This is the original video of the young Venezuelan kid who is switching his allegiance from Brazilian soccer to Venezuela’s Vinotinto soccer team:
This is the parody:
You be the judge…
Archive for the 'Venezuela' Category
From “Vintinto” To “Un Solo Camino”
June 13, 2012Chavismo Pulls Dirty Trick On Podemos And Patria Para Todos (And Ultimately On Capriles)
June 9, 2012
When the myriad of dirty tricks pulled by Chavismo during its tenure is analyzed after the demise of Hugo, none will be judged as being more cynical and undemocratic than the two this week on the legal status of the Podemos and Patria Para Todos political parties. The Supreme Court this week pulled two rabbits out of their dozens of dirty trick hats and managed to insure that neither party will be able to back back Capriles in his Octobre Presidential bid.
In one case, the Electoral Hall of the TSJ ruled that the elections for leaders of Partia Para Todos (PPT) were invalid and new ones had to take place. The Hall named a “temporary” President and mandate 90 days for new elections. By then, it will be too late for PPT to register for the election backing Capriles. (Those that back Capriles won the internal elections). In the second case, the Constitutional Hall of the TSJ ruled that Didalco Bolivar, not too long ago in exile from Chavismo accused of corruption, was the rightful leader of Podemos, despite the fact that Ismael Garcia had used the party to back the opposition in the Assembly elections.Reportedly Didalco exchanged his exile for returning and claiming the party.
Thus, in one swipe, two minor, but significant regional parties will not be able to use their symbols and colors to back Capriles. this may seem like a minor nuance, but it is not. Such symbols are quite important to the rank and file and are used extensively, particularly in the regional bastions where these parties are strong.
The fact that the two decisions were made practically simultaneously just days before these parties were due to register their support for Capriles, shows how dirty and cynical the whole thing is. Didalco Bolivar had left the country in a rush and Chavez had said that PPT was largely irrelevant. But revenge against traitors and fears that these small parties may make a difference in certain states drove the decisions and its exquisite and perverse timing.
How To Interfere With The Capriles Campaign In Ten Commandments
June 1, 2012
So, the democratic campaign of Hugo Chavez has issued these “Ten Commandments” to orient people on what to do if the “ultra right wing” candidate Capriles dares to visit you.
You can , for example (Commandment #1) coordinate sports, cultural or social activities to compete with Capriles’ visit.
or, you can use Government resources to have a National ID campaign (Commandment #2) that same day, once again, the idea is not have people show up at Capriles’ rally.
Better yet, you can have an “open air” Mercal, selling cheap produce purchased by the Government (Commandment #3), as the text says: “This activity “captures” a large segment of the population”. Of course, people are scraping by in the revolution.
Then there is Commandment #4, which is somewhat cryptic: “Coordinate with the Francisco de Miranda Front (Chavez campaign organization) and with the Socialist Youth, “political agitation activities”. I am not sure what those activities are, but it does not sound like they will hold a mass or anything like that.
Some of the rest are somewhat lame, like placing women in places to tell Capriles they would vote for him if he had not “take over” the Cuban Embassy in 2002 (which is a lie) or if he had not participated in the “coup” against Chavez in 2002. Or to place people in strategic places to chant: ” Capriles Fascista, Oligarca Imperialista”
But the true Jewel in the commandments is the tenth:
“Provoke situations of political agitation with the security personnel and the bodyguards of the “majunche” candidate”
And then, there is the note:
“All of these activities will be backed by fellow countrymen of alternative media, independent reporters (??)and members of the national public media (read: Government media). As well as intelligence organizations of the State which will be there dressed as civilians”
As you can see, democracy is truly sick in Venezuela, with the Government using resources, whether they are imported food, Government media outlets, intelligence officers to interfere with the oppositions campaign.
It is indeed the revolution without scruples.
And the worst part, we are all paying for all of this.
When Godgiven Speaks, Should Anyone Listen?
May 28, 2012
(Cabello practicing lying on a whiteboard)
With a straight face, Godgiven (a.k.a Diosdado Cabello, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly) himself told the press that “Chavez does not have a date to register to be a candidate for the election…in fact, he could do it via the Internet”
Jeez, what can I say? From the Government that brought Venezuela into literacy, The same Government that built 80,000-plus housing units so far in 2012, no matter what the Cubans may say or think, we now hear that shucks! Chavez just does not feel like it. Is not health, its shyness. Why make a big deal out of it? Why fix a date? He may just send an e-mail. He would just Tweet it, if it were legal. Chavez has never been one to like being in the spotlight, he never liked the limelight and all media opportunities in the last thirteen years, have just been decided at the last minute. they just went well, mostly. Like the one million that brought him back to Miraflores in 2002. Or the one million that went to the May Day march on May 1st.
