120426/chavez-llego-en-la-madrugada-sin-dirigirse-formalmente-a-los-venezolan
So, what was it? There were two or three new sessions of radiotherapy?
April 26, 2012 at 8:30 am
Well, I assume he will not be or will not be able to campaign at all, it seems to be the most realistic assumption at this time.
April 26, 2012 at 9:00 am
If what I hear is true – and it is probably an educated guess or wishful thinking – chances are Chávez won’t make it…perhaps 9/10 chance. Now: what happens if the 1/10 case happens? Could it backfire on us? I believe it could and I don’t want the Chávez masses to have this benefit. What I fear is that by publicly talking about his almost certain death, the Chávez masses will see him as the Guayones, Jirajaras and Ayamanes saw the Welser between 1529 and 1530: as immortal or nearly immortal. I think it would be less damaging for us to be prepared for the case he will be fine…in spite of all these signals…
April 25, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Very good post.
It is impossible that democratically accountable politicians, having been accused of a massive conspiracy to obstruct justice, and by an ex-Supreme Court Justice (!), would not even issue a denial.
The politicians who now accuse Aponte cannot possibly know whether he is telling the truth or not, because have failed in their duty to investigate his accusations. The conspiracy continues to exist.
April 25, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Aponte Aponte is interesting, common knowledge to the thinking/informed/analytical minority of Venezuela. But nothing locally will come of it until a Governmental change. The best that can be hoped for are further substantiated accusations and their possible repercussions from the U. S., which latter may not be forthcoming given the until-now successful policy of letting a well-financed and International Leftist-supported LatAm Communist experience fall flat/loudly/publicly on its face with no real intervention from the U.S.
April 25, 2012 at 11:37 am
With his life endangered, he slips out of the country,
negotiates a sweetheart deal with the Drug Enforcers,
waltzes into the States,
voluntarily power-talks his way into a witness protection plan.
Doe he have traction, and survive another 8 lives?
On the other hand,
he SQUEALED on his partners,
he crossed his bosses, and betrayed hugo.
Presumably he’s got some supporting evidence safely stashed someplace.
So is he the cat with 8 lives, or the canary that snitched his way into the hearts of the opposition?
I leave that decision to you gentlemen.
April 25, 2012 at 12:34 pm
I think both of your options are pessimistic to say the least. What if-IF
Aponte^2 grew a conscious- Naw-you are right- he’s just playing the game
to survive…Well, he’s got protection …por ahora?
Seriously, I would like to believe that Aponte^2 is growing a heart.
April 25, 2012 at 1:35 pm
At the end of all that hooplah, he will likely end up in a anonymous neighborhood like Ray Liotta in Goodfellas. I would be surprised the Yanks will let him enjoy his assets because el imperio es malo, peor, maluco.
April 27, 2012 at 5:37 pm
Doris, I don’t see it this way. He first met dea-FBI a year ago…no sweetheart deal…no deals just safety and revenge. Aponte will incriminate himself too and the gringos will reserve the right to charge him. Aponte has no leverage just his info. This is intrafighting over control of cocaine business
April 25, 2012 at 5:28 am
If the top Chavistas are now calling A² a crook, etc. why haven’t they immediately started a review of all the cases that he touched?
Ah, that’s the rub. The cases that he worked on were all manipulated on orders from the “BOSS” so they don’t want to change the results.
April 25, 2012 at 12:30 pm
Words from Maria Corina Machado today in Barquisimeto (she is campaigning with Capriles there):”Un gobierno serio y responsable procedería a dar las explicaciones y a investigar. Yo no tengo ninguna expectativa de que este Parlamento proceda a investigar lo dicho por Aponte Aponte”, agregó.”
AN reminds me of an old WWI or WWII slogan:
Report your status.
Reply- “SNAFU”
April 25, 2012 at 4:41 am
But we have yet to hear from either the President of the Venezuelan Supreme Court or the General Prosecutor, both of which Aponte^ 2 accused of participating in these meetings. Could it be because they want to make sure Aponte^2 shows no proof of this, as has been reported in the media he will or did?-Yes! Stay tuned…
April 25, 2012 at 4:42 am
Sorry, I left out quotations. You nailed it, Miguel!!
April 25, 2012 at 4:33 am
The quote of the day(yesterday) Cabello saying – “when the
ex-Magistrate committed criminal acts, he stopped being chavista”
CarlosElio nailed it with this quote:
“The government is in the hands of Aponte clones, all willing to obey unconstitutional orders from the boss and happy to that obedience to the bank.”
Some of us knew this already. I just hope this Aponte^2 walking away from chavismo and confessing wakes up millionsof Venezuelans to realize this reality.
April 24, 2012 at 11:13 pm
Ouch!
April 25, 2012 at 8:05 am
well said — to all accomplices, present and not. Interestingly, key figures in the US are not considering AA as a delinquent, according to quotes in this days-old article.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/18/2756155/sources-say-venezuelan-judge-to.html
One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.
April 24, 2012 at 10:33 pm
After hearing the Costa Rica interview with the magistrate, it was clear that the guy is utterly stupid and that he speaks very poorly as if his formal education is wanting. So we have a buffoon masquerading as a supreme court justice. Is this an anomaly? No, of course it is not. He is the ideal top-echelon guy of a government where the decision making resides in only one guy. Why would Chavez seek out intelligent people capable of making decisions? That would be a problem for the autocrat.
The government is in the hands of Aponte clones, all willing to obey unconstitutional orders from the boss and happy to that obedience to the bank.