Ruben Limardo from Ciudad Bolivar wins gold in fencing, first Olympic gold for Venezuela since 1968 and Weil draws up the cute cartoon above.
And before the PSF’s glorify the revolution’s achievement, here is Limardo’s tweet on March 19th. :
Y lo mas preocupante para mi fue!! clasificar sin el apoyo del Ministerio del deporte. El presidente tiene q estar enterado de esto.
(The most worrisome thing for me was to classify without the backing of the Ministry for Sports. The President has to know this. )
The Devil's Excrement 
August 2, 2012 at 5:10 pm
In all likelihood, al estilo cubano, he was threatened that something might happen to his family if he did not collaborate. Not joking.
August 2, 2012 at 10:33 am
Bueno, el tipo al menos le da gracias a todo el mundo:
“Połowa medalu dla Polski”
La mitad de la medalla para los polacos.
Y la otra mitad para mi comandante presidente, I suppose.
http://slask.naszemiasto.pl/artykul/1495749,ruben-limardo-gascon-z-piasta-gliwice-mistrzem-olimpijskim,id,t.html
August 2, 2012 at 5:50 am
You know what…I was really happy for him for a moment (in a way I still am…an Olympic gold is an Olympic gold is an Olympic gold and a fantastic achievement) however, just a few months ago he got there all by himself with no government help and complained that the sport ministry was doing nothing to help. now all of a sudden the president HIMSELF no less is the architect of all sporting success in Venezuela. I feel sick to my stomach that his triumph has been cheapened like this… and the fact that it was by the triumphant himself makes it feel even sleazier.
Its as JFE says…comments like this turns the president into the all knowing, all doing, all powerful. Even though obviously he isnt…not by a long shot!!
August 2, 2012 at 6:18 pm
I don’t know the background on this at all, but I think what you posted is very well said.
An Olympic medal IS a wonderful achievement–and those trying to jump on the bandwagon claiming they’re somehow responsible for it is despicable.
Mind you, the same could be said for MANY countries trying to enjoy the glory from the dedication and hard work of an individual, including the U.S. and other countries–that somehow, their “system” resulted in this athletic achievement.
It’s just so easy to point out how the ridiculousness and hypocrisy of how Chavez is treating this VZ medal fits this behavior to T (tee?).
Because it’s the only accomplishment Chavez can POSSIBLY boast about.
August 3, 2012 at 8:03 am
Very true Ira.
But the difference is that many of those other countries that claim to have been a part of a victory because their systems is better truly DO have a better system and ARE a part of those victories! If we look at how much money is spent in facilities, training, scouting etc etc in other countries we can see that athletes reach their goals because they have a support structure to back them up and help them train.
I’m not sure about where Limardo trained (although in his discipline I’m pretty sure it wasn’t in Venezuela and I place no blame for that. After all it is not a sport really practiced in Venezuela) but if we look at athletes in other sports who cooould train in Venezuela many don’t. They go to other countries because there is more support staff/facilities to help them reach the top.
The whole lack of real support of many Venezuelan athletes is what makes those statements such crap. On top of that it would have been nice if Limardo would have stuck to his guns from the previous statement where complained of having no support and said to the president…dear mr president, this victory is for Venezuela, not for you since at no moment where you present to back me up. THAT would have been awesome!
August 4, 2012 at 6:01 pm
Wow. I just posted in the other blog about this fencing thing saying the same thing–before I read your post:
That he should have made a statement cutting Hugo off at the knees.
August 2, 2012 at 4:04 am
Here you have it, I knew it:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/noticias/2012/08/120801_juegos_olimpicos_londres_2012_venezuela_ruben_limardo_oro_az.shtml
What he said in Twitter is now forgotten, he will be used as a pet by Chávez. What happened? Did he have a previous call from Chávez? I don’t know.
I just know I have no reason to feel happy for this as a Venezuelan. Good for him. He got into dirty politics himself.
August 2, 2012 at 9:05 am
1. PLOP (about the political angle that just surfaced).
2. Well, if I’m not mistaken, I believe that prior to Ch., athletes were not well funded. So there is some truth to the following, from the perspective of the athlete:
“Siga ayudándonos que lo está haciendo muy bien. De verdad le estoy muy agradecido y en el futuro no va a ser sólo una medalla, sino más porque usted está haciendo un excelente trabajo metiéndole la mano al deporte como debería ser, cosa que no se veía antes”, dijo el campeón.
August 2, 2012 at 9:17 am
Well, perhaps now we can get as many medals as Cuba and watch the games thanks to the cuchufleta
August 2, 2012 at 5:44 pm
porque la revolución es progreso, aún en la Sierra Maestra.
August 2, 2012 at 4:03 am
Why does the president have to know about it? Why should he get directly involved?
The most pernicious effect that Chavez has had on the society,and of latinamerican society in general , is this perception that only El Presidente can fix something, that only El Presidente is the channel to communicate with the government.
There should be structure in place to solve those problems without requiring the issues to buble to the highest authority. This only leads to institutional athropy as everyone must wait for the higher up to agree on every minute detail.
August 2, 2012 at 1:05 am
Wooow this was realy important news !
August 2, 2012 at 7:05 am
Yes Rudy, your idol thinks so too. How ignorant you are about our country! You keep proving it day after day.
August 1, 2012 at 11:20 pm
Everybody knows that fencing is a sport of the neoliberal imperalisti elites.
August 2, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Huh? What a crock!
August 2, 2012 at 2:24 pm
Formula 1 is a sport of the minorities….. the very rich ones!
August 2, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Hey now! I bleed Ferrari Red and walk to work. So let it go.
Skuderia! GO DAWGS!
August 1, 2012 at 9:14 pm
Don’t worry. Chavez will still treat Ruben as a product of the socialist revolution.
It would be nice if Ruben Limardo would publicly support Capriles.
August 2, 2012 at 3:13 am
I don’t think he will. Just wait. Chávez called him already and you can count on it Chávez can and shall use public moneys for this guy. He knows he is good for votes…getting this guy on his lorry for a Corazón Venezolano rally would be worth millions. Even getting a big hug in front of the cameras…Chávez would give a lot for that.
August 1, 2012 at 9:01 pm
It’s pretty much standard these days. Regardless of someone’s personal politics, if you want to go to an international championship — of cycling, tango, chess, you name it — you need to get the minister him/herself to sign off on your project before Cadivi will give you any money for entry fees, etc. The ministers, in turn, take months to get to any request, often forcing people to front the entry fees themselves. Of course, if the dates on the receipts pre-date the provision of Cadivi money, it’s illegal to use Cadivi dollars for the fees. So many people — la gente popular, el pueblo, los menos adinerados — are excluded from such contests. Socialism.