The Devil's Excrement

The Venezuelan National Institute for Statistics INE, said today that poverty had in decreased Venezuela during the month of November. According to the Head of the Institute, poverty stands now at 53% of all Venezuelans being below the poverty level. This is obviously very good news and I welcome it. In fact, this is the least I would have expected from the fact that oil prices are so high, it should have some trickle down effect.

Mr. Eljuri also said that 25% of Venezuelans live in critical poverty with the rest having income which is at least twice the “basic basket of foodstuffs”.

Now, where things get truly Goebbelian or Orwellian is when Mr. Eljuri proceeds to criticize the opposition for saying that poverty is at 70%. According to Mr. Eljuri: “the opposition commits a premeditated error by adding the number of critical poverty to the percentage of poverty in the country”

This is really funny. First of all, Mr. Eljuri succeeded Mr. Molina at the National Institute for Statistics when Chavez fired him for reporting that poverty has only increased during Chavez’ term as reported then in this blog. What is so incredible Goebbelian about this, is that it was Hough Chavez himself who propagated the false number of 80% poverty during his Presidential campaign in 1998. I wrote once a letter to a reader where I took exception to him using Chavez’ number. In fact, as far back as March 2003 in this blog, I was taking the Government to task for their poverty number which always seems to be below that of the Center at the Catholic University that has been studying poverty for the last thirty years. (It is so cool to have a blog for so long that everything is there on the record!)

In fact, you can check yourself for Chavez propagation of the 80% number, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here or right here in another Devilish source.

But now that the revolution has control of everything, they want to say it was the opposition that spread the 80% number, or simply, they want to say Chavez reduced it from 80% to the current 53%. Whatever the reason may be in the twisted and perverse minds of this fake revolution, it is another bizarre attempt at changing history. As my own charting programs for Mac’s used to say: Do you want to change history? It would ask in Russian: Da! or No! You figure it out.

The Venezuelan National Institute for Statistics INE, said today that poverty had in decreased Venezuela during the month of November. According to the Head of the Institute, poverty stands now at 53% of all Venezuelans being below the poverty level. This is obviously very good news and I welcome it. In fact, this is the least I would have expected from the fact that oil prices are so high, it should have some trickle down effect.

Mr. Eljuri also said that 25% of Venezuelans live in critical poverty with the rest having income which is at least twice the “basic basket of foodstuffs”.

Now, where things get truly Goebbelian or Orwellian is when Mr. Eljuri proceeds to criticize the opposition for saying that poverty is at 70%. According to Mr. Eljuri: “the opposition commits a premeditated error by adding the number of critical poverty to the percentage of poverty in the country”

This is really funny. First of all, Mr. Eljuri succeeded Mr. Molina at the National Institute for Statistics when Chavez fired him for reporting that poverty has only increased during Chavez’ term as reported then in this blog. What is so incredible Goebbelian about this, is that it was Hough Chavez himself who propagated the false number of 80% poverty during his Presidential campaign in 1998. I wrote once a letter to a reader where I took exception to him using Chavez’ number. In fact, as far back as March 2003 in this blog, I was taking the Government to task for their poverty number which always seems to be below that of the Center at the Catholic University that has been studying poverty for the last thirty years. (It is so cool to have a blog for so long that everything is there on the record!)

In fact, you can check yourself for Chavez propagation of the 80% number, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here or right here in another Devilish source.

But now that the revolution has control of everything, they want to say it was the opposition that spread the 80% number, or simply, they want to say Chavez reduced it from 80% to the current 53%. Whatever the reason may be in the twisted and perverse minds of this fake revolution, it is another bizarre attempt at changing history. As my own charting programs for Mac’s used to say: Do you want to change history? It would ask in Russian: Da! or No! You figure it out.

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez called on the opposition to be serious about the border discussions that are taking place with Colombia. This is response to Primero Justicia leader Julio Borges who said that a Colombian newspaper had quoted a Colombian negotiator as saying that Venezuela had recognized that country’s rights to the Gulf of Venezuela.

