Monday, May 19, 2008
Delta Amacuro News and Views (4)
The Waraos: integration, acculturation, domination or extinction?
The original inhabitants of the Delta Amacuro are the Waraos (also spelled Güaraos) and they are perhaps the largest Venezuela tribe still living relatively close to their original lifestyle (1). Or do they? On one side they are very penetrated by modern trinkets and goodies (the amount of piraguas with motors tells you the story as soon as you sail off Boca de Uracoa) but on the other hand the uncompromising nature of the delta forces them to compromise as much with nature as they have been doing for millennia. No matter how the XXI century intrudes in their lives, at almost each turn you can be reminded of past ways, still very much present and sometimes very much actual, such as this late afternoon family outing.
In a way there was something oddly disturbing about inquiring about the Warao's lives: their villages follow the edge of the water, their huts lack walls and thus intimacy seems an unknown concept. Straight from the boat you travel in, you can scrutinize the whole village and its life within the cabins built on stilts, palafitos . Settlements range from the single palafito claim to perhaps a row of a few dozens platforms. But they are always along the water. It does make sense: there is probably better ventilation, the jungle behind is mostly on mud flats and with more mosquitoes than the river edge. Thus it is easy to have a direct peak into a Warao village, such as this much less idyllic image, yet quite telling.
Here you can see the old style open air living, now cluttered with civilization's offerings: motored piraguas, electronic devices and Direct TV. That is right, I was surprised at how many Direct TV dishes I saw in some villages whose electricity is provided by a small generator, probably not running all day long. I suppose that it is a great opportunity for any anthropologist to visit in a hurry the Delta remote villages to study how Direct TV and its profusion of media choices affect the world vision of the Waraos. As for the rest, as it has always been the case, any belonging that can be hung from the roof beams is still hung high, giving an oppressively cluttered feel in spite of the lack of walls. From my water roach scare, I can understand why concepts such as shelves are of little use.
Fishing seems to be still the main source of living, and judging for the amount of motor boats and the very nice and huge nets that on occasion one can see, tended with great care by the natives,it must bring a relatively significant income. I would guess that due to the climate, the lack of refrigeration and the limited really cultivable land, regular fish has to be the main source of fresh protein.
This picture also offers us a glimpse of a major problem of the area: the lack of real good fresh water as we can observe from the large blue plastic buckets seen everywhere. The river water in the Delta is indeed of poor quality, and too salty as you near the coasts where the powerful tides run deep inland.
That picture also allows us to see somewhat the organization of these modern day villages. You can see in the background the electric networks of the village, that follows the river, as does the boardwalk that serves as main street. Yet you can also see what is lacking as far as public services: for example obvious sewers (there might be a sewer system but I could not see it). Outhouses are appearing, relativelyrare but you can see them such as the left scene of a family getting the bounty from some scouring party. And this stress again the problem of water and hygiene in such a watery zone: all falls directly in the river, giving a new meaning to "the river giveth and the river taketh". We also must note that this palafito has rustic walls in addition of an out house, indicating that some families are becoming more aware of privacy issues.
These pictures come from the villages of La Isla and Winamorena, the two most "advanced" we saw. La Isla was advanced enough to have a modern play ground, on stilts of course. And it comes, as everywhere, with a political poster to laud the great works of the government. I wonder by the way if the profusion of Direct TV, which transmits Globovision and RCTV, is something that chavismo can be thankful of. Still, we could see everywhere that state money was spent on these villages at the edge of the world. But is it well spent?
I had several talks with my local guide as I tried to gain his trust. Eventually I learned a few interesting tidbits. Many projects have been offered and many financed. Yet many were not completed or completed well under initial expectations. In fact apparently the natives feel robbed as part of the funds is simply spirited away by the "criollos". Yes, that is how the local refer to the emissaries of main land, the public officials. Just as the "criollos" refereed to the emissary from Spain as "continentales" or "españoles y canarios". Amusing, no? Whatever it is,clearly there is separation between the Waraos and the mainlanders, be they tourists like me, or "criollos" public servants. I certainly will not be one to reproach that to them: we bought them enough grief! And I am afraid that in spite Direct TV and fast boats, grief is still coming. After all, the "criollos" do have their own compounds where they reside in these villages: compounds with walls as privacy does matter for them. They looked odd and even threatening in a way as no real effort to integrate is seen, except for the need to build on stilts!
And what about the people? Well, those I saw on these villages were nice looking and looked healthy enough. They were also welcoming and definitely not camera shy, enjoying, I would dare to say, waving to tourists as they take their pictures. And that I saw everywhere, from thevillages we sailed by to the the curiaras we crossed in little creeks. Perhaps the omnipresence of the river, the ever possibility to get lost or stranded somewhere makes you want to befriend all as you never know when and from whom you will need help.
There is also of course the wish to score something with potential tourists willing to purchase the very nice goods made by these people. On the left there is even a floating store that paddled close to us as we were waiting for the sunset on the Manamo. A mother with some girls, ravishing by the way. And they were paddling paddling this weakest of curiararas, breaking up at the tip and held with a rope. I assume and hope that these girls knew how to swim...
Children seemed everywhere happy. I am certain that they do suffer some hardship but I never saw any child that was clearly malnourished, or scared, afraid of us. Any nudity, with young boys, was a matter of climate and boys playing in dirt rather than the inability to clothe them with some old rag. By the way, note in the background of these three children a small red poster: politics at home!.
But the river is obviously a great playground which probably makes the lives of these kids much happier than in many a place in Venezuela. And for all its turbidity, there is so much water everywhere, and it moves so much courtesy of the tides, that it might not be that bad after all (heck, I even went for a swim one day at noon). In fact, the water in spite of all the rejects going into it, might be a positive health factor after all as children are never that dirty since they can "wash" regularly....
