The Devil's Excrement

Angel Ciro Pedreáñez, one of the soldiers who were burnt in Fort Mara over a month ago, died today after appearing to be in better condition. Reportedly, he died while being operated for skin grafts of cardiac arrest. He is the second soldier to die from the fire in a case that gets more and more complicated as days go by.

Last week, it was reported that the soldiers were burnt using a flamethrower, a charge that was denied by the military. Last week, it was reported in the newspapers that Pedreáñez himself had testified that the fire began in the inside of the jail cell, leading to charges that the Government had pressured him to say that. But in a chilling interview released by his family today, which was reportedly taped on Monday he says (complete text in this link) that when he was falling sleep “a mf… appeared at the door and he lit like a pipe and the mattress caught fire and we garb them but they were ablaze they caught fire too fast and that is why we burnt all over”. They asked for help “but they could not open the lock, it took 20 minutes for the ambulance to arrive”

The family of the soldier claimed that he was murdered. The military at least showed total contempt for the family by not informing them of the soldiers death, which they learned about from the media.

The Attorney general suggested military justice should decline jurisdiction over the case, which was accepted by the Minister of Defense. Up to now, the military has covered the whole incident with a veil of secrecy, despite many claims that the truth will be known. Chavez himself had claimed the whole thing had been blown up out of proportion by the media a day before the first death and before the charges that the cellblock was burnt using a flamethrower. This has magnified the case even more, which can only get worse with the tragic death of the soldier and the damaging video he left behind.

Angel Ciro Pedreáñez, one of the soldiers who were burnt in Fort Mara over a month ago, died today after appearing to be in better condition. Reportedly, he died while being operated for skin grafts of cardiac arrest. He is the second soldier to die from the fire in a case that gets more and more complicated as days go by.

Last week, it was reported that the soldiers were burnt using a flamethrower, a charge that was denied by the military. Last week, it was reported in the newspapers that Pedreáñez himself had testified that the fire began in the inside of the jail cell, leading to charges that the Government had pressured him to say that. But in a chilling interview released by his family today, which was reportedly taped on Monday he says (complete text in this link) that when he was falling sleep “a mf… appeared at the door and he lit like a pipe and the mattress caught fire and we garb them but they were ablaze they caught fire too fast and that is why we burnt all over”. They asked for help “but they could not open the lock, it took 20 minutes for the ambulance to arrive”

The family of the soldier claimed that he was murdered. The military at least showed total contempt for the family by not informing them of the soldiers death, which they learned about from the media.

The Attorney general suggested military justice should decline jurisdiction over the case, which was accepted by the Minister of Defense. Up to now, the military has covered the whole incident with a veil of secrecy, despite many claims that the truth will be known. Chavez himself had claimed the whole thing had been blown up out of proportion by the media a day before the first death and before the charges that the cellblock was burnt using a flamethrower. This has magnified the case even more, which can only get worse with the tragic death of the soldier and the damaging video he left behind.

The Coordinadora Democrática has a tough job to do. Its members range from Bandera Roja to Copei, going through a wide variety of NGOs with different objectives. Besides this, there are widely different political objectives and egos that need to be taken into account. Add to that the absence of a charismatic leader and a rank and file that is impatient, tired and disillusioned and you got a very difficult organization to manage.

That is why I seldom agree with a lot of the criticism of the Coordinadora Democrática that I read regularly. The Coordinadora is a democratic institution where decisions are reached by consensus. In fact, it represents the antithesis of what the Chavez Government stands for, an organization with debate and consensual agreement on all subjects with no “caudillo” who has to be followed or obeyed.

But it is quite difficult for me to understand how negotiators agreed to a set of rules for the ratification process that are so asymmetrical. According to the regulations approved last October, the ratification process was supposed to take place to have those whose signature was questioned step forward and say they did sign, or to have those who did not sign, go and say they did not.

Instead, CNE Director Jorge Rodriguez said that it had been agreed with the Coordinadora to have people go and say that they withdraw their signature, if they so desired. This of course plays into the Government’s strategy of pressuring Government workers and those that do contract work for the Government to withdraw their signature.

While fair, what I fail to understand is why such an asymmetrical agreement was reached. If those that did sign can go and withdraw their signatures, it would seem to me that those that did sign but their signatures is nowhere to be found, should also be able to express their interest in having their signature count. Fair is fair, no?

While this issue is being discussed with the CNE and Alianza al Bravo Pueblo is going to ask for an injunction from the Supreme Court, I doubt either of those efforts will work. The time to negotiate this was when the regulations for the ratification process were being discussed, not now. I simply fail to understand while one issue was not exchanged for the other by the Coordinadora Democrática. This asymmetry may have sealed the fate of the whole recall process for the opposition.

The Coordinadora Democrática has a tough job to do. Its members range from Bandera Roja to Copei, going through a wide variety of NGOs with different objectives. Besides this, there are widely different political objectives and egos that need to be taken into account. Add to that the absence of a charismatic leader and a rank and file that is impatient, tired and disillusioned and you got a very difficult organization to manage.

That is why I seldom agree with a lot of the criticism of the Coordinadora Democrática that I read regularly. The Coordinadora is a democratic institution where decisions are reached by consensus. In fact, it represents the antithesis of what the Chavez Government stands for, an organization with debate and consensual agreement on all subjects with no “caudillo” who has to be followed or obeyed.

