Amending fascism

OK, I know, cheap shot of a title, but I could not resist. But before I go into a quick summary of yesterday events let me offer you a brisk Washington Post Editorial that says it all about the current situation of Venezuela and Chavez, with phrases like this one: The official results, showing the margin of Mr. Chávez's loss, have not been released. "sin pelos en la lengua", as we say in Venezuela.

What can I say about yesterday performance in the National Assembly? No surprise was expected since we knew that the servile National Assembly was going to approve the orders of Chavez to allow for his eternal "reelection" (read again the editorial above, I am not the only one doubting of the quality of Venezuelan elections). And yet surprises came. The "debate" run longer than expected, the popular fervor was well below the low standards we expected, the fascist response to dissidence was much higher than expected. Just as Chavez unveiled his true thugofascist inner core since November 23, so did the National Assembly revealed its own commitment to authoritarianism. Highlights in no particular order.

- boxes of useless signatures were carried by a human chain to the floor of the assembly. As I observed the carriers I thought about the move I was subjected too recently and let me tell you that for boxes supposedly filled up with paper they were darn easy to be carried around. The chair refused to have the boxes opened for inspection by opposition assemblymen. Imagine that!

- one box was opened by a sympathetic and exalted carrier who ruffled the leaf for the cameras. The cameras detected many blank sheets in the ream of paper! I mean, they cannot even fake it in one box!!!! Amazing!

- the multi hour cadena we were threatened with did not take place. Apparently someone at Miraflores knew better and did not trust Cilia Flores to put up a good TV show.

- the debate, to give it a name, was a mix of sycophancy and anti imperialist diatribe as if Chavez was the only person able to protect us. Rewriting of history and world economics reached yet new heights.

- we got a public lynching from the chair itself. Cilia Flores, in an act of utmost fascism, sorry, no other word can convey the atmosphere of the moment, picked a video out of context, from two years past, to try to publicly humiliate Ismael Garcia. She played the video over and over and then she launched herself in an attack that would have made proud Goebbels (or any of the Stalin judicial commissars for that matter). The only think she proved to us was how effective Ismael Garcia has been at exposing this sorry bunch. While giving Ismael good points for behavior as his attitude was exemplary.

- finally, the scarce assemblymen and women who dared to vote NO were roughed up at the exit, while still INSIDE the Assembly building, by their colleagues it seems.

Truly, fascism has no amend.

-The end-