At La Culebrita, a third village and a less developed one we managed to go ashore and see from close how a Warao village looked like. It was truly something, learning more than what we had bargained for.
In the above picture you have main street (and only street) at La Culebrita (Little Snake), a broad walk wide enough for two people to cross, with the usual assortment of stray dogs and chickens seen in any small village of Venezuela. That they are on stilts is only a detail. As usual all is open air and as you walk along you have a direct peak into the people habitat. And even though we are more inland here, water remainsa problem as all the plastic blue typical reservoirs of Venezuela can be seen.
One interesting detail is the kitchen, something difficult to appreciate from a cruising boat. Since there is no solid ground where to set the fire, the traditional ways of the Waraos was to dry some mud and put it on a wood frame. This way it was far from the ground and could become a serviceable area for cooking, as you can see on the picture on the right above.
There were also some common areas to be seen. I suppose that what is next on the right side was the pub equivalent. Of all the thatched homes we saw in this village only two were not occupied on a permanent fashion: the one where we landed that served as a market of sorts (where the natives quickly came to display they wares in the hope we would buy something) and this space, littered with beer cans from a previous event. There was also a small "room" on theright side with a petrol stove which apparently served to fry appetizers of sorts for that particular bash.
This of course raises two questions: alcoholism? and hygiene/garbage disposal? It is clear from what I saw that alcohol, at least in the form of abundant Polar Light, has made his entry in the Delta, and that is not recent. In fact, recent social programs can only have increased access to booze for the locals. When we sailed in front of the villages we wondered about the lack of men. That is, what we most saw where women and children and the very few men we saw where clearly divided in two groups: drunks and fishermen tending their nets. We can assume that most men were indeed fishing or scouring the Delta riches, but some where drunk on a Monday at 2 PM. You can draw your own conclusions.
As for garbage and hygiene. Let 's say that 50 years ago this was not a problem. 95 % of the goods that the Waraos might have handled back then where "bio degradable", that is, made from what they found in nature and discarded in nature as needed. Besides there was not that much to discard anyway: fish bones, broken woven baskets, used moriche fiber hammocks and the like. The amount of water passing under their "palafitos" made instant dilution of whatever they tossed out. Thus it is very likely that Waraos never developed a culture of "garbage" and its handling. Even a culture of hygiene probably was not necessary as the only relief from heat and mosquitoes was a frequent dip into the river, then certainly much cleaner than it is today where it still feels safe enough for yours truly to take a swim (2).
Clearly there is a lack of education, a much needed thing in this XXI century. And how is education goign on in Warao lands? At La Culebrita I was lucky enough to visit the school andeven talk to the teachers.
These two pictures are taken from roughly the main point, one turned toward the brand new school of La Culebrita and the other toward the traditional village itself. With of course the tacky usual pro Chavez advertisement which includes the local potentate who would never dare to take for himself any of the achievement of therevolution: all comes from the beloved leader, never forget!!!!
There is already one problem here: the school, which comes even with its flag hosting mast, is not in tune with local architecture, except for its construction on stilts. You can see for yourself that the isolating thatched palm roof has been replaced by something that can only be warner in this climate, no matter how many covers of asphalt it has. True, thatched palms can harbor dangeorus bugs, but with a good ventilation it is not really a problem. After all these kids will return to their homes after school, no? Observe also that the compound is walled. If indeed distraction is to be avoided, I cannot help but think that the Warao kids, raised semi wildly, will have a hard time to learn to be walled in at school.I could have understood a half wall for example, so that when kids sit down they are not distracted anymore by river activity, but a full wall, no matter how nicely varnished it is?
At any rate, the compound contains three class rooms as education is imparted by three teachers at three levels. After, the children must migrate to a bigger school elsewhere. The class rooms are also amazingly simple: all children sit directly on the floor (then again they do not have chairs in their homes). Since we were late in the afternoon, the kids had long left for home, so we could visit at ease and talk some with the teachers, who considering me just another anglo tourist had no problem talking to me as I restrained from probing too much. The compound includes the teachers room and living quarters (three women by the way), a kitchen area (a real one) and two external bathroom who apparently go to some septic tank rather than the river. I understood that the bathroom are also shared by the kids when at school. The day was overcast so it was not any warmer inside than outside, and yet the teachers were sitting outside, on the covered board walk that leads to the bathroom, and which is open on all sides. Clearly, they are used to prepare their classes there instead of the inside teachers room....
But the shock came when we saw the picture above. One of my companion, who had clearly seen that there was no criollo kid living there noted that all the names of the kids attending this classroom were Spanish, NOT Warao!!!! Heck, there was even a kid with Cooper as last name (click to enlarge, as you can do on any picture). That really picked up my curiosity and I went back to the teachers inquiring as to why the names were all in Spanish. Clearly the women did not know what I was talking about at first. As I pressed on eventually the one that seemed to be the leader of the group told me that the Waraos have no name the way we understand it and thus they were all content to have Spanish names given to them. Besides they all needed to have a Venezuelan ID, something that supposedly they did not have access to before. She stopped short from some revolutionary hash because I was too astounded to pursue the conversation, amazed that the woman was not seeing the contradictions in her own speech. Besides, it must be rather hard to work in such conditions and I could not find in me the energy to pursue the discussion and discourage her form her work.
That there was in another classroom the national anthem of Venezuela translated in Warao means nothing. In spite of the 1999 constitution which is supposed to guarantee the rights of indigenous people, rights that include the obligation of the state to give them the means to preserve their culture, what we see is the same assimilation of the pre Chavez era going on. True, now they sing the national anthem in Warao every morning, but at school they do not even keep a Warao nickname! Thus, the teachers, for all their merits and good intentions, are only just one of the tools that the chavista administration has to recruit new supporters that will be told who to vote for. Even the official school calendar posted next to the roll call of the students carries the clear political messages: the highlighted dates include chavismo dates of February 4, April 11 and 13.
