The Devil's Excrement

Today the big discussion is about the date of the referendum, perhaps no one has noticed that officially the referendum hasn’t been announced by the CNE. The official meeting to decide whether or not there is a referendum is tomorrow. The opposition wants a August 8 date or earlier, while the officialist want it on August 15. Why is a week so important? The second date pushes things closer to the magic August 19 date, August 15 is also the middle of vacation time. Some chavistas seem to think that favors them, because the oligarcs are more likely to be on vacation than the people. Wishful thinking on their part.

– YFGB

Today there was an officialist march. Lots of people, that’s the first leg in the chavista strategy. Make the opposition think they have support, make people doubt that the people in the ill defined “western part” of Caracas or the barrios. No dice. I, for one, don’t believe it for a minute. It’s simply too easy to use government money and resources to give speeches, pay for ads, and prepare a very expensive campaign. It won’t fly. The government has been too inefficient, too corrupt. Even guys with red beret and “Che” Guevara T-Shirts will go to the poll centers the day of the referendum and vote against Chavez. Not because they hate him personally (see the illuminating Notes for an effective Recall campaign at CC) but because they hate most of what surrounds him.

– YFGB

On the 4th of June the Direction for Historical Patrimony from the Mayorship of Libertador County in Caracas announced with great fanfare that the restoration of the Maria Lionza statue (in the middle of the freeway near the Universidad Central), had culminated successfully. The next day the statue broke down. Huge incompetence or “a plot from a fascist opposition to make the government look bad”?

– YFGB

Just got back from the march, ate something on the way. It wasn’t as big as others, but was very big considering the uncertain weather. Gotta take a long bath and rest a while.

– YFGB

Just got back from the march, ate something on the way. It wasn’t as big as others, but was very big considering the uncertain weather. Gotta take a long bath and rest a while.

– YFGB

Just got back from the march, ate something on the way. It wasn’t as big as others, but was very big considering the uncertain weather. Gotta take a long bath and rest a while.

– YFGB

Just got back from the march, ate something on the way. It wasn’t as big as others, but was very big considering the uncertain weather. Gotta take a long bath and rest a while.

– YFGB

There is a big march this morning, I’m preparing for it. Will post later.

-YFGB

There is a big march this morning, I’m preparing for it. Will post later.

-YFGB

There is a big march this morning, I’m preparing for it. Will post later.

-YFGB