The Devil's Excrement

Remember the Petrorinoco bonds that Chavez said would be used to pay Bs. 40 billion in debt the Government has with public sector workers? Above is the picture of the “bond” Chavez showed in national TV (That’s his hand). However after handing out less than Bs. 1 billion and after failing to issue an official gazette with the conditions of the “bond”, not much was heard again and the electoral promise of handing out billions seemed to die away.

Another failed promise of the fake revolution?

Well, we still don’t know. We now hear from another non-financial expert of the Cabinet (Chavez is the other one) Minister of Higher Education Yadira Córdova that the “bonds” are not going to be quite bonds.

According to Mrs. Córdova (or is it Dr. Córdova?) the investment instrument to be used in paying the public workers can be better defined as “A system or certificate of payment with defined financial characteristics” and that they will have a trust backing it.

To clarify the ever morphing financial instrument, whose main purpose seems to try to obtain votes, Dr./Mrs. Córdova added: “The subject of severance pay is complicated and you can not generate an obligation without it being in the budget”

At this point, you are all lost, so is she. This is not an “obligation”. This is the law, which the Government has bypassed for 14 years, while the private sector can’t miss a payment because the Government raises hell. But the Chavernment is the Chavernment and they are in a world where the rule of law can be suspended at their will. But even worse, is the fact that a bond is precisely that, a promise of payment with a financial instrument, backed by the Government, a trust or whatever. Chavez’ Government did it before and they were called Vebonos.

In closing, the Minister put the nail in the coffin by saying: “There is not a definite date for payment of the labor debt”

Oh Yadira, public workers know that, they haven’t been paid in fourteen years, do you think they believe you one month before the election that you will pay this time?

In the end, using Hugo’s words, the Petrorinoco, is simply part of the show. And as an infamous aspiring little Dictator of Venezuela once said: “The show must go on”

And it does…

Faithful reader and internet friend Virginia asked me to allow her to contribute her thoughts to my blog. Enjoy!

I started blogging on the social networks, along with hundreds of other bloggers, sparked from my heartache for my homeland, Venezuela.  At less than 40 days until one of the most important elections of Venezuela’s history; I pause to reflect on all of the people, who every day thru the aid of platforms like Facebook, have helped fight the communist regime of Hugo Chavez.

Throughout the past years, we have released videos, articles, and posters that document the failure of the Chavez regime.   In the past thirteen years that Chavez has ruled as a dictatorial tyrant, he has turned Venezuela into a country with one of the worst crime rates in South America. Venezuela has also witnessed one of the highest inflation rates in Latin America, a huge external debt, a rampant housing deficit, and other socio-economic problems which include high unemployment, poor public services, and food shortages. But, despite the adversity, we have held true to our struggle for freedom of expression which is on the verge of being extinguished in Venezuela.

Just as social networks contributed largely to the Arab Spring movement, our blogging contributions have been equally important to opposing the Chavez regime.  This was witnessed in the success of the opposition primary elections in February 2012. The winning candidate, a young lawyer Henrique Capriles Radonski, received 62.2% of the vote.  The campaign for the presidency of Venezuela began on July 1 2012. A relentless Capriles Radonski has already toured more than 200 towns in less than 2 months of campaigning.   Each rally has brought together thousands of Venezuelans in favor of his pragmatic proposals.  Based on the outpouring of support for Capriles, there is no doubt that the Venezuelan people are looking for a change.  Our efforts thru Facebook have definitely impacted and have helped to ignite the courage of the Venezuelans and to create a matrix of positive public opinion against the dictator.

I feel, without a doubt, that most people, who have been active contributors on the social networks, have personally affected the fight to end the Chavez regime. We all, through our never ending blogging for the freedom of our Venezuelan people, have helped to turn the tides toward a more just and democratic government.

Some of our blogging community is living out of our native country Venezuela, but we are united by our spirit of freedom and democracy.   This spirit is being reborn and carried forward by the heart of our candidate Henrique Capriles, and also by the hands of our Facebook bloggers.

We have personally tried to make known the reasons why Hugo Chavez is a threat to the Venezuelan people and to world peace.  We have talked untiringly on such issues as Chavez’s alleged relations with The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the closure of the Venezuelan Consulate in Miami due to the alleged plan of a cyber-attack to the U.S., the shipment of Diesel to Syria’s Assad government, the building of drones with Iran’s help, and the German newspaper report that alleges Iran was building a mid-range missile launch site on the Paraguana Peninsula in Venezuela.

We are aware, that there is fear for a considerable part of the Venezuelan population, of losing some of their government welfare benefits obtained by the social programs called “Missions”.  Capriles has stated that he will continue to improve these projects because they constitute an “achievement of the people”. There is also a fear in the public sector by pro-Chavez supporters that if Capriles wins the election, they may lose their jobs.  Capriles, being sensitive to this fear, has further re-assured the public by saying that he will not lay off anyone due to their political allegiance.