The blackmail seems very powerful along the Manamo.... the "criollos" are still in charge, still telling the natives what to do and what to think. And to mark the point, as tourism is not seriously developed, Waraos all become more dependent than ever from the state. A reservation in all but name, socialism and human rights included as a perversion.
PD: There is an excellent book on the Waraos, which I unfortunately found out a few days after my return; and not even myself, a friend pointed it out to me. I got it at once because it is also a rare book of which the first 2005 edition carried only 500 copies. Unbelievable! If you are interested, it is a fabulous coffee table book, a loving tribute to these people. The reference:
Hacedores de Pais
Sudán A. Macció
ISBN: 980-6816-01-03
It carries texts in Spanish, Warao and English. They prefer the term Guarao, but Warao is more traditional and I stuck to it through these posts.
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1) The Waraos are thought to be Arawak, the main indigenous group in Venezuela until the aggressive Carib invaded and pushed them into less welcoming regions such as the Delta.
2) The Orinoco as a huge volume of water and settled area are hundred of miles upstream, giving plenty of time for the river bacteria to process most of the waste carried. The development of the main source of river pollution has occurred in the last half century with the boom town of Puerto Ordaz, and much smaller Tucupita. Puerto Ordaz waste goes mostly to the main Orinoco mouth, while the Manamo receives Tucupita open sewers.
-The end-Labels: delta amacuro
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posted by Daniel Permalink 12:24 AM
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Sunday, May 18, 2008
When it rains, it pours: now the Washington Post makes a Reyes lap top editorial
Not a good Sunday for Chavez. There was this piece from Romero about his desperate need to control everything; the one by Carroll feeling sorry for the guy; and now the blast from the Washington Post. Here is the title and even more telling subtitle:
Hard-Drive Diplomacy
Evidence of Venezuela's support for terrorism could carry Hugo Chávez to the pariah status he deserves.
Oh dear.....
I am reporting this late because for some reason the mail daily digest of the WaPo came in late today. But talk about cosmic karma, the icing on the cake after the two previous articles.
Note that if the WaPo is direct, and strong, and convinced of Chavez complicity with the FARC, it also understands very well the rather cowardly Latin American mood. Thus its very constructive solution, one advocated in this blog already: punish the culprits, do not punish Venezuela. The WaPo wisely notices that the referendum was voted down in December and thus a majority of Venezuelans clearly do not agree with the FARC ties. Punishing all of us can only serve Chavez interests.
All in all AN EXCELLENT assessment of the present situation. Let's hope that all the people concerned, from the silly lefty Democrats (Delahunt) to the right wing nutty Republicans (Connie Mack) will sit down together and realize the gravity of the situation, that the time of permissiveness and grand standing is over.
-The end-Labels: autocratic 2007 constitution, colombia, farc, media manipulation, terrorism, washington post
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posted by Daniel Permalink 1:54 PM
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Et tu, Guardian? Rory Carroll tells all!
This Sunday morning is full of surprises. Now I come across the latest opus of Rory Carroll at the Guardian. It is a long review of Chavez tenure and a meditation on whether Chavez lost his political touch, whether he can come back to his past electoral glories. We can guess that Rory is skeptical.
He has a rather very accurate view on how things unfolded in Venezuela under Chavez, a praiseworthy thing considering that the Guardian represents a certain democratic left that supported and forgave Chavez for only too long. That probably explains some minor errors and can account for this major one when he parrots the "massive demonstrations" that supposedly returned Chavez to office in 2002. Demonstrations existed but were not massive, and even dismal when compared to the truly massive one that took place against Chavez two days earlier. I suppose he is of the school of "the revolution shall not been televised", those that are not aware of the extensive rebuttal of that propaganda video. Nevertheless Rory Carroll has been long enough in Venezuela and now he does not buy it, so we can let him indulge in some revolutionary romanticism which after the December referendum failure is now just that, romanticism.
One interesting aspect of his article is that he finally talks about his feelings and thoughts that famous day when on a Santa Fe beach Chavez used him to attack the West. I had defended him then, embarrassed that "mi presidente" would be so rude and vulgar with Rory Carroll. Apparently Rory was less upset than I was for him (or at least he is protecting any meager access he still has to chavismo). He dryly, very English humor like, writes:In the absence of US marines storming the beach, a reporter for a British newspaper could fill in as the villain. Nothing personal.Precious.
A must read article.
-The end-Labels: agrarian problems, autocracy, chavez stupid sayings, voodoo economics, yaracuy
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posted by Daniel Permalink 11:58 AM
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Sunday morning chavista moment: the NYT flushes Weisbrot
The latest opus of NYT's Simon Romero could just be another run of the mill set of observations of all that is wrong in Chavez's Venezuela, as we are now getting used to see everywhere: the world knows and it is catching up, so we can be pleased, those of us who have been writing such criticism for half a decade. However what makes this article worth noting is that it writes straight that all in Venezuela is about Chavez amassing more power, not about the country long term interests. With the added bonus that even some high profile Chavez sycophants agree with it.
The title of the article says it all: "Chávez Seizes Greater Economic Power". Mas claro no canta un gallo. This complemented with a lapidary single sentence paragraph:One significant measure is foreign investment, which has hit record levels in several other Latin American countries but has fallen in Venezuela.Next we can read these numbers that Romero refers too, where we learn that Peru, with a comparable population and not much oil receives TEN times more foreign investment than Venezuela. Not to mention that now many studies rank Venezuela close to last, if not last, in parameters such as transparency and climate for business. Whatever Chavez is doing he is not attracting real business investors, the real ones, those that do create real jobs. The only investors Chavez attracts are folks that want to have a colonial type access to raw materials, such as China Cuba and Iran. Tanto nadar para ahogarse a la orilla.
