Saturday, July 30, 2011

The aggiornamento of little Red Riding Hood

And thus I am back to the “tierra de gracia” just to find me even more confused than when I left. It seems that a mix of bad polls, better polls through sickness, a new found respect for mortality have played havoc with the regime line and a major mutation is taking place. Or is it?

First, before I enter into the few details I am able to grasp so far, it is important to remember that all of Chavez electoral campaigns have been bipolar. That is, there was a period of “Mr. Nice Guy loves you” followed presto by a “you better vote for me or else”. No matter what the result was, the days that followed the election saw a radicalization of the regime either to cash in the victory or to drive the point that an electoral defeat in no way diminished Chavez power.


In other words, no matter what happens these days, we already know that Chavez functions like the fabled story of the scorpion asking the frog to help him cross the river and stabbing the frog in the middle anyway so that both drowned.  But then again a strategy that has functioned so well should not be discarded: it is not really Chavez fault that the Venezuelan people are stupid enough to keep tripping on the same stone over and over.  And yet....

Suddenly Chavez in his rare appearances is not sporting as much red.  He also says that wearing red is not a sign of true revolutionary spirit (Imagine that!).  Red has started fading from his surroundings.

Then the "patria, socialismo o muerte" (fatherland, socialism or death) is apparently not appropriate anymore.  True, a new slogan is not quite here to replace it, but Chavez considers suddenly that death, well, is a serious matter, too serious to be abandoned to slogans when he needs people to wish him well so that he does not become a martyr of the revolution.  The guy apparently really prefers to weaken his pseudo revolution and stay in office until 2031 rather than become the new Che idol....

And best, now the middle class should be courted more seriously by the PSUV.  You know, they are poor misguided souls that were abandoned while the hoi polloi got the word.  Now it is their turn to enter the bolivarian "pueblo".  That is why, I think, Chavez now wears canary yellow shirts for his birthday.

There is however a problem with all of these good intentions: the scorpion is still so much the same that he already tries to stab the frog before this one even starts to cross the river.  In the same couple of weeks where these transcendental changes take place (with all the irony intended) the regime issued two new decree laws that will destroy the essence of freedom and the meaning of middle class.

First, the destruction of the rental market by forcing owners to sell at vile price their holdings least they are taken outright from them.  For example now rental contracts will be by law for 3 years, and the owner will have to pay for water, electricity and the like.... And kicking a tenant will be achieved only through an expensive legal proceeding, and when you win, execution is only possible after new living quarters are found for the tenant.  No deposits, of course.

The other decree is the "just price" one which gives the regime the power to decide what cost each and every step in any production chain.  That is, the regime does not want to control the final price only, now it will tell you how much you are allowed to make at every given step.  And along the way place business owners in stocks to public disgrace.  Voila!  Il suffisait d'y penser!  And inflation is dead!  So will be our grocery shelves as production will be dead along the private sector.

There is no aggiornamento of chavismo, nor there will ever be one.  The sole, lone, single function of chavismo is to perpetuate in office Chavez, dead if necessary it seems now, so that Cuba and a few allies can keep sucking the blood of Venezuelans.  There are no ideas there, only a goal and a goal can never change: at best it is postponed.  The vampiric blood thirsty red will remain de rigueur.

22 comments:

  1. RabbiBulla6:11 AM

    Daniel-Thank you for this thousand word feast of clear understanding about the true identity of Chavez.
    Political weather report "Less storms but a more steady ongoing disaster" I believe-

    "-the regime issued two new decree laws that will destroy the essence of freedom and the meaning of middle class."
    Yet, the National Assembly, nor anyone has challenged the legality of these "decrees"- Democracies are not ruled by decrees.
    Normally the idea of "courting" implies manners-Chavez will take the middle class by force-his favorite tactic-come close then pounce-or sneak up from behind-ask the women Chavez "courted"..
    Sorry to disappoint-some were expecting flowers and chocolates I am sure.