But it is quite difficult for me to understand how negotiators agreed to a set of rules for the ratification process that are so asymmetrical. According to the regulations approved last October, the ratification process was supposed to take place to have those whose signature was questioned step forward and say they did sign, or to have those who did not sign, go and say they did not.

Instead, CNE Director Jorge Rodriguez said that it had been agreed with the Coordinadora to have people go and say that they withdraw their signature, if they so desired. This of course plays into the Government’s strategy of pressuring Government workers and those that do contract work for the Government to withdraw their signature.

While fair, what I fail to understand is why such an asymmetrical agreement was reached. If those that did sign can go and withdraw their signatures, it would seem to me that those that did sign but their signatures is nowhere to be found, should also be able to express their interest in having their signature count. Fair is fair, no?

While this issue is being discussed with the CNE and Alianza al Bravo Pueblo is going to ask for an injunction from the Supreme Court, I doubt either of those efforts will work. The time to negotiate this was when the regulations for the ratification process were being discussed, not now. I simply fail to understand while one issue was not exchanged for the other by the Coordinadora Democrática. This asymmetry may have sealed the fate of the whole recall process for the opposition.

I have said little about the Supreme Court bill. There is little to be said. It is an absurd bill. To name Justices of the Supreme Court by a simple majority is absurd. To increase the Justices in the Court because you want to is absurd. To break all of the rules to approve it is absurd.

In order to approve the bill, the pro-Chavez majority violated the Constitution by having alternate Deputies be part of the quorum without the approval of two thirds of the National Assembly members. Similarly, articles of bills are supposed to be discussed one by one and they were approved by blocks, also in clear violation of the laws. The bill also introduces mechanisms to remove justices by which the simple questioning of a Justice by the People’s Defender will remove him from his position until a simple majority of the National Assembly decides on the case.

The opposition plans to use the Constitution to invalidate this bill. Article 74 of the Constitution allows for this if 10% of the electorate signs a petition to hold a referendum on the issue. Unfortunately, 40% of the electorate would have to vote yes on the issue. This is a huge 4.8 million voters. Not even Chavez in the heyday of his popularity received so many votes. In fact, he got one million fewer votes than that.

If the bill is approved and the Supreme Court rules there is nothing illegal in it and it was approved legally, the most likely outcome, the Government would totally control all powers and the totalitarian nature of this state would be sealed. Only the Central Bank would have some independence and I am sure that will be the Government’s next objective. Very gloomy panorama ahead.

I have said little about the Supreme Court bill. There is little to be said. It is an absurd bill. To name Justices of the Supreme Court by a simple majority is absurd. To increase the Justices in the Court because you want to is absurd. To break all of the rules to approve it is absurd.

In order to approve the bill, the pro-Chavez majority violated the Constitution by having alternate Deputies be part of the quorum without the approval of two thirds of the National Assembly members. Similarly, articles of bills are supposed to be discussed one by one and they were approved by blocks, also in clear violation of the laws. The bill also introduces mechanisms to remove justices by which the simple questioning of a Justice by the People’s Defender will remove him from his position until a simple majority of the National Assembly decides on the case.

The opposition plans to use the Constitution to invalidate this bill. Article 74 of the Constitution allows for this if 10% of the electorate signs a petition to hold a referendum on the issue. Unfortunately, 40% of the electorate would have to vote yes on the issue. This is a huge 4.8 million voters. Not even Chavez in the heyday of his popularity received so many votes. In fact, he got one million fewer votes than that.

If the bill is approved and the Supreme Court rules there is nothing illegal in it and it was approved legally, the most likely outcome, the Government would totally control all powers and the totalitarian nature of this state would be sealed. Only the Central Bank would have some independence and I am sure that will be the Government’s next objective. Very gloomy panorama ahead.

The Chavez administration announced an increase of 20% in the minimum salary with a second increase coming in August. Yes, it is political. Yes, it is opportunistic. Yes, it will hurt companies a lot. Yes, it was done without any negotiation. But I can not criticize it. During the forty years prior to Chavez, Government’s would do the same thing. In fact, it was even worse because they would announce general salary increases, not just increases in the minimum salary.

This increase is clearly another announcement to make the Government look good in the face of the ratification process and a possible recall referendum against Chavez. During the last five years, the Chavez administration had never increased the minimum salary by an amount comparable to inflation like it just did. Unfortunately, this impacts the Government strongly which given the fiscal problems implies further devaluations down the line. This is part of the usual perverse cycle of large fiscal deficits, devaluations, salary increases and the cycle feeds on itself. u

The Chavez administration announced an increase of 20% in the minimum salary with a second increase coming in August. Yes, it is political. Yes, it is opportunistic. Yes, it will hurt companies a lot. Yes, it was done without any negotiation. But I can not criticize it. During the forty years prior to Chavez, Government’s would do the same thing. In fact, it was even worse because they would announce general salary increases, not just increases in the minimum salary.

This increase is clearly another announcement to make the Government look good in the face of the ratification process and a possible recall referendum against Chavez. During the last five years, the Chavez administration had never increased the minimum salary by an amount comparable to inflation like it just did. Unfortunately, this impacts the Government strongly which given the fiscal problems implies further devaluations down the line. This is part of the usual perverse cycle of large fiscal deficits, devaluations, salary increases and the cycle feeds on itself. u