Yeah, sure Godgiven. And you don’t want to be President and you are fully loyal to Hugo and money stinks!
As we say in Spanish, “Ahora cuentame una de vaqueros” (Now, tell me one about cowboys)
At this rate, we may never see Chavez “live” during his second term, just because he is so shy…He confirmed he does not know…
So, when Godgiven speaks, should anyone listen?
A Not So Relaxing Evening in Caracas
May 26, 2012
On a recent visit to Caracas, it was Friday early evening after an intense week (as usual) there. I decided to stay home, relax, watch a Red Sox game. I did need to get a medicine, so I went home and waited for traffic to decrease, which begins to happen around 7:30 PM. It should only take ten minutes to go to Locatel and get what I need. Then relax!
But it was not to be. At Locatel drugustore they were out not only of what I had the prescription for, but also for the competing product. But they were very helpful, told me that I could find the competing product in either their Caricuao or Alto Prado store, a little bit far from where I stay when I go to Caracas. So, I started to do what many Venezuelans do, go from pharmacy to pharmacy looking for what I needed. (Twitter has even become a place where you ask: Do you know a drugstore where I can find x?) After trying about three of them, I realized that it would be best to go to the far away Locatel, rather than keep wasting my time. But I was low on gas. In a city with free gas that should not be a problem.
But it was.
After being in line for about ten minutes at the first gas station in the way, I was told that they had no 95 octane gas, which is what the manufacturer recommends for my car. So, my hunt for the medicine had to be delayed, I needed to get the gas first. Went to the nearest gas station, which was closed. Went to another, only 91 octane, but my fourth try proved a success and I have a full tank now (At Bs. 4.5 for the full tank, a full dollar at the inaccessible official exchange rate)
By now, it was so late, that there was no traffic going to Alto Prado, where I readily purchased two packs of the medicine I needed. Twenty pills per pack at a bargain price of Bs. 7 per pack. No wonder you can’t find the stuff, how can they make twenty pills, package it in aluminum foil, all in a cardboard box and sell it at this price.
By now it was close to ten PM, the Red Sox were losing, but my favorite arepera was close by, so I drove by it, the arepas were as good as ever. The cheese was different, the 50-plus year provider shut down after they invaded the farm, according to Maria, who has been running the place since when I started going there as a teenager. I don’t go as much, far from home, and you drive by areas that are not the safest, but maybe there is no such thing as a safe area in Caracas.
Oh yeah! right before and right after the arepera there were police “alcabalas” with gun-toting cops looking at you like you just stole some cheap medicine from a drugstore and they are ready to shoot you if they see the bag. But in a country where most people don’t use seat belts regularly, having mine on seems to be as good as as a DISIP or PSUV membership car and I was waved on readily. It did make me feel like I must have committed a crime sometime in my life, even if I don’t remember it and if they stopped me I would break down and confess.
And yes, I got home way past ten PM, the Red Sox had lost by then. Some relaxing evening! The arepas saved the day!
Chavez Signs New Labor Bill, But Details Unkown
April 30, 2012In a well staged ceremony, up to the point where President Hugo Chavez broke down at the very end (see video above), the Venezuelan President signed into Law one of the most important Bills for the Venezuelan economy: The Labor Bill. A few hours after it was signed, we still know little about it, except for some of the tweets by the President and leaks of drafts of the document, which we still don’t know whether they contain what was approved in the end.and signed into Law by the President.
Despite this, Chavista unions celebrated without knowing the details, and Government officials claimed that no Bill had ever been consulted so much, despite nobody knowing its contents.
This is in contrast with the three way committee of Workers, Government and the Private Sector, which hammered out a new Bill in 1998, led by Teodoro Petkoff. A Bill that eliminated the retroactivity of severance pay, which studies had shown was the main limitation in creating jobs at the time. But much like the President’s health treatment (and I am not referring to this), Chavismo does not believe in calculations and techniques, they do everything by the seat of their pants, always hoping and asking for miracles, of which they have had a few. But maybe Chavez’ emotions reveal that a huge miracle is needed now.
