Today I will revisit an old post of mine.
Next I am quoting myself as to what I wrote one year ago after I returned from last year May day march:
Of course the march was beautiful, a sea of colorful Venezuelan flags ahead of, and behind, us. I took nice pictures. I also took pictures of the National Guard blocking every single street that would go in the direction of the National Assembly or Miraflores Palace. US marines in Iraq were not any better endowed. And people were furious!!! The Metropolitan Police had actually a cordon between the National Guards and us. The frightening thing was that the officers seemed to be taunting the marchers instead of being in clear defensive and non-provoking positions. Confirming my suspicions that Chavez is selecting the members of the National Guard to make them his own praetorian guards. Oh well...
Anyway, I came back satisfied but more worried than in the January marches. The mood was different this time. People seem in a somber mood, more grimly determined. Things are different now. We'll see.
Considering what has happened in one year, all the tricks displayed by chavismo to block any peaceful solution to the political crisis, and all ending in the shameful days following February 27 with the return of flagrant Human Rights Violations in Venezuela, I will pat myself in the back as to my unfortunate prescience.
I include two pictures from last year (I could not post pictures then). The first one is simply the lone Metropolitan Police officer that distractedly separates the marchers from the National Guard. He knows his side, he knows that nothing will happen. The National Guards that then seemed rather armed to me are today even more so. Times have changed.
While we were marching alongside the National Assembly (El Congreso), some of the officers had very taunting attitudes, almost wishing for a confrontation. I did manage to capture one of them, climbing on top of a stone marker to dominate the crowd. Not the worst offender I saw that day, but at least it will give you an idea. Then, no matter how furious the crowds were, they behaved, they still thought that the signatures collected in February 2003 would have an effect. But now...
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