There is thus no need to discuss further this article, the sustained point is clear. But there is another very nice moment in it. See, Simom Romero, God bless him, is still trying to find some objective way to present his articles (as I noted in my previous "press review" on the Reyes laptop.) I do not know why he bothers at this point but it does pay some dividends though, not necessarily those that chavismo will expect.
His "balance" here was presenting Mark Weisbrot point of view. Mark Weisbrot is a paid lobbyist of Chavez in the US, which is an OK job over there. Sometimes when I get tired of blogging I just wish that I could find a sponsor myself to at least treat me to a couple of days at the beach :)Mark Weisbrot, a Washington-based economist who is broadly supportive of Mr. Chávez’s economic policies, estimates that the public sector accounts for less than a third of the economy even after the latest nationalization wave. “The present government is so far mainly just reversing some of the privatization that took place in the 1990s,” Mr. Weisbrot said.Let's see. First, how come that Mr. Romero does not quote some minister to defend such policies? That answer I know: the government ONLY speaks to supportive media, in Venezuela and abroad, the type of media that leave their declarations up without any "balance" from somebody else included. Thus poor Simon must resort to paid Chavez lobbyist for an "official" point of view.
Second, considering that Weisbrot is talking to the NYT and not to some local rag, look at his argument, or rather lack of argument: the government is mainly reversing previous privatizations; the public sector accounts of less than a third.
Either Mr. Weisbrot is an ignoramus, or he is a liar, your choice. The "both" is also allowed in the poll.
I am not going to offend the intelligence of the reader by rebating the painfully obvious silliness and lies of Weisbrot. Pena ajena. No, it is much more interesting to observe the very lameness of the Weisbrot argument, that even a long term noted supporter of Chavez cannot come up with a better argument such as "comprehensive energy policy" "comprehensive means to allow for subsidized housing" "the comprehensive tools to ensure access to food to the lowest population sectors".
See, even Mr. Weisbrot knows very well what the truth is: Chavez need to control EVERYTHING and he needs desperately new patronage systems to shore up his popularity, such as doubling or trebling the payroll of the newly nationalized industries, and the hell with notions of competence and competitiveness. He knows that so well that he does not have the heart to come up with a better justification which he knows will be trashed soon by Chavez next actions. So Mr. Weisbrot cut his losses and went straight to the lameness that he knows will be his lot from now on. After all, he is paid the same for brilliance or for stupidity.
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PS: translation of Venezuela saying used in this article: clearer does not sing the rooster; so much swimming just to drown reaching shore; embarrassed for others missteps.
-The end-Labels: chavez supporters, chavisterias, voodoo economics
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posted by Daniel Permalink 8:55 AM
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Friday, May 16, 2008
The Interpol "day after", a press review of Chavez links with the FARc and his histrionic abilities
[Updated]
Thus yesterday the Interpol confirmed that the Raul Reyes laptops carried indeed documents made, elaborated, handled by Reyes himself or his assistants and NOT by the Colombian government. Of course, well informed people did not need such a confirmation as all the evidence has been pointing out for a very long time to an affinity of Chavez for the FARC. The only real surprise yesterday was the totally, absolutely unhinged reaction of Chavez (including his tasteless attempt at ridiculing the journalist of France Press after she put the finger on the sore point of why Venezuela did not discuss the issue with he Interpol). I mean, after all, the Interpol ONLY said that the documents were not tampered with, that they were not put inside the computers by Uribe AFTER the lap tops were seized. The Interpol DID NOT say the documents were meaningful: after all they could have been made during episodes of boredom during long jungle nights when Reyes was fantasizing and writing the all Colombian FARC novel... Why would Venezuela not check on the work of Interpol?
Anyway, this morning during my cup of tea I decided to make a quick press review to see how people reacted to the Chavez Chow (that is how he has taken to pronounce the world show, as in media show).
In the US
Let's start with the Miami Herald, the paper most likely to be following closer LatAm issues. Alejandra Labanca writes a long article were she skips over the main Chavez insults, though noting that the pseudo press conference lasted 4 hours (see last post). Instead she already looks to the possible US reaction (or rather likely lack of reaction as oil is too important) and what will happen during the EU-LatAm summit to start today in Lima where she expects major leaders to say to Chavez "enough is enough" (a more diplomatic "Porque no te callas"?). It is also to be noted that the paper offers the long account by the AP of Chavez threats in case the US Ecuador Manta base is replaced by one in the Guajira. I suppose he can buy submarines to blockade Colombian harbors (submarines ARE NOT defensive weapons) but Colombia cannot post its allies where it pleases them.
The Wall Street Journal who already had two days ago a major "leak" on the implications of yesterday revelations limits itself to an editorial that ends in wondering what supporters of chavez in the US such as Delahunt will do. Interesting question indeed. Maybe likely Democrat nominee Obama will enlighten us about his positions since many of his supporters are Che/Chavez lovers?
At the Washington Post Juan Forero who has seen the light from his past as a Chavez supporter does not even pretend to be objective: he catches up with the previous WSJ revelations of Cordoba and relates the insults of Chavez towards the Interpol as his only retort to the whole scandal. Indeed, the Noble/ignoble disgusting bad pun to make for a sitting president had to be duly noted. He also mentions the very lame reply of Ecuador foreign minister. An important detail as Ecuador who is probably as compromised in the affair as Venezuela escapes the bulk of international criticism courtesy of the stupid tantrum of Chavez yesterday.
At the New York Times Simon Romero writes already from Lima, attending the serious business at hand. As usual he gallantly strains to be objective against all odds and omits the Noble/ignoble moment as a token conciliatory gesture. He also cites a Chavez supporter, Greg Grandin, for balance in guessing that the US will not sanction Venezuela for the time being. Greg Grandin by the way who has a bone with the NYT coverage of Chavez. But Romero does call it straight, "a set back for Chavez" and mentions his qualification of the Interpol release as a "show", something that even hacks like Grandin will have a hard time justifying.
