The evening update of a Friday 13
13/02/2004

Well, not much to say. The day did not end up too bad, all the action apparently concentrated in the morning CNE outdoor show.

Two newspaper articles (subscription only, sorry) reminded people that violence is the trap that the government is setting up for the opposition, in particular for its fringes spoiling for a fight. Ibeyisse Pacheco, a journalist from El Nacional and Teodoro Petkoff the director of Tal Cual coincided in that we have come too far to blow it with a silly posture of strength and anger tomorrow. Apparently it has worked as the opposition march of tomorrow decided not to look for an alternate way to the CNE, blocked by the silly Mercado Popular on Bolivar Avenue. Still, chavismo has set up a few "street fairs" at diverse sites kind of too close for comfort for the opposition march.

Unfortunately I will not be able to go to that march. Driving plans I had set up fell apart at the last minute, in addition to work problems and what not. I really would have liked to go as it might have been a rather important event. And I wanted to share the emotion and possible risk. However there might be in a few days an equivalent march in Yaracuy as one of the objectives is to give people a "certificate" that they have signed. Mracaibo is doing thus on Sunday and perhaps Yaracuy will get nto the act, if anything as a campaign set up for Lapi re-election.

I will be following events closely tomorrow.

PS: a friend of mine working for the public administration has been called for a meeting for most of Saturday. Chavismo is doing all what it cans to draw people away of the march. Must scary to be so scared.