You have to wonder about the mental sanity of the Venezuelan President. Here he was happily going to Brazil to celebrate Venezuela’s back door entry into Mercosur, illegal and all, with a smile in his face.
It was like going to have a hemorrhoid operation or even worse, a colonoscopy, with a smile on your face. I guess Chavez knows about the latter, but if all Venezuela is going to get out of Mercosur is the shaft, please bring the ointment!
But you have to wonder what type of mush Chavez has for a brain, when he says that the “success (??)” of Mercosur shows the failure of the US. I think he has it backwards. The failure of Mercosur, enhanced by Paraguay’s departure and Mercosur’s dumb policies, plays right into the hands of bilateral free trade agreements between the US and Latin American countries.
Sure, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay may now get some advantages from welcoming Chavez into Mercosur, But in the long run, if there is change in Venezuela and none in Argentina, the only winner in all of this is Brazil. Brazil is the powerhouse that wins in all this. Venezuela and Chavez are the big losers, the commercial invasion of our country by our “friends” has just begun.
But figure it out, Chavez is not only happy to go, but endangers his health and his life by doing so. So he can hail a virtual agreement that does nothing for Venezuela. The only victory is that he finally managed to get it done, even if illegally so. But that is all that Chavez seems to care about. His goals are idealistic, unimportant, impractical ones. The ones that his simplistic mind sets out to do. Nothing concrete, all ideological.
Bolivar was asasssinated, we determined he wasn’t, he suspects he was. Mercosur is good for Venezuela, we determined it isn’t, let’s join them! We have reduced poverty, we really haven’t, let’s celebrate we have!
As we used to say: simply high quality BS.
The Devil's Excrement 
August 6, 2012 at 10:53 am
[…] Chavez Off To Brazil To Have Venezuela Join Mercosur […]
August 1, 2012 at 7:01 am
learning Portuguese is easier than learning English. get used to it cucas..
August 1, 2012 at 7:55 pm
Interesting thing is that English is a required subject in High School and above in Brazil. This is how they talk to the world. I was chatting with someone in Brazil a while back and used the word “Si?”the response set me back and made me realize that the feeling of Spanish speakers is very much mutual. Thus my feeling that political union is very far away.
August 1, 2012 at 11:05 pm
Nope, they will be Venezuelan bosses, but at least the companies will be successful.
July 31, 2012 at 8:17 pm
When I was in Venezuela in the early-mid 90″s and all the banks were going belly up, we use to joke that Venezuelan’s needed to sell Industrial Strength Preparation-H!
Mercosur is about Brazil just as NAFTA is about the US and at some point Brazil will enforce the rules. That means that all these side deals that Chavez has made ad-hoc with outside countries will be called into question.
I don’t see Brazil as part of a greater political group in SA only an economic partnership. To counter act the power of Brazil the Spanish countries will have to form a sort of EU beyond the Andean Pact game that they have been playing in order to just keep operating much less run their little junta games. My guess is within ten years.
July 31, 2012 at 11:50 pm
You are right Roger. But it is too little toolate- Brazil is the 800 lb. gorilla in the room inSA. Note how Brazil is going ahead with building the refinery near Venezuela- once it is connected to Venezuela’s main oil artery-
and with Brazilian labor- building the pipeline to Brazilian refinery and Brazilian crews manning their rigs in Faja del Orinoco- which Chavez gave them access to..Venezuela will get little benefit. And, Brazilian companies
will demolish many Venezuelan companies.
Picture does not look good- better start learning Portuguese…
August 1, 2012 at 6:17 pm
Obrigado!
I went to Rio when I was single…years and years and YEARS ago.
Every man on earth should visit Rio at least once in his lifetime, single or married, but leaving the girlfriend or wife at home.
I have very big problems finding anything negative to say about Brazil.
August 1, 2012 at 11:03 pm
Nope, they will build factories and processing plants etc in VZ
and hire many Venezuelans.
July 31, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Interesting. There seems to be a Mercosur treaty that allows citizens of member countries to reside and work in any of the member nations. Chile and Boliva are ascribed to the treaty.
http://es.wikisource.org/wiki/Mercosur_-_Acuerdo_sobre_Residencia_para_Nacionales_de_los_Estados_Parte_del_Mercosur,_Bolivia_y_Chile_%282002%29
If this applies to Venezuela, well, imagine what this means if Chavez wins.