In Europe
Over there they are not as sanguine and the event is even omitted from the pages of the London Times, or Paris Liberation who prefers to discuss how Sarkozy irritates Colombians with the French obsession for Ingrid Betancourt. But other papers do take up the story.
Le Monde starts with a picture of Chavez and Ivan Marquez, reminding thus that computer files or not, the links between Chavez and the FARC have been public knowledge for a long time as Uribe flushed skilfully Chavez late 2007 during his brief role as a mediator. Marie Delcas does not bother about objectivity: her article is simply a damning listing of some of the findings in the computers, something like the WSJ's Cordoba version for French public. At Le Monde Chavez is deciphered.
At the Guardian Rory Carroll writes a more neutral article that could have been equally written before or after Chavez press conference. I suppose that considering that the press conference of Chavez took place at the time where European editions were closing limited what he could say even though he knew very well what was coming. See, Rory Carroll has already been taken as a target by Chavez himself so he knows... Still, he is very clear in that Chavez has a lot of explaining to do and that at the Guardian it will be a very hard sell.
At El Pais we do get two articles like at the Herald. One deals with the Chavez press conference though El Pais, like the NYT, avoids writing down the worst insults of Chavez. I suppose that again it is the only way they can show some objectivity... El Pais has also a poll as to whether its readers think Chavez is in bed with the FARC: I recommend you vote here. But El Pais also looks ahead the Lima summit, clearly the next round as Chavez apparently has decided to put a Scarlett O'Hara moment, put his ball gown and face the gossiping crowd. But it will be tough: we learn that this summit not only will be problems plagued but that Angela Merkel has declined the conciliatory offer from Lula to smoothen a meeting with Chavez. She told that she can handle everyone on her own. Indeed, the ex victim of the Stasi is used to thugs who treat her of Nazi. Thus even Lula will arrive limping because of Chavez insults to Merkel, the fate of enablers while more straight shooters like Merkel, Uribe and Garcia apparently are hoping to enjoy the summit...
Update: I realized later that a conclusion of sorts was needed. And this one is very simple: not a single major paper tried to defend, justify, excuse, or give the benefit of the doubt to Chavez. Be they from the center right or the center left from any country mentioned. Only the NYT did cite Grandin, and not for an excuse of Chavez, clearly as a challenge to see if any pro Chavez guy would come up with anything credible. And even there, with such low expectations, it failed as the only thing cited from Grandin was that it did not matter whether Chavez was guilty or not, nothing would happen. Which, if you ask me, is a direct implication that Grandin thinks that Chavez messed up big time. In one year, since Chavez closed RCTV, he has lost any good will from the folks that count and even from inside his own camp where clearly some allies might not have not abandoned him but now seem unwilling to support him at any turn.
But even there Grandin might be wrong. If we look at another more hawkish paper, IBD, we can see that they are already focusing on the implications of yesterday events. Simply put, they regard with a cool eye the need to make do without Venezuela's oil. This will indeed cause problems for the US but infinitely worse problems for Chavez. for them, in spite of all the risks involved, it might be worth it to declare Venezuela a rogue state. I do not agree with that however there are plenty more documents coming from that computer now that the codes have been cracked. IBD might turn out to be right and at the very least, if Venezuela is not declared a rogue country its leaders should be issued international arrest warrants. I have in mind the present defense minister, the interior minister and Tachira current governor, just for starters. There is plenty of evidence from their own words. And of course Chavez who might have escaped jail in 1995 but who is doing all what he can to return there.
Let's hope that some chavista read the news and understand them otherwise if no one reins in Chavez, Venezuela is running straight into major trouble.
-The end-Labels: chavez, chavez stupid sayings, chavez supporters, media
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posted by Daniel Permalink 7:47 AM
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Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Reyes computers were not tampered
As expected, Interpol certified that the computers taken at the Reyes camp had not been tampered with. Note: that does not mean that the info in the Reyes computer is proof enough of Chavez collusion with the FARC, it ONLY means that whatever evidence comes out of that computer is not something made up by the Colombian secret service. Not that it matters much anyway, we all know of the close ties between the terrorists FARC and Chavez and the Reyes laptop is just icing on the cake.
The response of Chavez? He calls a press conference where he spends the best part of his time in bad jokes and bad puns on the Interpol spokesman, officer Noble: Noble-ignoble (I will spare you the rest).
Now, of course this assumes that I am watching a press conference. I arrived home and turned on the TV at Globovision. Well, they are passing the "press conference" in full. I arrived, got comfortable, made myself a cup of tea, toasted one after the other two pieces of bread with cheese, ate them, turned on the computer, and Chavez is still answering the question he was already answering when I stepped in. This not a press conference, it is a convocation by Chavez of the foreign press corps to listen to his side of the story. Period. But he must be somewhat embarrassed because he is not doing it in "cadena".
Now, I will propose a thought experiment.
Imagine that you are notified that your chat pal computer has been taken into custody by the police and that files about you are going to be made public from his computer. Apparently with that chat buddy you discussed and exchanged enough files that it will be said of you that you cheated on your wife with another married woman, that in addition you were a regular at a given gay bar, that you embezzled your boss by about 60K dollars while also selling some of the business secrets to the competition for about 200K. And to make it more palatable there are possible evidences of your contacts with your local pusher and some bookie of ill repute.
Now, there are two possible scenarios.
1) It is not true. You go to the police department, you declare your innocence and you demand that your lawyer witness any legal expertise. In addition you give evidence that your chat pal is full of problems and is making all that up for money or something. Note, you do not just say such things of your chat pal, you sustain why your chat pal is in trouble and must resort to such practices with files on your own. And you go next to your boss and demand a full account of any transaction that involved your person, open all your financial accounts for scrutiny and even ask your local tax agency to audit you for any possible unexplainable gain.
