Observations focused on the problems of an underdeveloped country, Venezuela, with some serendipity about the world (orchids, techs, science, investments, politics) at large. A famous Venezuelan, Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo, referred to oil as the devil's excrement. For countries, easy wealth appears indeed to be the sure path to failure. Venezuela might be a clear example of that.
This time around the Government not only forbade helicopter flights over the march, but it shut down the Caracas airport to make sure nobody took pictures of the six marches. A friend sends in this one taken from a high rise, showing the endpoint of the march. When I left the rally at 2 PM, I had troubles crossing a street beyond where you can see people in this image due to the density of people still marching.
Busy on the phone Great smile!!
No words for this Forceful!
Fantastic, march/rally/demonstration, whatever you want to call it. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in six separate marches from all sections of Caracas to a location near the National Electoral Council. While it had been expected that we would accompany the petition with the signatures to ask for a recall referendum, this was not to be as the signatures were handed in very early in the morning. This had an incredible effect as it dissipated many fears of violence among those that later went to the rally. The fear was that Chavez’ supporters would interfere with the march as happened last November when tear gas and shots were used by the police as the Chavistas attempted to hijack and stop the truck carrying the signatures. But it was not to be as a non-descript refrigerated truck was used at 6:30 AM to take the petitions to the CNE. Chavista thug Lina Ron was outraged by the deception, calling on live TV for the Chavistas to take to the streets as they were cheated by the opposition. She even accused the opposition of handing in the signatures last night, which would make them illegal. Meanwhile, Vice-President Rangel actually went on TV and praised the peaceful day while Hugo Chavez who was in Argentina, said the signatures were fake as if the Feb. 2nd. massive petition drive never took place. Chavez even said that it was just the oligarchs using signatures from their banks to fraudulently fill in the petition. Chavez even said at the end that the opposition would be defeated anyway if they managed to get the referendum to take place. If he is so sure, why does he oppose the referendum so much? After all, if he won, it would give his “revolution” a mandate that he never had, since he never said that he would do what he is doing right now as President.
Above left, as close to the front of the rally as I was able to get, I took similar pictures looking the other way. On the right is a picture taken of one of the marches from the builiding where I work. I waited for over fifty minutes before joining the march and you can see how dense it is. More pictures in Pictures, Posters and Venezuelan Beauty inside.
This is a picture of Rhyncholaelia Digbyana which used to be know as Brassavola Digbyana. I have had this plant for a long time, maybe 12 years. First I had in a pot, it never flowered. I read an article that said that they liked slabs of cork. About six years ago I put in a slab. This is the first time it flowers and it is a huge plant. The flower is beautiful, worth the wait, look at the ruffled lip. This is a species from Central American and it is the main parent of all those hybrids that have the Brasso prefix in them.
Despite heavy rain throughout the initial hour of the march, the people of Caracas retook the streets of Caracas today in a march/rally named the “The reencounter” called by the opposition in order to begin “heating up” the streets ahead of the magical date of August 19th. when the opposition will be able to submit a petition for the referendum. The rally was huge and while I would have saved energies for August 19th. it showed that the opposition can easily get people back into the streets. In fact, I think that once Aug. 19th. comes around, the amount of people willing to take to the streets in protest will increase significantly, people are simply fed up. In fact, recent polls by well reputed firms, show that the strategy of focusing on the problems rather than Chavez himself is paying off, Chavez’ popularity is down to 25% of which only 10% is considered to be hardcore. More pictures under Pictures and Posters.
Despite heavy rain throughout the initial hour of the march, the people of Caracas retook the streets of Caracas today in a march/rally named the “The reencounter” called by the opposition in order to begin “heating up” the streets ahead of the magical date of August 19th. when the opposition will be able to submit a petition for the referendum. The rally was huge and while I would have saved energies for August 19th. it showed that the opposition can easily get people back into the streets. In fact, I think that once Aug. 19th. comes around, the amount of people willing to take to the streets in protest will increase significantly, people are simply fed up. In fact, recent polls by well reputed firms, show that the strategy of focusing on the problems rather than Chavez himself is paying off, Chavez’ popularity is down to 25% of which only 10% is considered to be hardcore. More pictures under Pictures and Posters.
It was only today that I managed to find the type of despicable imagery used by the Chavistas at the burial of Cardinal Velazco last week, Venezuela’s highest Catholic priest. There were many posters like this one as well as guys disguised as Cardinals and looking like the devil. This is the type of hatemongering this ugly revolution wants to promote.
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The Devil's Excrement 