July 31, 2012 at 11:43 pm
Yes-many more workers from elsewhere are going to be entering VZ
and taking scarce jobs away from Venezuelans.
August 1, 2012 at 4:38 am
I think you got it bass ackward, CharlesC.
More like many Venezuelans leaving to Chile and the other countries to try their luck there
August 1, 2012 at 5:05 am
Good luck.More skilled and unskilled labor there.
And, they “want to work”. No, they will stay in
VZ and cry to be fed.
August 1, 2012 at 10:36 am
Oops Chile is not a member of Mercosur….
August 1, 2012 at 11:46 am
Double oops, but the thought still holds true. More will leave Venz. than come in simply becasue there will be more work elsewhere, unless Capriles wins
August 1, 2012 at 11:01 pm
May I suggest Panama? It depends on what kind of work you are looking for
August 3, 2012 at 10:12 am
Panama is putting serious barriers to Venezuelans wanting to emigrate there since many have already done so.
I am not per se looking for work, CharlesC, but thanks for the thought brother
July 31, 2012 at 5:10 pm
Island Canuck sez:
The country is just tired of Chavez
Even the best politicians are wearing, maybe the best politicans are even more wearing….. see Bill Clinton. The weary factor is going to be very important.
July 31, 2012 at 3:26 pm
Dude, we a re buying 20 Embraer planes… Price for admission: 270 MM$ in airplanes so far… lets wait for Argentina’s price and Uruguay’s matraca ….
July 31, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Per Roy and islands comments , there is a lot to be hopeful about, but a lot to be wary of as well…in situations as hidden , as complicated , and to some degree out of control as Venezuela is, I think ‘hope for the best but prepare for the worst ‘ is in order.
July 31, 2012 at 5:10 pm
FP, all you had to do was see the images from HCR’s visit to Yaracuy, a region so rojo rojito that Daniel doesn’t even bother talking about it in his election coverage, to see the support that Capriles is gaining.
Here’s a few I found:
http://www.noticierodigital.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=889040
July 31, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Here’s a video of Yaracuy:
July 31, 2012 at 9:43 am
Per the comments of Island Canuck:
Venezuela has been presented with a unique opportunity to change the course of its history. The opposition has two ways of winning in October: (1) Henrique Capriles gains the plurality of votes on election day or (2) Hugo Chavez cheats/steals the election, but his name is the only name on the final ballot. Upon his imminent death, another election is certain.
July 31, 2012 at 9:17 am
Miguel
Where can one find more info about what getting into Mercosur will mean for different industries/markets in Vzla?
July 31, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Take a look here, for the case of autopart manufacturers:
http://playball.eluniversal.com/economia/120731/solicitan-excluir-a-la-industria-automotriz-de-reglas-mercosur
July 31, 2012 at 5:17 pm
Well, I wouldn´t be too concerned. I´m sure they´ll keep the auto industry out of the free trade agreements. If you read what these cover, you´ll see they exclude sugar and automobiles.
Besides, Chavez and co require a cap on car sales in Venezuela in order to control the sale of subsidised gas.
August 1, 2012 at 10:09 am
Dont take that for granted. Government may decide to import cars directly from Brazil and Argentina without taxes and sell cheap to get votes. It has already done that before, and no local assembly plant could compete with them; imported cars do not require local autoparts, thats one of the reasons why Favenpa is alerting.
Interesting point the control of gas consumption. Current car demand (maybe 250,000 per year) is way over offer (maybe 150,000). You have to take into account old cars that are junked, cars victims of accidents, stolen cars waiting forever in Government parking lots, etc.
For many years, until 2004-2008, the actual car volume (called in spanish parque automotor) in Venezuela was diminishing since more cars were taken out of circulation than were produced / imported. Due to high sales in 207 (almost 500,000 between imported and local assembled) this trend has been reversed.
The good news is that many old cars, with high gas consumption were retired, and replaced with more efficient cars; but due to high traffic in Caracas, were 30 – 40% of all cars in Venezuela are present, the overall consumption probably has increased. The best efficent car gets 0 mpg if it stops in a traffic jam, unless you shut the engine and start again.