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  2. Anonymous8:50 AM

    You will probably filter this comment!!! But I struggle to understand your consistent objection to uncle Hugo..... considering that the Venezuelan people (that is... normal, medio educado folks, currently living (surviving)) will never have the courage to do anything until they lose a son. As much as I love Venezuela and the folks I came to know and love before uncle hugo cancelled all the contracts of us expats!! I cannot see any alternative because you, yes you (with all respect) are simply mouths that make noise, never walking the talk, never, never, never!!!. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see uncle kick the bucket in politic & life, but there is nobody to fill the void. if anything the much hated uncle actually keeps the tanks off the street. Saddle up Daniel, forsake your family and friends, and do what an educated, potential leader as you, should do. get to the streets, round up and electrify "your" "my" "our" people. Otherwise, continue to be a mouthpiece, nothing more nothing less. Finally.... You should know that I am as anti Chavez, if not more, than you are.... but if he dies tomorrow the void cannot be filled by any candidate that is currently known... why don't you consider the role.....

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  3. I also was struck by the lack of red. Flag Yellow seems to be the new hue of choice.

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  4. yellow is the color of pulsating life and the power of a Chinese Emperor : Yellow silken robes studded with inner dragons - the power and force of the Sun.


    The Magician's Choice


    we see some yellow
    at the beginning of Venezuela's hour,
    Nourishing light in our city's
    diminished garden.

    Here, a purposely jumbled
    ruse
    of impossible aims,
    by illusion

    Obvious plans no longer viable, but still true...

    We see some yellow -
    toxic smoke on the Avila rising
    from the red decay

    As we look to the sky,
    and suddenly look again -

    *there is nothing *

    Let me tell you of his attempt:

    Greed's ruined orgy
    at the gate of entry,
    Caracas gleaming against her blackened
    skies
    Wrathful Guardians
    standing at the gate of his secret Mandala
    lead us into
    his nameless ,and
    endless displays
    of magic

    ReplyDelete
  5. RabbiBulla3:26 PM

    "I am as anti Chavez, if not more, than you are.... but if he dies tomorrow the void cannot be filled by any candidate that is currently known.."
    May I comment- dear Anonymous-you sound like a real "man's man" to me-I like your strong feelings and I like the statement so much to Daniel -re."saddle up" (Daniel is not John Wayne.)[You are a good writer, Daniel is a great writer!]
    The key -I feel is not so much as who is the President -after Chavez -it is-people can do this now-reject Chavez philosophy-it is easy. Just wake up!!
    See the reality of this bumbling, lying, trickster, thief. Really a low-classed,not even worthy of being an officer in the military. No special skills-except con game.

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  6. I wonder when the Boliburgueses will switch their twitter account profiles. I did a screenshot of several of them...vamos a ver. These guys are such clowns!

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  7. RabbiBulla5:20 PM

    "Suddenly Chavez is not sporting as much red"
    The message is -time to blend in-(so and not to be a target?)yet,
    did you notice-the red undershirt
    ie. -deep down-still rojo.

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  8. "For example now rental contracts will be by law for 3 years, and the owner will have to pay for water, electricity and the like."


    So much for conserving electricity and reducing carbon footprints:)-

    If you have airco I suppose you can leave it on 24/7 and let the owner pay the bill for you:)

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  9. RabbiBulla8:52 PM

    Anonymous said "if anything the much hated uncle actually keeps the tanks off the street"- meaning
    Chavez deserves a Nobel Peace Prize I suppose?
    Seriously- What Venezuela needs-is not a military dictatorship.
    Venezuela needs- a complete personality change-and a President who has his mind on the economy and safe, healthy, educating the people, not a fake "warrior king"
    who acts like a clown all day.

    Why do the Venezuelan people not ask themselves- do we want to owe billions to Russians for weapons,
    do we want billions of bad deals with Iranians-answers NO, NO ,NO.
    Chavez -is taking/has taken control of everything- but the people "el pueblo"- can free themselves and demand Chavez GO AWAY. -Venezuelans- suspend Chavez- demand restoration of the Constitution!

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  10. Charly9:03 PM

    Yellow, color of the traitors. For those who read French:

    http://www.lexpress.fr/culture/livre/5-le-jaune-tous-les-attributs-de-l-infamie_819822.html

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  11. From Chicago Tribune: "Venezuelans are surprised to find themselves contemplating Chavez's mortality. Just turned 57, Chavez has long maneuvered to set himself up as president for life, and he might get his wish — though not the way he imagined."

    http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-venezuela-20110731,0,3639135.story

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous2:21 AM

    RabbiBulla - Nobel Peace Prize!!! Not at all. My intent, albeit poorly expressed, was to say that in the total absence (death) of Chavez I believe that we would see tanks in the street. The current governing mob would tear themselves apart along with any opposition that they felt threatened by.
    Perhaps that may be the only way out of the current turmoil which is Venezuela today, a catharsis, so to speak.