Curiously, it was only the Government which did not comply with the 1998 Labor Bill, from its mandate to create pension funds with workers contributions, to that of paying off severance for each worker every year into a trust. But, despite this, the Chavez administration passed this new Bill, looking for votes, which reportedly reduces the work week from 44 hours to 40 (reportedly by saying that if you work Saturdays, you no longer do, other workers remain on the same 40 hour work week) and gives two years paid maternity leave, even if you adopt. But the Government is, once again, unlikely to be able to comply with the1 Bill, given its higher demands on the national budget.
But studies show that retroactivity, whereby you get paid severance for all the years you worked at the last salary you made, is simply bad for the Government and companies in an inflationary environment like we have, as shown below:
Basically, the bars show the impact of the law on a worker with 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years under the current law or with the new Bill with o% (gray), 10% (blue), 15% (gray) and 25% (black) inflation. The number on top of each bar is the number of paid days that each worker would have to take home if he quits (twice if he is fired). As you can see, it simply gets worse the higher the inflation, which with something like today’s inflation is triple what it would be under “normal” inflation. But the Chavez Government still believes that inflation is to the lack of supply of goods, not to the excess of money their generous printing has generated.
But the biggest head fake in the law, is that none of this will need to be implemented for one year. A full year to get rid of workers and implement measures, never mind that the elections are in October.
Of course, the whole thing is illegal anyway, as it is being approved under a law to deal with the emergency with the flooding and the housing problem, which is quite a stretch, but laws and rules is not what Chavismo is all about.
Oh yeah! Chavez said the Bill ends what he calls “Tercerizacion”, the local word for outsourcing. I am not sure how it manages to do that, but I have to ask: What will he do with the Cuban workers? After all, that is all he does with the Cubans: hire a Cuban company or the Government directly, and give the workers as little as possible. Once their “tour of duty” is done, they are shipped back home, but their company keeps providing the same service, without the workers getting the direct benefits.
But if it is “socialist” and Cuban outsourcing, it must be all right. The Bill will surely provide for that.
Notes From A Visit To Revolutionary Venezuela
April 28, 2012
After a week in Caracas, where traffic has become absolutely unbearable, here are some things I heard:
-I met with my original “Chavez is sick source” who in May said that Chavez was sick, leading to my completely forgotten post, which was the first one on the matter. Well, turns out my source knew about it since February 2011. One day the whole story will be told and we will find that Chavez’ failing will be the same one that did him in in so many areas: A total disregard for expertise and know-how.
-In Chavez’ absence, the financial part of the Government is sitting there doing nothing. Giordani does not listen to Jaua, Merentes is ignored. The Central Bank needs a bond issue of either PDVSA or Venezuela bonds to supply its SITME foreign exchange system, but absent the All Mighty, nobody dares make the decision and he has paid little attention to the matter.
-Reporters in Caracas are seeing more contacts from high Government officials, curiously all of those with Presidential aspirations, than they have seen in thirteen years. Jaua sends half a dozen press releases every day, Ramirez has been calling reporters that he blacklisted in the past, Jorge Rodriguez thinks he could be anointed successor, while Diosdado has become the traveling President of the National assembly. Even Aristobulo has shown some interest. Only Maduro has been quiet on that front, which may mean absolutely nothing no matter what Bocaranda may say.
-After talking to many people, I came away with a feeling that Chavez may name a new Vice-President, Jaua is simply not liked, but he will not name a successor any time soon. This is better for the opposition and a very dangerous game for the revolution. If Chavez is not seen in public designating someone as the the heir to his revolutionary ideals, there will be a fight to death among various Chavista factions.
-While much has been made over the speech by Portuguesa’s Governor at PSUV’s campaign command meeting, I think the whole thing was overblown. Castro Sotelo is in charge of planning and he presented scenarios, one with a weakened Chavez, one without Chavez and one with no elections. But in his scenario (and in his speech), it is the opposition that does not want the election, not Chavez’ party. Go figure.
-Most local companies refuse to discuss publicly the impact of the new cost and price control Bill on their finances. They are simply paranoid about the Government even getting a hint that they are complaining. But Procter and Gamble guided down its profit forecast for the year, as Venezuela’s controls have chopped prices up by as much as 25%, cutting worldwide profits by 3%.
And yes, tomorrow is my predicted date, it may not happen, but I will not be that far off.
Friday Evening Musings about Venezuela After a Long Day
April 20, 20121) News Item: El Assiami presents proof that there are links between Makled and Aponte^2:
The Devil presents proof that there is also a link between Adan Chavez and Aponte^2:
What’s stronger link, an envelope you write to someone or a book you dedicate to someone, or a ceremony you hold as Governor to honor a buddy.