August 1, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Take a look at these stats:
http://elimpulso.com/articulo/el-65-1-del-parque-automotriz-nacional-es-de-marcas-estadounidenses#.UBnonqBrX5w
August 1, 2012 at 10:05 pm
More here:
http://www.eluniversal.com/caracas/120730/motos-y-caminos-como-parte-del-problema
July 31, 2012 at 11:41 pm
VZ needs auto parts badly. (My nephew ships many from Panama)
July 31, 2012 at 8:45 am
“As we used to say: simply high quality BS.”
With these people, it’s probably more LSD-level delusional self-deception more than run-of-the-mill BS.
Chavez quite likely believes all that stuff, just like he believes that the moon landings were fake and that human civilization has only been around for a few thousand years. And not because “lo tienen engañao” but because his connection with reality has always been tenuous at best.
Chavez seems quite keen to apply the proverbial “who are you gonna believe, me or your own eyes?” to his own view of reality.
July 31, 2012 at 9:16 am
no LSD, just ignorance and the need to parrot the Cuban-American playbook. (yawn)
Charly is CharlesC, VIPNoche, to name just two of his closet personalities.
July 31, 2012 at 11:12 am
Not really
July 31, 2012 at 2:32 pm
then I stand corrected.
July 31, 2012 at 11:38 pm
Syd –behave! I am here and I know Charly. He is not me.(Frankly I have never been called Charly or Chuck)
I am CharlesC and I wish I had Charly’s brain! He has a Phd I believe and I do not…Syd-why do you write this stuff about people-although you have
been correct before-grant that. I am returning from 12 days in hospital-just in time to catch you. Won’t you apologize now?
August 1, 2012 at 10:25 am
This is true, I have a PhD from Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow, in XXI century socialist subversion of capitalism.
July 31, 2012 at 8:34 am
DorisClubHipico settled into Back To School
Schedule, booted down her Personal Broom (PB),
and went back to her boring zanahoria life.
GatoPeo, on the other hand, skipped off, snarling,
baring its fangs, and sharpening its claws.
GatoPeo will lurk around until elections are held,
the winner fairly elected,
and the adversaries settled in.
That’s when it turns into a tabby, and becomes a
nuisance on the lookout for milk, cream and the
occasional rat to sink its teeth into.
cheers
July 31, 2012 at 6:08 am
For what it’s worth the rumoured trip to Cuba for a PET scan update has now been changed for a secret examination in Brasil by a collection of doctors.
It really doesn’t matter anymore. It’s now becoming clear that the election is Capriles to lose. If he protects the votes he will win handily.
July 31, 2012 at 6:29 am
Island, for your own sake, I hope you are right that it is for Capriles to lose. But I see this as a middle term war. Don’t put all your hopes on October. De pana. Let’s remain cool. And I know what you are going through. I know some margariteños who have been living in Margarita for centuries if not more…and I know how fed up they are too.
July 31, 2012 at 7:07 am
It’s not just Margarita. The country is just tired of Chavez. The loyal followers don’t come out any more. They throw things at him. The union election loss in Guayana. The continuous electrical cuts. The terrible service from CANTV’s Mobilnet. The condition of the roads. People unable to find essential medicines. Shortages.The collapse of Conferry. It just goes on & on.
And while I have no faith in Venezuelan polls Consultores 21 has now come out with a poll showing Capriles ahead for the first time:
http://www.acn.com.ve/portal/politica/item/53092-capriles-ya-superar
As I am in contact with Venezuelans from all over the country maybe I get a better view of how they feel. One lady 2 days ago, an employee of SS, agrees that it’s time for a change. There is a real hope that this time things will work out.
If I remember correctly it was you that complained bitterly that the opposition never went out into the back woods of Venezuela. Well all that is now all changed. Over 100 pueblos in the first month with 200 more to come by O7.
Come on Kepler even you now have nothing to complain about. Get on the bus!
July 31, 2012 at 7:30 am
Canuck, I don’t live in Venezuela. Still, I also am in contact with lots of Venezuelans – in several states…they tend to feel much confident now
and I tell them: just beware, be cautious and let’s not celebrate just yet.
I prefer to remain cool. When you are dealing with a mapanare, you should neither panic nor start rejoicing until you know it has been completely put out of commission, until you see the head is off and you know there is not a partner snake nearby, as sometimes they do appear against all expectations.