2) It is true. You have two options: you either leave the country ASAP if you can or if you cannot leave, you deny everything and lock yourself up at home waiting for the best. In this second option you also try to get a trial lawyer and you pull any string you have to make TV or radio appearances where you cry and pose as a victim thinking that at least, if you are taken to court you will be able to plead insanity or something to get a reduced sentence by creating sympathy for you.
According to you, which is the scenario that best applies to Chavez antics this week?
I rest my case...
-The end-Labels: chavismo, colombia, farc, terrorism
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posted by Daniel Permalink 5:35 PM
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The bunker syndrome
OK, I could not resist the latest Weil, reflecting how far the perception of Chavez in his bunker is percolating.Nothing to worry! I will use this only if I lose elections.
That is that, the disgusting blackmail that will be the only electoral theme of Chavez until November: vote for my candidates or else. And that includes from the the PSUV "primaries" to the "runoff" of November. Observe that in the cartoon Chavez is actually talking to one of his supporters as he wants them to support any candidate he designs. The Lara disaster when Barquisimeto Mayor Falcon was out and back again in barely 48 hours must have been very stinging to Chavez ego...
-The end-Labels: totalitarianism
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posted by Daniel Permalink 8:59 AM
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The art of transforming oil in human waste: Venezuelan diplomacy
Ah! One good thing about chavismo is that there is never a dull moment and even 10 years into office we can still be astounded by the latest "barbaridad".
It all started this week end through a few articles form El Nacional (subscription only). In one article we learned that out of 97 Venezuelan embassies only 15 are served by professional diplomats, that is, trained staff with a career record which justifies them to become ambassador at some point. In other words 84% of Venezuelan embassies are directed by a political appointee of some chargé d'affaires that might or might not be a political employee. Now, let's not be more Catholic than the Pope here: an embassy is always a nice reward for a big political benefactor and the US is certainly a country used to such type of rewards. However no matter what political appointee is sent to the Court of St. James's, the second in command is always a career diplomat.
So, what is a career diplomat? A legal spy, something invented long ago to allow countries to do reasonable spying on each other. Overtime embassies and diplomacy became also an extension of the local chamber of commerce wanting to buy or place goods. Thus the training is easy to guess: languages, table manners, ability to mimic native customs, a certain ability to do market surveys, demonstrated capacity to write complete reports, and many more, but one above all: professional discretion. This last one is not learned quickly and that is why there is such a thing as career diplomats: they are the ones that can pass out drunk if needed for the sake of their country without spilling a single bean.
OK, I did exaggerate some for effect but I trust the point is clear: someone fresh out from some ministry post or some army barrack IS NOT a born diplomat. Which is exactly what is happening in Venezuela today. You are a Chavez minister and your failure was particularly galling? no problem, you are dismissed during an Alo Presidente and a few weeks after your name is proposed for the embassy at Podunkonia. There your only real obligation will be to promote the glories of the Bolivarian revolution, create a groupie association to welcome Chavez were he ever to visit Podunkonia, identify possible recipients of payments to ensure votes at the UN that favor Chavez and such activities. Not for you of course to hold boring meetings where trade is promoted: this is done directly in Caracas with the local embassies, once juicy commissions are decided though discrete intermediaries.
In short, since you are not put there to defend Venezuela interests but to defend Chavez interests alone, you need no stinking diploma to justify your entry into the diplomatic career. Chavismo through the voice of Ali Rodriguez was not embarrassed to confirm this (1). From that interview published in EL Nacional last Monday we can read the following pearls:
- The wanna-be diplomats are sent to Cuba to study what they need for their career. [since when is Castro's Cuba a reference to make diplomats?]
- "Diplomacy has to be politics" "To diplomacy to project internal politics". [Quite clear, no? Venezuelan diplomats role is to promote the image of Chaevz since all that is done inside Venezuela is to promote the image of Chavez]
- "A college degree does not make a diplomat" [we know, we know, devotion to Chavez is the ONLY credential required if you want to get a state job in Venezuela]
- "The need for academics and of career diplomats is a silly prejudice" [Well, I suppose that we should thank him for his frankness]
- "[Cuba] has more embassies in Africa than Europe" [a new meaning for 'mine is bigger than yours']
Of course the results of such a diplomatic corps eventually become a disaster for the country who holds such values. We have two examples kindly provided as soon as these El Nacional articles were published.
Angela Merkel, German chancellor, a victim of the Stasi, had the misfortune to state an elemental truth: Chavez was not the voice, the spokesperson of South America. Of course, Yo, El Supremo was deeply offended in his silly pride and could not resist himself to insult Merkel publicly in the most outrageous terms we can think of. If Chavez had someone like me working for him he would have received the following memo:
Dear Comandante Presidente
The words of the Merkel woman must be countered. We suggest that you stress her links with the devil president of the US. You should suggest that she is too close from Bush to have any valid opinion as to whom is a leader anywhere in the world.
Under no circumstances mention her name in the same sentence as the words Nazi, Hitler, or fascism: this would only result in Germans rallying behind her and a possible reaction of support from the European Union.
Patria, Socialismo O Muerte.
Obviously either no one was able to write such a memorandum or worse, was unwilling to mail it to Chavez. Thus sure enough Merkel benefited from a supportive opinion at home and the president of the EU went one further deploring all forms of populism in particular the leftist brand now seen in Latin America. (2)
That the president of the EU is right now held by a Portuguese, Jose Barroso, is a delicious coincidence as I present the second evidence as to why such organization of foreign policy can only result in trouble and public humiliation for Venezuela. With great fanfare the government has announced a deal to buy lots of food from tiny Portugal in exchange for oil. For this, the prime minister of Portugal, Socrates, made an official visit to sign for the juicy contracts. In all of this charade nobody in the diplomatic corps of Venezuela seems to have noticed how humiliating was the show.