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  13. Daniel, have you read ¿Queremos tanto a Glenda, by Cortázar? If not, you can find it on the Intenet as a whole, it is a short story that comes as a possibility to what is happening in Venezuela, piece of art.

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  14. Chavez is different and a more complex figure than Glenda in "Queremos Tanto a Glenda".

    Some see him as they would see a glamorous star, but most people who follow him see him as THE main man, or the strong man rather than a screen star;A male archetype rather than the more illusive female archetype( Glenda).

    When looking at archetypes, one might say a screen star represents the illusory world of Neptune-however the cuadillo, or strong man might be more appropriately represented by Mars, or even Saturn, the punisher or exactor of bad Karma.In Chavez's case, I would say Mars.He is more immature and self centered.He is not developed enough to represent the archetype of Saturn.

    Caudillismo is definitely not the same as over idealizing a glamorous figure.Caudillismo is based on fear and respect for strength -the kind of glamor that a movie star has is just not the same kind of power.People do not believe that the cuadillo is perfect; They respect him anyway.He can lose all his glamor but will still be feared and loved by those who want a strong leader, especially one that projects their own narcissistic needs.

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  15. RabbiBulla3:31 PM

    This is a "transition"phase for Chavez- I would call this phase the "middle-class,truck driver phase. The next phase (and actually he has been playing this part all along)is "the bourgeois gentleman" phase.
    Chavez -needs to "come on out"-he talks like a clown, acts like a clown all day, now it is time to dress like one.He is a true clown dictator-(it's really not funny).
    The best advice I can give him is -he is "made for" the Karl Laagerfeld look- when Chavez's hair comes out-buy a blonde wig w/ony tail, sunglasses and leather pants and "Viola"!!! Then, as Firepigette says-he's ready for the movies-ha..

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  16. Chavez's secondary archetype:

    "El Tigre de Alharaca"

    (a pesar de tantas alharacas, se que no es sincero.)

    ReplyDelete
  17. RabbiBulla4:57 PM

    Daniel- the last paragraph of your excellent article summarizes the truth-yes, it is all about Chavez and perpetuating his controll of everything and his continued gathering of funds for Cuba and his evil schemes. The people,nevertheless, ca-at least-free themselves though-and reject Chavez as the fraud that he is..
    then, come out and tell him to
    Go Away. First, wake up.

    ReplyDelete
  18. RabbiBulla5:06 PM

    Anonymous, I made a cheap shot.
    And a joke. I really hope Venezuela finds another path-I hope the people wake up and want Chavez gone AND and want peace-not military in the streets, not violence. I hope Venezuelans want to go to work producing things and fixing problems -Venezuela needs engineers, businesses, and honest, caring, friendly people doing good things.
    Not only reject Chavez, reject military state, reject drug state, reject terrorist involvements, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  19. RabbiBulla5:42 PM

    Forgive me for posting so much,
    the ultimate truth is Venezuela does not need a King,nor a dictator.Venezeuelans need to be free and love each other. Same for Cuba. Noone can control a country.
    Nor should they even try.ANd noone should be bowing down on their knees to anyone.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLoyNxjhTzc&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
    Cheers! Everyone.

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  20. rabibulla

    RULE #1

    1) Do not be repetitive: The worth of a discussion is not based on the number of comments but in their value!

    ReplyDelete
  21. What is the opposite of aggiornamiento - ressourcement? That word doesn't quite capture the reality, though. Rather than returning to the roots of chavismo, Chavez - after each policy failure - simple retreats further back in time to find another failed policy, simple one that hasn't failed in Venezuela. Not recently, anyways, and that's all that matters.

    ReplyDelete
  22. RabbiBulla9:23 PM

    Welcome to CubaGulagzuela.
    "Speak out to remain free, or be quietly enslaved. If we are
    GULAG BOUND, the reason we choose
    is the threat we bring to tyrants."
    (from-GulagBound.com)
    Soon people will be asking Chavez for permission to go
    to the bathroom...

    ReplyDelete

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