Borges immediately replied to Rodriguez saying that his reply lacked clarity as it did not address what the Colombian publication said and it was incredible that Venezuelans had to find out about it via a foreign publication.

My response would have been:

Who should be serious here? The Minister of Foreign relations was President of PDVSA for the last two and a half years where he:

-Has been telling us for over a year that the country is producing 600,000 barrels more than either OPEC or AEI say.

-Has been promising since June the financial statements of PDVSA will be ready next month and they are not ready yet.

-Authorized the repurchase of PDVSA’s US$ 2.5 billion dollars an outrageous price simply to protect the rear ends of the members of the Board of PDVSA (including his own) who would have been in violation of US law, in particular the recently enacted Sarbanes Oxley Law.

-Promised all of his collaborators at PDVSA that he would not take political revenge on them.

-Confiscated the funds from the voluntary pension plans of 20,000 PDVSA workers.

Yes Mr. Rodriguez, let’s be serious! Why don’t you start, your track record ain’t very good. Did you know Government should be subject to a higher standard?

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez called on the opposition to be serious about the border discussions that are taking place with Colombia. This is response to Primero Justicia leader Julio Borges who said that a Colombian newspaper had quoted a Colombian negotiator as saying that Venezuela had recognized that country’s rights to the Gulf of Venezuela.

Borges immediately replied to Rodriguez saying that his reply lacked clarity as it did not address what the Colombian publication said and it was incredible that Venezuelans had to find out about it via a foreign publication.

My response would have been:

Who should be serious here? The Minister of Foreign relations was President of PDVSA for the last two and a half years where he:

-Has been telling us for over a year that the country is producing 600,000 barrels more than either OPEC or AEI say.

-Has been promising since June the financial statements of PDVSA will be ready next month and they are not ready yet.

-Authorized the repurchase of PDVSA’s US$ 2.5 billion dollars an outrageous price simply to protect the rear ends of the members of the Board of PDVSA (including his own) who would have been in violation of US law, in particular the recently enacted Sarbanes Oxley Law.

-Promised all of his collaborators at PDVSA that he would not take political revenge on them.

-Confiscated the funds from the voluntary pension plans of 20,000 PDVSA workers.

Yes Mr. Rodriguez, let’s be serious! Why don’t you start, your track record ain’t very good. Did you know Government should be subject to a higher standard?

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez called on the opposition to be serious about the border discussions that are taking place with Colombia. This is response to Primero Justicia leader Julio Borges who said that a Colombian newspaper had quoted a Colombian negotiator as saying that Venezuela had recognized that country’s rights to the Gulf of Venezuela.

Borges immediately replied to Rodriguez saying that his reply lacked clarity as it did not address what the Colombian publication said and it was incredible that Venezuelans had to find out about it via a foreign publication.

My response would have been:

Who should be serious here? The Minister of Foreign relations was President of PDVSA for the last two and a half years where he:

-Has been telling us for over a year that the country is producing 600,000 barrels more than either OPEC or AEI say.

-Has been promising since June the financial statements of PDVSA will be ready next month and they are not ready yet.

-Authorized the repurchase of PDVSA’s US$ 2.5 billion dollars an outrageous price simply to protect the rear ends of the members of the Board of PDVSA (including his own) who would have been in violation of US law, in particular the recently enacted Sarbanes Oxley Law.

-Promised all of his collaborators at PDVSA that he would not take political revenge on them.

-Confiscated the funds from the voluntary pension plans of 20,000 PDVSA workers.

Yes Mr. Rodriguez, let’s be serious! Why don’t you start, your track record ain’t very good. Did you know Government should be subject to a higher standard?

Hugo Chavez loves a confrontation. He can’t stand it if there is nothing to fight about, someone to pick a fight with. I think it is all planned. It is a political style made to be always in the center of the storm, creating conflicts where there are none, inventing issues that have no basis, aiming to look like the champion of the people.  He finds enemies where he has friends, differences where there are none, windmills to fight, where there is not even a wisp of wind.