See, first we should explain how come that after 10 years of glorious bolibanana revolution we need to knock Portugal's door to buy its agricultural surplus. And I am not talking olive oil or canned fish here, we are talking pasta! soy oil! powdered milk! Things that we would never associate a priori as great Portuguese exports!!!!!
Second we would like to know how come Venezuela is spending its oil money in food that, after a brief transit, will end up in the sewers instead of buying development high technology items such as trains from Germany. With those imports Portugal will get more money to finance its agro-industrial complex (since it has one and apparently Venezuela as a lesser one than Portugal) while Venezuela will get food which will last, well, you know, a few hours. With these exports, bought to private capitalistic companies in Portugal, that country might be able to produce even more food while in Venezuela private food producers will face yet a new unfair, subsidized competitor and thus lose money, and thus invest even less in Venezuelan agricultural production and thus eventually force the government to import yet more food.
Hard working, business savvy Portuguese will be laughing all the way to the bank... But in Venezuela the government is clueless about its admission of failed agricultural policies when a small country, half the people of Venezuela, a fraction of Venezuela area, is able to rescue it form some of its food shortages! I suppose that among the chavista hardcore some will find the news wonderful, but I am pretty sure that among the very few remaining chavista with some sort of a brain there must be a realization that we used to depend on the local Portuguese grocer for our food and now we must ALSO depend on the country itself....... that has got to be sobering for a few folks.
But I suppose that I should not be so hard on the present Venezuelan diplomacy: after all they did manage the deal with Portugal. Just as they are scouring all around the globe for the food not produced at home. Why Socrates allowed himself to be convinced to go to Caracas to sign is puzzling as many other countries sell food to Chavez without accepting to have their picture taken next to Chavez. So score one for the cheap political acts turned diplomats through a Cuban crash course.
And score all sorts of minuses for them in helping Chavez turning oil into human waste.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
1) Ali Rodriguez is a former guerilla who never lost his extreme leftist views, even though he projected moderation through his speech ways. He got them fulfilled under Chavez. After serving in many critical positions (read: those where money circulated) he ended up as ambassador to Cuba where he was also treated for diverse ills. Considering that the Havana job is today the main foreign post for Venezuela, where Chaevz dispatched his own brother for years, you know that Ali Rodriguez knows of all subventions, legal or illegal, all stolen monies, all secret accounts, etc... Ali Rodriguez is someone who will end up in jail if Chavez eventually leaves office, even if he never stole a coin for himself.
2) Mirjam Gehrke at DW of Germany even writes "To compare Angela Merkel to Adolf Hitler was disrespectful and ignorant. The reference was so stupid in fact, that the chancellor herself wouldn't respond to it." Yeah well, they are all finding out eventually how ignorant Chavez is. They could have saved lots of time had they be reading this blog :)
-The end-Labels: agrarian problems, autocracy, bolibanana moments, voodoo economics
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posted by Daniel Permalink 12:15 AM
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Wednesday, May 14, 2008
New blog: Caracas Gringo
Over the year too many folks have complained about this blog, from poor English, to overtly biased going through faulty research and more opinion than information. Whatever... For those never happy there is a new blog which will make this one look like a true voice of moderation on forgiveness for certain chavista errors. Unfortunately for the chronically unhappy crowd, that blog does not accept comments so any bitching, you will have to keep it for you.
Please, welcome Caracas Gringo, a much better and realistic blog than any PSF venture, including the pro Chavez Cowboy in Caracas, the paradigm of PSF on the make.
-The end-
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posted by Daniel Permalink 6:26 PM
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Waiting for the Reyes computer exam
As it is often the case we can rely on Tal Cual's Weil for the perfect cartoon to summarize the nervous tension (breakdown?) of Chavez as we all wait for the official Interpol report on the Raul Reyes computer, to be revealed tomorrow.- You can be manipulated. We can believe nothing from you
-Oooops! Sorry, I thought you were Reyes laptop
That is right, never would Chavez allow the Interpol to audit PDVSA production numbers numbers or the CNE electoral rolls...... just to name a couple of things that we all Venezuelans would love to know the truth about.
-The end-Labels: abuse of power, farc
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posted by Daniel Permalink 8:10 AM
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Delta Amacuro News and Views (3)
Nature wondersScarlet Ibis feeding at low tide under the mangrove, Pedernales
Far from me the pretense of being a nature photographer: neither do I have all the necessary toys nor the patience to sit in vigil for hours. In fact I even passed on a night excursion to try to see the local croc: I was promised at best to see a pair of eyes gleaming in the dark. The Baba has become near extinction in the Delta as the natives and locals hunt it to eat (1). And yet, in spite of this negative inclination from my part, I was regaled with a spectacular display of wild life, sometimes all but posing for me.Several things are striking in the Delta when wildlife is concerned. First, there is going to be a scarcity of mammals relatively to other places. After all, it is swampy, it requires you to swim treacherous canals full of piranhas and other vermin. Favored mammals will be those living on trees rather than on ground since there is little dry ground available. Monkeys I saw, Araguato and Capuchins jumping from palm tree to palm tree, but no pic good enough to post. The only other mammal that I saw, besides the cats and dogs at one camp, was a real prize: the Boto, or fresh water dolphin. Unfortunately they were not pink, I only saw their shiny gray backs on occasion and it was impossible to take a picture. But I saw them.
Neither did I see snakes. I looked into branches whenever we went through a small channel, or hoped to see some anaconda considering an attack on us, but no such luck. Snakes must have long ago learned to retreat as noisy motor boats approach.