It is remarkable that Capriles has never lost an election.  This was witnessed when he ran for various offices in Venezuela such as congressman, mayor, and governor.  His success in being elected as president of Venezuela is expected by all.  This especially holds true for those who have created a fraternity and a force through their social networks and in sharing their dreams and ideals of democracy and freedom for our homeland.

In closing, I feel that our social networking thru platforms like Facebook, have helped to ignite the passion of the Venezuelan population. The neighborhoods, once controlled by the Chavez propaganda machine, are becoming more and more supportive of Capriles.  We expect a historical turn out by the voting populous at the October 7, 2012 election and a triumphant victory by Henrique Capriles.  If it is necessary, we will defend our historical vote by any diplomatic and peaceful means necessary in order to see that justice and liberty prevail. In the meantime, we urge all of the political bloggers, to continue to be steadfast in their crusade against the tyrannical Chavez regime and to keep the opposition candle burning.

Virginia Lampke is a political blogger and human rights activist.  She is a native of Maracaibo, Venezuela, and subsequently became a United States Citizen residing in Seattle, Washington.  She continues her crusade to raise awareness of the socio-economic inequalities and political oppression in her native Venezuela.

I have known about the possible massacre of a tribe of Yanomami indians for at least two weeks. The report was that some Brazilian gold diggers, or “garimpeiros” had killed 80 indians. A reader (VJ) even noted that in Chavismo circles, the garimpeiros were said to be all work of the US Government and its mercenaries to destabilize Chavez. But what is truly appalling, is to have the Minister of Defense say that he sort of had heard about it, but is not sure, but by next week, he should have confirmation. Because it is now that they sent someone to check it out. It takes the Venezuelan Government one week (plus whatever time has elapsed already) to learn about its citizens being massacred. Some Minister of “Defense”

Then comes the threats, if it is found to be false, he will take legal measures against those that claimed this was true.

And I ask: What if it is found to be true? Will he assume responsibility and resign?

Can he sue all the other liars in Government for us?

I know, I know, Juan and Quico showed it, Daniel showed it, why bother?

Simple, it is another goodt example of the fake revolution. It confirms Chavez “The show mus go on” expression. It is all a show, greenhouses with huge signs in front. Chavez calling the land golden. Saying “This is socialism”. Inaugurating it on national TV. Saying this is how you build a revolution from the ground up:

Inside, nothing, dirt and overgrown bushes, no production, no greens, no corn, no pimentos.

Like the revolution, all fake.

The show must go on! Because that is all Chavez knows how to do, perform a show!

Although the Government is trying to convince Venezuelans that the Amuay disaster is something normal and has little to do with bad management or bad maintenance, evidence seems to show the opposite and is mounting fast. The leak of the report by the refinery’s underwriter is quite damming, it makes for great reading for geeky types. (Yes, like me!)

I will not bore you with the details, but I will note that the report says on page 8, that while US$1 billion was budgeted for maintenance, only US$314 million was actually spent. Less than US$ 2 billion was spent in the last four years. So, when Asdrubal Chavez boasts that US$ 4 billion were spent on maintenance in the same period, he clearly is talking about how much was budgeted, not spent (Aren’t you glad he is in charge of he electric network now? Just kidding!)

Part of the problem is that Bariven, the PDVSA affiliate in charge of imports, is now in charge of all the food imports of PDVAL, thus it’s just in time ability of yesteryear is no longer there. The result, even if maintenance needs to be done, there are no materials for it. Somewhere else in the report i t says that materials procurement now takes 60 weeks. Yes, over one year for imported materials and only, yes only 30 weeks for local materials. Sounds like a dysfunctional company to me.

The report also says that the target of PDVSA was to have 80% of the maintenance be preventive and 20% corrective. However, the report concludes that it ended up being 69% corrective, 31% preventive.

The report says that major maintenance suffers delays of one to two years, while routine maintenance had a low in 2009, it has no evidence that this was corrected, other than it was “reported” to management, which probably was out campaigning.

These people should be fired!

The report says that fire pump testing has not been performed yearly as required (page 14) and describes fires and explosions that are anything but “normal”

But Chavistas seem now convince that the sinking of the Adan Pearl is “normal”, that the Cavim weapon factory exploding is “normal”, that Conviasa’s six accidents in four years are “normal”, that half a billion dollars stolen from PDVSA’s pension funds is “normal”, or $800,000 in bills in  suitcase is also “normal” and that daily blackouts all over the country are “normal”.

What is not “normal” is how this people think a country should be run.

So Chavez in Amuay was going on and on about the Fatherland and the Motherland. About the he Doctors and the She Doctors. About the he nurses and the she nurses, when all of a sudden:

his nationwide TV address was interrupted by VTV.

Are we watching these “cadenas” live? Or are they inserting a delay just in case? What happened? Why the rude interruption?

Tonight, Chavez nationwide address was interrupted when Guayana workers broke into the stage and started protesting. Chavez tried to go into the Hornest Nest, but it did not work well. Guayana workers are tired of promises. Is this a turning point in the campaign?

And this was the preamble to the protest: Mr. President, we haven’t had a collective contract for three years. And one more thing…!