The Devil's Excrement

Once in a while I receive an e-mail that makes me feel like I may be wasting my time trying to explain to the world what is happening in Venezuela. On second thought, I realize that people tend to be quite superficial and the amount of material as well as the chronological order of this weblog makes it difficult for someone who discovers it, to go back and read every post. But these e-mails are also useful in that it allows me to go back and say things that are buried in the many pages I have written since I began, most of which even I may have a difficult time pinpointing exactly where they are.

A certain Mr. Cassio Lira, whom I surmise is from Brazil writes:

“Miguel, your weblog is a very well crafted attempt to show ONE part of the
question. You should mention that the last time the anti-Chavez opposition
in Venezuela took power, some months ago, they closed the Congress and
installed a OpusDei-led dictatorship. Their Pinochet-inspired regime only
lasted for one day, but clarified the situation for observers around the
world.
A 70 or 80% disaproval rate for the president is a very common thing in
democracies, although it doesn’t follow that elections shoud be called every
time it happens.
However, considering the situation, I really hope there are elections next
year – and that Chavez wins. What will you do then? Call the CIA to finish
him off, like they did with Arbenz, Goulart, Allende, etc?
 What a shame 😦

First of all, I have mentioned what happened in April and I have been critical of the turn of events, but I have also explained exactly what happened and the chronology is important. In April, Hugo Chavez resigned a fact that was announced by the Inspector General of the Armed Forces, who became Minister of Defense upon Mr. Chavez’ return. After Mr. Chavez left, a Government was named  chosen mainly by two Generals, this Government issued a decree that did indeed violate the country’s Constitution. Interestingly enough, the first decree that shut down Congress was rewritten six hours later reversing that decision, indicating that the brief Carmona Governemnt understood its mistakes and was willing to change, something that can not be said about Hugo Chavez and his regime.

Accusing that brief Government of being “Opus-Dei-led Pinochet style dictatorship” is absurd. One Cabinet post  was held by a highly regarded Social-Christian who happens to be a member of Opus Dei, but in a 17 member Cabinet, this is far from being Opus-Dei led. In fact, there is one member of Mr. Chavez’ Cabinet (Curiously in the same position) who was a member of the same organization and nobody seems to even note it.  As to the term Pinochet-style dictatorship, that first decree established that there would be elections within 12 months, so it can’t be the absence of democracy that that the term refers to. It must then mean that somehow these people were ready to violate individual’s Human Rights, kill people or jail them without charges. Well, interestingly, the officers that asked Hugo Chavez to resign in April, including the two that were part of the brief Government later, refused to obey the orders of Hugo Chavez to execute a repressive plan called “Plan Avila”  against the peaceful demonstration that day (A Court in The Hague has ruled that Plan violates people’s rights). Curiously, once again, none of them (thirteen total) has ever been accused or charged of violating anybody’s Human or Civil rights. In contrast, two of the most powerful Generals in the current Government, Generals Garcia Carneiro and Acosta Carles, have repeatedly been accused of violating both in the last few months, weeks and days. Moreover, General Rosendo, Chavez’ close aide until the April events, testified in Congress that he was present at a meeting where Mr. Chavez discussed how to repress the April march. There are videos which show officials of Chavez’ MVR party shooting at the peaceful march and it took an order from the Venezuelan Supreme Court to jail only two of them despite the clear proof of their actions. It is Chavez’ MVR party which has refused to appoint a “Truth Commission” to establish what happened in April. My dear friend, Hugo Chavez is closer to Augusto Pinochet’s style than any of those that participated in the brief, irresponsible and stupid, Carmona Government in April. For proof, you only have to go back a couple of weeks and read the links on the decision by the OAS Human Rights Commission against the Hugo Chavez Government or read what the Minister of Planning said today (link below) or the attack on the media last week (all documented by the way).

The current political crisis is not due to Chavez’ high dissaproval rate. Rafael Caldera had a similarly high rating in 1996 and, curiosuly except for Hugo Chavez himself, nobody was asking for Caldera to leave. (Somewhere in this blog I have two video clips in which Hugo Chavez literally says” if a million people take to the streets asking me to resign, I would).

The problem is that Hugo Chavez ran for President criticizing the previous 40 years of democracy. People believed he would reduce crime, improve the economy, make the country more just and democratic and eliminate corruption. Instead, Hugo Chavez has devoted himself to obtaining the tightest possible control of the whole Government, including a Constitution written for him, a Supreme Court named by a “temporary” Congress with no legal bases and a “revolution” whose content appears to be he is the law and his military cronies can do anything they want. Meanwhile 40% of the companies in the private sector have shutdown and despite the largest oil income in any four year period of the country’s history, eight out of the last sixteen quarters have shown economic contraction and GDP this year is likely to contract by 7- 8%. Legality does not exist, the consultative referendum has been challenged twice by Chavez and the Supreme Court has rejected the cases both times. Despite this, the Government refuses to fund it. Last week eight judges of the Supreme Court suspended all work until the Government stops persecuting and pressuring them. Chavez Government is simply no longer legitimate.

What we have in Venezuela is a total rebellion by the people against Chavez and his revolution, called now “robolucion”, for “robar” the Spanish word for stealing. People (close to 80%!)now dislike everything Chavez stands for, including trickery, treachery and corruption. They are so fed up, that millions march four hours a day, everyday, go home have dinner and then go out again in pot-banging marches that last one to two hours every night. They are so fed up, that the private sector has been on strike 21 days, in the best season of the year for business. 90% of oil workers are on strike, university students and all unions are also on strike. Weird isn’t it?  A leftist Government with no union or student support.