Case in point is Chavez’ loud call tonight for the President of the Venezuelan Central Bank to resign. Let’s see the issues, if any:

-What’s the fight about? The Government wants the Central Bank to pay foreign exchange gains higher than the Central Bank wants.

-Who is the President of the Central Bank? Diego Luis Castellanos

-Who named him? Hugo Chavez, three years ago.

-Who recommended him? Jorge Giordani, Chavez’ Planning Minister who also sits on the Board o the Central Bank. Castellanos was a complete unknown when he was named.

-How long more does he have in the position? Less than one month. Castellanos’ term ends in mid-January. Given that Venezuela is starting to shut down already and will not reopen until January 15th., then whether Castellanos resoigns today or his term ends is largely irrelevant.

So, It’s just another fight against the windmills of his mind. Another dispensable ally thrown overboard. Another footnote in his path to absolute power.

Citycouncilam Carlos Herrera says he was detained on his way to meet with the Attroney General. He says his house is being searched looking for documents or more likely to plant them. He was detained when he was quite close to the Attorney General’s Office. Herrera, a pro-Chavez politician, called much maligned “opposition” TV station Globovison to describe his plight.

The investigative police on the other hand, denied that he has been detained, saying that the cops were simply carrying out an order to take him to the investigative police to be interviewed.

I have heard similar arguments before. Do you remember Silvino? He was just being watched. Will Herrera become another Silvino?

After one month not even looking for Herrera, they catch him right before he talks to the Attorney General…He obviously knows too much. Take your pick: Orwell or Goebbels!

Citycouncilam Carlos Herrera says he was detained on his way to meet with the Attroney General. He says his house is being searched looking for documents or more likely to plant them. He was detained when he was quite close to the Attorney General’s Office. Herrera, a pro-Chavez politician, called much maligned “opposition” TV station Globovison to describe his plight.

The investigative police on the other hand, denied that he has been detained, saying that the cops were simply carrying out an order to take him to the investigative police to be interviewed.

I have heard similar arguments before. Do you remember Silvino? He was just being watched. Will Herrera become another Silvino?

After one month not even looking for Herrera, they catch him right before he talks to the Attorney General…He obviously knows too much. Take your pick: Orwell or Goebbels!

Citycouncilam Carlos Herrera says he was detained on his way to meet with the Attroney General. He says his house is being searched looking for documents or more likely to plant them. He was detained when he was quite close to the Attorney General’s Office. Herrera, a pro-Chavez politician, called much maligned “opposition” TV station Globovison to describe his plight.

The investigative police on the other hand, denied that he has been detained, saying that the cops were simply carrying out an order to take him to the investigative police to be interviewed.

I have heard similar arguments before. Do you remember Silvino? He was just being watched. Will Herrera become another Silvino?

After one month not even looking for Herrera, they catch him right before he talks to the Attorney General…He obviously knows too much. Take your pick: Orwell or Goebbels!

Maybe the new elected leader of the student Union at Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) Stalin Gonzalez should just do like in old times and skip a grade to fill in as leader of the opposition. At least based on what he says, he has a much clearer picture of what is going on that both Government and opposition figures:

On the role they will play given the new muzzle law and the upcoming Higher Education Bill:

“As students we are concerned because protests are being criminalized and the regime is consolidating itself even more. The university has to have an opinion and give it a fight. The Assembly has to open itself to a dialogue, because these laws are going to change the way we live.”

On Chavez and political confrontation:

“It was too political a fight and social aspects were left aside, which is what is important. We don’t have to get rid of Chavez because he is ugly, but because he is a failure. Here we had a power struggle and society was forgotten and that is why the rich are richer and the poor are poorer. They increased fares and nobody said anything and every day the standard of living of Venezuelans deteriorates. That is why the fight has to focus in that area.

Hear! Hear!