You be the judge. (Pun intended)
2) El Assiami: DEA helped the escape of Aponte^2
The Devil: Aponte did not escape. Like so many other Chavistas, he was removed but not accused. It’s how they work, they get rid of them, but never accuse them of corruption, they just let them be. So many cases, Antonini, Illararamendi, Duran, Casas de Bolsa. Where are they now…
Except they went quietly, not like the dishonourable Judge.
3) Finally, the Devil would like to note: Today we had the best or second best daily rally in Venezuela and PDVSA bonds that the Devil has seen in his life. I find it hard to believe that this was coincidental. Within an hour, at around 10:30 AM, PDVSA bonds went up 5-6% this morning, while Venezuela’s bonds went up like 2.5 to 3%. Since Chavistas are just as good as regular Venezuelans in using privileged information, I can’t help but wonder if something dramatic is afoot. I may be wrong, but if I am right, my prediction of the demise before my birthday, which is in nine days, is doable. We shall see…
The Aponte^2 Interview: Direct From The Cesspool Of The Revolution
April 19, 2012Let’s see: a former Military Prosecutor, who becomes a Venezuelan Supreme Court Justice, revolutionary at that, placidly goes on TV and reveals that he has the ethics and morals of a Pleistocenic insect, tell us that he is being accused wrongly and impeached and thus he needed to leave the country and “clear his head”. He complains that nobody “defended” him, on either side. He tells us that the man accused of being a drug capo, Walter Makled, was a “”Gran Señor” in his town of Valencia. And he does not recall whether he gave Señor Makled an ID saying that he was an Inspector for the Military Prosecutor’s office, because he just signed so many of them for his friends, for other Prosecutors, for the buddies of military officers. And he wants to clean his name and his reputation.
-Can a bath in hydrochloric acid “clean” this guy’s reputation? Can his name, covered with grime, be mentioned in any positive fashion?
He then says he was a prominent member of the judicial power and he was asked to manipulate justice. (We knew that). He says Chavez called (No surprise there, even if the case was not that relevant) and asked that he “manipulate” the case. He got “an infinite” number of calls from the General Prosecutor to do things the way she wanted, including the infamous Mazuco case, in which a false witness was found to say that Mazuco killed someone. But the only times he shows some emotion (not much) is when he talks about being betrayed. That seems to be his main anger, not that he was part of the cesspool of the revolution, but that he was kicked out of it. The guy even says that they wanted to obliterate his “prestige”.
-What the hell is this guy talking about. What egg roll or drug does he regularly smoke? His “prestige”, gimme a break!
And the President of the Supreme Court would call him to twist Justice. And he says that they surely blackmailed bankers, but shows no proof, he just thinks so. But every Friday morning, at the Vice-President’s office there is a meeting, he went sometimes, between the President of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General and the General Prosecutor and police heads, where the orders for how Justice will be implemented this week are given. case by case, according to the “politics” of each case. He then tells us about his CV, but it appears CV for him means “loyal” to the revolution and the Government, read loyal to Hugo Chavez.
-Strange concept of having a good CV, a “neat” or a “clean” trajectory. No?
We are then told about how drugs went to military facilities and he knew about it. Someone from the President’s office called him to intervene in a case. Minister Baduell also called, Minister Rangel Silva, General Carvajal. A stellar parade of revolutionary military leaders, past and present ones, all educated at the highest levels of our military. All of them knew that the drugs were kept in the military facility for “protection”. Nothing extraordinary there. That was the only “drug” related case in which he intervened. The case ended there, it was closed. His “only” drug case.
-Only? To me that alone is a CV that says I want nothing to do with Aponte^2.
He then tells us that the Director of the Anti-Drug office is the drug czar in Venezuela, together with General Alcala. He has no proof, but he says it is. Oh yeah, he was told not to touch the FARC. Minor factoid. He then tells us he manipulated the case of General Uson, who was jailed for five years. He got order to do it. If he did not obey, he was out. There goes that CV! Same with Baduel’s case. But hey, he says he is innocent in the Makled case, no remorse on other things, except he was unfairly charged. And yes! if it is to “clean” his name, he would testify.
-This guy has no understanding of his moral and ethical responsibility for what he has done. the only thing he cares about is that he was accused and impeached. Can one even believe all he says?
And now he may write his memoirs! This guy is truly a piece of cake. Who wants to read his “Memoirs”? Finally, at the end, he admits some culpability. He says the whole judicial system is contaminated. All decisions are “consulted” with the Government. But now he wants to fight for Justice and sends messages to Venezuelans about Justice and the future.