Even if Chávez drops dead tomorrow…I will only think at the next steps Venezuelans can take to bring back the country to development.
July 31, 2012 at 7:55 am
I agree 100% with you on that. The first step is winning O7. After that it’s anybody’s guess what will happen. There been reports that he is enlarging the militia which now number some 160,000 armed “civilians”.
We must pass step #1 first – then we can worry about step #2 – actually moving into Miraflores. I can only assume that the MUD has some sort of contingency plan for Oct. 8 and onward.
I have always been really nervous about the 3 month delay from the election date to the inauguration of the new president. Too much time in my opinion for them to prevent the takeover. Especially with all the promises that the burgesia would never be allowed back in.
July 31, 2012 at 12:47 pm
Kepler,
Island has the right idea. Now is the time to project a Capriles win as a given. We are just over a month away from the election, and timing is everything. The Opposition needs to “believe” that they will not only win, but win BIG. As long as the Venezuelan people remain cynical, Chavez can announce any result he wants to, and Venezuela will accept it, because that was what they expected. However, if Venezuelans have a solid expectation of winning based upon constantly reinforced affirmation, then they will not just roll over and accept “una trampa”.
Now is the time for “faith” and self-assurance from everyone. Keep saying it, until you believe it. Then you keep telling your neighbors and co-workers, until they believe it. This type of faith and confidence is infectious. Now, mind you, this sort of movement cannot be sustained for a long period of time. That is why timing is important. Start too early, and it peaks too soon. Start too late, and you don’t achieve critical mass soon enough. Start it at just the right time and you launch an unstoppable avalanche. Now is the right time.
July 31, 2012 at 1:03 pm
“We are just over a month away from the election”
Hey buddy, it’s 2 months but who’s counting.
Agree with everything you say – You gotta believe!
July 31, 2012 at 1:12 pm
Uh… right. Sort of lost some of my ethos on that one. I hope the guys in charge have the timing right.
July 31, 2012 at 2:46 pm
68 days left.
On 7O, I’ll once again travel to cast my vote. For I’m committed to the process, as foolish as that may be (especially for expatriates whose votes are doubtfully counted).
On 7O, I’ll be hopeful. But, I won’t be giving in to ‘triunfalismo’ until I see the numerical results.
August 1, 2012 at 7:59 am
Island, yes, Capriles should win for all the right reasons. But, even if he didn’t, for whatever reason, Venezuela/Venezuelans cannot, and I believe will not, stand 6 more years of this Total Disaster. So, as the song ends… “Something’s Gotta Give!”
July 31, 2012 at 2:06 am
Allow me to put this chart I made based on Brazilian governmental data:
Imports/exports between Venezuela and Brazil (from the Venezuelan perspective)
Nos están jodiendo con todas las formas.
July 31, 2012 at 4:38 am
The link points to a non existent page, can you fix please?
July 31, 2012 at 5:30 am
Sorry, here it goes:
July 31, 2012 at 8:35 am
Kep, may I suggest a little change in nomenclature? To clarify in simpler terms, why not change the heading to: Venezuelan trade with Brazil.
(good chart, btw)
July 31, 2012 at 8:35 am
How much of that export is oil and oil derivatives? And how would the graph look with only non-oil-related exports?
July 31, 2012 at 9:40 am
It’s everything. I didn’t go into the oil, but for Brazil I don’t think that’s very relevant. Venezuela exports oil mostly to the US and China.
For further information, look at Brazil here
Click to access INDVenezuela.pdf
July 31, 2012 at 10:01 am
And things don’t look better when you compare our trade with other countries in South America. Somos el hazmerreír del continente.
July 31, 2012 at 9:15 am
Gracias, chamo candela!
July 30, 2012 at 9:58 pm
“It was like going to have a hemorrhoid operation”, or a tonsillectomy in Cuba. Anywhere in the world this kind of procedure takes about half an hour, except in Cuba where it takes upward of 10 hours. Since nobody will open their mouth in that place, the surgeon has to proceed from the other end.
July 30, 2012 at 10:25 pm
As we used to say: simply high quality BS.
July 30, 2012 at 9:28 pm
Brilliant!!