Freezing in Boston
and freezing thoughts on Venezuela

Sunday 1, February 2004

A short week end in Boston visiting friends. It never gets above freezing. The Charles river is frozen and in some areas people can actually walk across. Far are the tropics from here and I must confess that I am enjoying quite a lot to be back in a more orderly vision of the world instead of the chaos that Venezuela has become. Chaos that in all fairness started well before Chavez but that has been helped along considerably by this one. A deliberate strategy? I prefer not to speculate right now on this.

Still, I cannot help but think that the gap between the US and Venezuela is widening, not diminishing. I went to a Mid School basketball game to watch my friends's daughter play and I could not help but think that even private schools in Venezuela are far from offering the comfort and security that New England public school children are taking for granted. Let alone our public schools, even the "bolivarian" schools.

Of course it is unfair to compare wealthy New England to Venezuela, but it is also fair to say that Venezuela HAS NOT advanced for 5 years. It is too easy to blame the opposition for doing its job, which is to oppose Chavez. But what is Chavez doing to build the country? Besides programs with little or no accountability? Programs with almost no future? Programs that seem to be more a fertile ground for graft than any real measure of long term development? Chavez is reaching 5 years in office tomorow. The record of his incompetent administration speaks for itself.

Meanwhile I will enjoy the unusual cold and snow for a little bit longer, courtesy of my friends as I run out of the little bit of cash dollars that I managed to get in the street to come for business last week. I will be back soon and I must confess that it has been great not to read ANYTHING on Venezuela for now a week!