Monday, December 11, 2006

The unwilling hero

Today we have been treated to the second hypocrisy of Chavez in one week

General Uson tells Chavez to shove his "pardon"

Early this week we were surprised at a press conference to hear Chavez announce that he was willing to review some in-famous trials going on in Venezuela. He might seek indulgence to some political prisoners such as Uson.

This marked the first acknowledgment of the government that there might be political prisoners in Venezuela as chavismo called people like Uson politicians in prison and not political prisoners. A subtle but telling distinction for the unfair chavista mindset.

Well, what did we learn this week end? Uson rejected any pardon. He flatly wrote to Chavez that he had nothing to do with a pardon from him since he was innocent and thus he had noting to be pardoned for.

You might think this odd but in fact Uson exposed the regime quite frankly.

Uson has been condemned by the army tribunals to jail because on a talk show he expressed an opinion as to how the Fort Mara soldiers could have been burnt to death using a flame thrower. Even though we are STILL waiting for the final decision on all of this fort Mara affair, Uson was promptly condemned for defaming the armed forces. As amazing a case of "shooting the messenger" as we could conceive!

But the real reason why Chavez is talking of pardoning Uson is that the defense of Uson has managed to exhaust all legal recourses in Venezuela and thus could bring the General Uson case to the docket of international human rights courts of justice. In other word, chavismo is suddenly realizing that it could be exposed as a Human Rights violator, with proof in hand. Thus the sudden leniency of Chavez considering freeing Uson and why this one does not want to go free on a fake "pardon" and wants to exact the very best possible revenge he could get on his former boss: to expose the hypocrite he is. Even if he must rot in jail for a few more months. See, some people do have principles and Uson is becoming one of those national heroes who exposes the vileness of the regime rather than accepting to be bought by it.

Alan Garcia and Chavez make up

What do you know? Yesterday Chavez and Peru's Garcia met at the South America summit. It was all love and kisses. All the insults were forgotten. Garcia is now the legitimate president of Peru and Humala is sort of forgotten. In my opinion, very humble of course, Garcia did what he had to do considering the large amount of Peruvian citizens living in Venezuela. The one looking like a fool was Chavez, backing away from all his rhetoric and pseudo principles. But be assured that when he comes back he will have a tall tale of love and brotherhood to tell his followers. After all when you have 63% of the people who do not care about trash, deficit public services, corruption, lousy hospitals, lack of housing, etc... Why would they care about Chavez being ridiculous in Cochabamba?

And you thought that things might improve, that Chavez would have learn a thing or tow about sincerity...

PS: Added later. Nemesis informs us in the comments about the links on the Fort Mara case in the HRF and the House. Links here, here and here.




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