This is a glimpse into the cesspool of the Bolivarian revolution. This is a military officer, corrupt and unethical at heart. Who appears to be only mad at the fact that he was impeached.Who shows little remorse for what he did. Who still thinks he has a trajectory or a career to show or be proud of. If this is the military officer that got to the be Military Prosecutor and Supreme Court Justice, imagine the lower ranks! Imagine those with less Education!
This is what Chavez and his cronies have created. This guy should be tried some day in Venezuela for what he did to others. For how he violated the law. For being a traitor to the oath of his offices. This guy shows us why the easy part in the reconstruction of the country will be the economic one. The tough part will be the reeducation of a country filled with people in important and less important positions with this type of mentality. The tough part will be weeding out characters like Aponte^2, most of which will start crying “foul” when a new administration wants to get rid of them.
With moral values like Aponte^2, the task at hand may not only be very difficult. It may simply be impossible.
PDVSA’s Idiotic Financial Strategy
April 18, 2012
I like going through financial statements. I like understanding them, going through things, trying to figure out what is important and what is not. PDVSA’s used to be one of my favorite’s, there was so much to learn and understand there. Nowadays is not the same. While the financial numbers may be “correct” the underlying data is not. You can’t believe oil production or local oil consumption. Investment numbers are almost irrelevant, if credible.
The financials are so simplistic that our good friend Setty has told us that the half a billion dollars lost to the Illaramendi funds,. does not even deserve a mention in the financials, by PDVSA or by the auditors. Go Figure, half a billion dollars ripped-off, the company (we are told) replaced the money and this does not even deserve a note from the auditors!
So, I read the financials, without much interest, sure they generated revenue of US$124 billion, PDVSA now has 121 thousand workers versus 40,000 when Chavez decided to integrate into the Government by firing half the workers. Yadda, Yadda, Yadda!
But one thing did catch my attention, in 2010, PDVSA had “Accounts Receivable” for US$ 14.8 billion. For the uninitiated, this is money owed to PDVSA. Remarkably, this went up a lot from 2010 to 2011, a lot like more than doubled at US$ 30.88 billion.
Where did this doubling come from? Well, about US$ 6 billion of the increase came from “Energy Agreements” read oil shipped to other countries like Argentina, the Caribbean, Bielorussia and the like, which PDVSA sells to these “friendly” countries 50% up front, two or three years grace period and then last we hear, a twenty five year loan at 2-3% per year.
Another US$ 6 billion, came from “related entities”, these are things like Corpoelec and Pequiven, which simply don’t pay their oil bills to PDVSA. So, not only is PDVSA forced to give money to Fonden, which Fonden later gives to Corpoelec to fund projects, but these same projects use up oil, diesel and the like, but Corpoelec has no money to pay for it.
Would you run your family like this? Lend your son money, so he can start a business which runs on oil that you sell to him, but he never pays. Some business!
But the most remarkable thing, is that during 2011, PDVSA’s financial debt went up by US$ 11.1 billion, from US$ 21.3 billion to US$ 32.4 billion. The new debt comes mostly from new bonds issued with coupons as low as 8.5% and as high as 12.75% per year, say an average of 10% per year.
The bottom line is that PDVSA is paying over US$ 1 billion a year in financing, so that our wealthier friends in Argentina, Belaruss and the Caribbean (The exceptions are Cuba and Haiti, which are poorer) can have our cheap oil.
This is an idiotic financial strategy. As idiotic as can be. A country with poverty, a company with immense financial needs to even maintain production, should not, can not fund wealthier countries, so they can drive around further distances at cheaper prices, or stay warm, while Venezuelans die without medical service.
This is absolutely idiotic, this is treason, this is total disregard for your own people.
But these people have lost the notion of scale and magnitudes. To them a billion here a half a billion there is rounding error, while the truth is that each half billion can build a few dozen hospitals or a few thousand housing units.
But the revolution no longer cares. Survival is the name of the game. It is no longer the optimum allocation of scarce resources, but the optimum allocation of resources for reelection and political gain.
Idiotic!
(BTW PDVSA’s financials are in PDVSA’s webpage, however, PDVSA must be the only company with a webpage that when you click on a link, the URL stays the same. Just go http://www.pdvsa.com, then click on Informes Financieros and then click on them, the URL will not change. I also tried to follow the route of these receivables and found it funny: One note would send me to another, which would send me to three others, which would send me to the original one. Very circular.)
The Devil's Excrement 