If Chavez wins the election, we will become like Cuba, but he can only win by cheating, which is quite possible. You give  a list which includes Goulart, Allende..etc.., Why not,  Hitler, Noriega, Hussein. It offends you? Is not a shame, its the truth, Hugo Chavez is a bizarre  cocktail of left-wing ideas, with right-wing facist militarism, which in my mind is closer to Pinochet than anyone I can think of. Read the decrees he had ready when he tried a coup in 1992 (They used to be in the MBR200 website, but they have dissapeared), had he succeeded he would have outdone Pinochet many times over. Is there a risk of an undesirable Government taking over if Chavez leaves? Yes, Chavez’ stubborness and refusal to respect the law and democracy creates that risk, but we are willing and desperate to take it.

(Technical note: Elections can be called anytime the Constitution of a country allows them, each democracy has its own rules. In a Parlamentary system, which is democratic, 70-80% dissaproval usually leads to elections. In Venezuela’s Constitution 10% of the electorate can request a referendum on any legal question, the Supreme Court has ruled the question requested by 16.5% of the electorate is legal (Roughly it says: do you want Hugo Chavez to voluntarily resign?). A recall referendum may only take place after the half point of the term. The term here is six years, Chavez has been in power four years already. BUT, after the new Constitution was enacted, he decided he had to run again (Yes, there was no reason for him to do it, he decided it, a la Louis XV). The Court interpreted that the “half term” was half term of the new term, not three years, which seemed more logical)

The Minister of Planning said today:

“soon the gangster mafia of PDVSA is going to leave”…”after PDVSA the people (which people??) will take over the media”….”The media that does not present biased news and does it in optimistic fashion will survive”

All I can say is this is the type of facist Government Venezuelans have…….these are not democrats!!!

TSJ no ordenó cese del paro

There will be a large march again in Carcas from various points in the city, as PDVSA workers meet at this time to have their lawyers explain to them the extent of the decision of the Supreme Court yesterday. The worker’s lawyers continue to interpret that the decision applies only to the actions of the decrees explicitly mentioned in the decision and is not an order to go back to work, as interpreted by the Government. Even in that case, the decision is only valid once it is published (Monday?) and it looks like the audience to make a final decision will be on Tuesday anyway. the deciosion says:” all authorities and private individuals will have to comply with all decrees issued by the Government to help start the PDVSA activities”. This, the lawyers say, means that they are valid as long as the Court says they are not illegal. The decrees are mentioned by number and most of the deal with the militarization of PDVSA, thus, the interpretation is that in no way it applies to the workers. The lawyers go even further saying that it is not the Association of oil workers that should go to the audience by the Court as the people, as individuials, have joined the strike, not as part of their association. Furtehrmore, the Court does not say their rights to strike, free expression, etc. are limited or suspended.

Separately, the Head of the workers union (CTV) Carlos Ortega said he had a copy of a decree the Government was considering issuing to force the banking system to go back to its regular schedule. According to Ortega, the penalty for not obeying the decree would be to intervene the bank and remove all of its Directors.  

There are indications that the negotiating table under the supervision of the Organization of American States is already working on the wording for an agreement that includes some form of electoral compromise. Media representatives that just came out of a meeting, say they were called to be asked if they would support an agreement of the negotiating table. They even mentioned that the agreement has article numbers and details.

Today there were two events that are, in my mind, very confusing:

-The Minister of Interior and Justice said that the intervention of the Metropolitan Police does not stop. He said that all that changed was that the naming of its Director is not legal and the previous Head of the Police will resume functions. I am not a lawyer, but this is not even close to what I understood.

-The Supreme Court accepted a request for an injunction asking oil workers to go back to work. By accepting the request, the Court orders oil workers to go back to work until it decides. The decision says that anyone that does not accept the decision is liable to be jailed for as long as eighteen months. I wonder where they will jail the 36,000 oil workers which are not going back to work……

A lawyer is just saying on TV that the decision by the Court only refers to the decrees issued this week by the Governemnt to try to jump start the oil Industry. Thus, he says, it is those that do not collaborate on implementing those decrees that are obligated, not all oil workers. Will keep updating as information comes along. Here are some opinions on this.

                                                   Era before marches                Era of marches   (T-shirt says: “He is leaving”)

Barely had the ink dried on the decision by the Supreme Court to stop the illegal intervention of the Metropolitan police by the Government, that the Chavez Administration issued another decree which we are sure will eventually be found to violate the right to private property established in the Venezuelan Constitution. Tonight, the Government issued a decree that allows Venezuelan authorities to confiscate any transportation medium to guarantee the supply of gasoline and staples. The decree even says they can do this “without any detriment to the right to private property”. Thus, the Chavez leftists try it again, tomorrow somebody will ask for an injunction, two weeks from now the Court will say it can’t be done. In the meantime, rights are violated, property is used and misused without compensation, but “the right to private property has been respected”. What’s next? Cancelling elections for the next ten years, without affecting the basic democratic rights of the Constitution?

(Now I ask myself, if the Government claims the strike is failure, why did it have to do this?)