But of course it all comes at a price. Chavez will open a bank in Nicaragua within a month. The third load of discounted diesel is about to arrive at Nicaraguan harbors. Plus a whole bunch of stuff, some listed in the rather not impressed Guardian: electric plant, new refinery, forgiving 30 millions in debt, 100 000 oil barrels, 20 million USD loan with little or no interest, plus 10 million for "social projects", and even a few tractors given by Chavez to a few peasants that happened to be there to cheer. In exchange the Herald Tribune also tells us that Chavez received an honoris causa doctorate from some Nicaraguan college. He was also allowed to arrive two hours late, having Ortega wait for his inauguration. Priceless (1).
I mean with such a piñata in front Ortega would be a fool to say no to ALBA. He certainly will get a juicy commission somewhere along the way to refurbish the nice mansions that Sandinistas "got" when they were in power. Though even the BBC notes a certain reticence from Ortega (though I wonder how can the BBC write that Ortega got a "convincing victory" with barely 40% of the vote; must be the BBC writer celebrating too much with Nicaraguan spirits).
So there we are, Chavez buying his third country where he is feted like some national hero, where even the Venezuelan TV through VTV showed us a Nicaraguan peasant leader (?) tell us that Chavez represented "ethnic socialism". Huh!? Yes, that is right, etnosocialismo is the word he used. I thought that socialism was a way to get above ethnic barriers but since now I am told that Jesus Christ was a socialo communist, what do I know anymore...
Seriously now. ALBA is such a crackpot idea. Look at the countries: Cuba, a bankrupt terrorist totalitarian state who cannot even decently feed its people and who thrives on US embargo to justify the unjustifiable; Nicaragua, the poorest American state after Haiti, a country which is dangerously close to failed state status, where it is difficult to chose between Sandinistas and Opposition which is the most corrupt and most incompetent (does anyone sees a difference between Aleman and Ortega?); Bolivia, teetering on the edge of desintegration, landlocked, unproductive except for one area that the governemt is trying to fetter to make sure all its rent goes to maintain an Altiplano that has only some coca leaves to offer; and Venezuela of course, where a now certifiable leader has transfomed the national treasury into his personal purse to buy himslef a little empire of failed states (Ecuador next? It fits perfectly the description of near failed states). And you want to compare this to the CAN, Mercosur or even FTAA? Gimme a break...
Meanwhile my hard earned tax dollar paid to Chavez will serve to pay for tractors and houses in Nicaragua while the workers of Yaracuy cannot even get decent housing form the local authorities. But you know what? They voted for these authorities a few weeks ago, and now I have no sympathy when I see them screwed by Chavez; if they are masochist, the better for them.
1) even the title of the Herald article is ironic: "Nicaragua's Ortega spends first day in office accepting aid package from Venezuela"
Written from the Venezuelan provinces, this blog started as private letters to my friends overseas, letters narrating the difficult days of the 2002/2003 strike in Venezuela. These letters became this mix of news, comments, pictures of the Venezuelan situation. Unknowingly, I have written the diary of Venezuela slow descent into authoritarianism, the slow erosion of our liberties, the takeover of the country by a military caste, the surrendering of our soul to our inner demons.
Click logo above to go directly to the English language blog. Click here to go to the Spanish language mirror.
Estamos en Venezuela, nunca se sabe. In spite of its Spanish title, an irregular blog about a French student observing Venezuela. Interesting pictures.
General info and discontinued blogs but with good archives
Venezuela Crisis has a visual and textual record "hors pair" of the recent electoral campaign in Venezuela, the first blogger to have covered live a Venezuelan campaign. Seems to be on a resting phase for a few weeks.
Digital papers with Venezuela and LatAm in mind (in Spanish)
There are two major digital papers with forums and all, for a permanent clash between factions. Noticiero Digital is the oldest one and Noticias 24 is giving it a run for tis money.
And a new comer:Venezuela es noticia.
Ciudadania Activa has a large selection of articles on Venezuelan politics and civil rights issues.
Relevant info to expose some of the regime's propaganda and human rights violations
The lies of April
The famous "infamous" video "The revolution will not be televised" has been duly analyzed and shown to be in large measure a crass manipulation. Counter-video in Spanish here, and summary of main points here.
There is a documentary that follows the April 2002 events from the perspective on what Chavez did that April 11, "La Cadena". It is about the forced broadcast made by Chavez to hide the massacre of the pacific march on Miraflores.
The infamous apartheid like system of the Tascon and Maisanta lists
The compilation of various documents from Miguel.
The video "La Lista" and my reviews in English and Spanish by invitation at Hispalibertas.
The El Nacional review of Perez Oramas.
The original video itself can be seen here.
Diverse Human Rights pages
Of course, from Amnesty International to the Human Rights Watch page, without forgetting local organizations such as prestigious COFAVIC, the Venezuelan government comes only too often lacking in its Human Rights record.
OTHER FOLKS WITH VENEZUELA MORE OR LESS IN THEIR MIND (Please send links that should be added here)
And of course to be fair there must be links to pro-Chavez sites. I do pride myself of having been the first opposition blog to have listed pro Chavez links; a situation that has now changed. However extremely rare is the pro Chavez page or blog that links to any of the sites listed above. The readers might draw their own conclusion
Aporrea (Beat up, bruise! as in the imperative mode of the verb; the only interesting one if you can read Spanish. Predicts the future)
And of course the full time propaganda agencies, ALL at tax payer expenses, the National Radio coverage, RNV, and the rather deficient official news agency, ABN (both in Spanish).
Without forgetting the "official" newsletter in English.
Some blogs, more or less sycophantic.
Yosmary, campaigning for Mario Silva, quite something.
Less sycophantic, even critical on occasion Terreno baldio.
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Map of Venezuela to help you locate the different locales mentioned through the blog (click here for a more detailed map)
For the memories. The picture below dates from the epic days of the December 2002/January 2003 "El Paro", when the opposition was strong and decided, and when Chavez was low in polls.
Then came the "misiones" and the worst populist episode of our history. Through pacific protests and strikes we tried to preserve democracy.
History proved us right even if we lost that battle.
Marching toward Hotel Melia, 01/31/03, 5 PM.
Small yellow square under the Pepsi ball is the big stage.
A special thanks to JoAnne Schmitz for the suggestions and help in setting this blog up.
barely more than a barter international agreement, gets a fourth member, Nicaragua, to go with Venezuela and its dependencies, Cuba and Bolivia.