Fish I only saw them on my plate. The water everywhere is too charged in sediments and debris for any possibility of snorkeling. Only a piranha was caught for show and quickly returned to the river. The fish there is mostly a variation of cat fish, something that I would normally balk at eating since they are bottom feeders. However int he delta I think that the bottom is organic enough to be safe and I enjoyed the lua-lua and the bagre I was served. Well, it was that or nothing to eat anyway...
Thus the only option left were birds and greenery. I will pass on insects although I almost got cardiac arrest when I saw something that looked like a gigantic circular almost silvery roach like critter that had chosen for its night lodging the ankle folds of my pants. I did not kill it, you will know. Now I know why the natives keep everything hanging from the ceiling instead of neatly staked on a shelf.
Greenery is of course your first vision when you reach the delta: a green wall everywhere. Nothing better to illustrate this than a tiny video shot. It was taken when we were exiting from a small creek. You can see at the end the much larger arm where it merges, with the tide current.
Too many plants were spectacular. I will limit myself to three pictures, first the huge green walls that the mangrove offered for miles unbroken.
And this fabulous tree where fruit and flowers, with their very own special limb, sprout directly from the tree trunk at the same time. It also exists in Asia under the name of Buddha tree, I was told. The smell is not pleasant at all which explains why flies seem to be the pollinating agents as the flower pic shows.
But the big excitement was looking for birds. Even though I am not a bird watcher, I could not fail but get increasingly excited at the perspective of our next bird sight. That a bird watcher carried her book in our small party did not hurt, of course. We saw: scarlet ibis until we got saturated; cocoi heron; cormorants; king fishers; tucans; white egrets; all sorts of little waddler birds; turkey vulture; some kind of eagle; little red necked cardinals; hoatzin; and more that I fail to remember now. One thing was shared by all of these birds: they were well fed, strong and little scared of humans. I mean, you certainly could not touch any of them but approaching by a few yards was often quite possible. Clearly, the Orinoco Delta is a good provider for many birds.
I will add only three more pictures to this post as it is already long enough. The first one was a fantastic cormorant nesting area. Since there is nothing rocky where to spend the night safely, cormorants nest at the tip of an island where they clutter an area of the mangrove, tearing all leaves and giving a strange silvery tone to the wood, courtesy of abundant guano formation. This picture was taken close to Pedernales, at one of the mouths of the Manamo.
And while we are talking about nesting, check these nests hanging together (probably some "cacique" type of bird, we did not see any bird flying in or out).
And to end, more scarlet ibis, in flight.
But enough gorgeous nature, next posts will be on the human reality of the area. Not as pretty I am afraid....
1) The baba is more current elsewhere and can even reproduce in captivity where it is bred for consumption. Thus it is not endangered. But in the wild of the Delta it is having a hard time when man comes close. At least that is what my competent guide explained to me.
-The end-Labels: delta amacuro
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posted by Daniel Permalink 9:21 PM
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Monday, May 12, 2008
A dangerous week for Chavez mental balance
We have been told that on May 15 the Interpol will tell us officially that the computer of Raul Reyes (RIP somewhere in an ex-FARC camp in Ecuador) is a legitimate source of information. That means that it was really his computer and the mails in it were addressed to him or written by him. Amen of other documents.
Now, readers of this blog and other informed folks around the planet have known for the longest of time that Chavez was in bed with the FARC. Evidence and proofs have long preceded anything found in that computer (and other computers by the way). After all, Granda, noted FARC terrorist, was living happily in Venezuela. But there were also less noted facts, not reported in the press but well known by folks interested in "turismo de aventura". For example the FARC having priority gas dispatch in Amazonas state, resulting in tourism organizations being less willing to organize trips there as they could not count anymore on a sure gas supply for their boats. And of course Ivan Marquez being received at Miraflores Palace: what was Chavez thinking that day?
No, we already knew that. The difference now is that there will be real documents that could not be excused away by Chavez (and Ecuador's Correa who had no business at all in cavorting with the FARC this early in his term).
Chavez of course will try to dismiss all of it, at least for his market at home. Overseas he knows he is toast even if Lula, in a strangely misplaced fit, calls Chavez the best president Venezuela has had in over a century. Somebody should charitably explain to Lula that we have had already plenty of Chavez like presidents such as Gomez and Castro and that the only novelty is that Chavez really has a lot of money. Well, I suppose that maybe Lula meant that Chavez was the best president ever for Brazil, on this I am willing to agree. But thinking of it, maybe Lula is informed enough on those Reyes computers to know that all the great Brazil juicy contract in Venezuela could see their end coming soon... (1)
Thus we must understand Chavez rant of yesterday as a preemptive apology? Excuse? Reverse attack? If anyone knows how real the info in Reyes computers is it is Chavez himself. Or why else would he be so hysterical about it these days?
Whatever it is, AGAIN, do not take his threats against Colombia at face value. The Venezuelan well fattened generals are now even less likely to go to war with Colombia to save Chavez ass. Be assured of that. Because it is not Venezuela's honor that needs to be saved, it is Chavez one who was stupid enough to risk it supporting the FARC. Note my kindness in allowing for Chavez to have any honor to begin with....
Now, the only real interesting question is what effect will all of these have on the Venezuelan public. I am afraid that our current general alienation will not affect much Chavez ratings one way or the other. Used to ten years of extended hand to receive free stuff form the state, most people have stopped caring about what countries have a common border with Venezuela and the dangers that Chavez represents. But that dog also has a bite as they soon will find out.
--- --- --- ---
1) That Lula interview was giving to Germany's Spiegel. I do not know whether it has anything to do with Anglea Merkel tour in LatAm about to start, but Lula will suffer already his first embarrassment post interview as Merkel declared bluntly that Chavez does not speak for Latin America. To which Chavez replied in his typical insulting ways. The Deutsche Welle had all the trouble in the world to write on it in their usual objective and balanced ways...
-The end-Labels: colombia, farc, terrorism
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posted by Daniel Permalink 8:08 AM
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