In Venezuela, we are not chained to the TV
It is the TV that is chained to Chavez

Friday 25, June 2004

Today's front page of Tal Cual is priceless.



As I wrote yesterday, most people in Venezuela could not see the Portugal/England football match. The reason was that Chavez decided that we should watch the military parade for 5 hours, perhaps in some sort of atonement to the military for not having protected them from Human Rights abuse inquirers. These pesky justice seeking peaceniks! I do tell you! The nerve of questioning our glorious Venezuelan Army! One could imagine him thinking. Not realizing perhaps that in the US trials have already started on the Iraq prison abuses while in Venezuela we ARE STILL WAITING FOR A SERIOUS INQUIRY ON ALL SORTS OF MILITARY ABUSES SINCE FEBRUARY 27. But I digress.

The fact is that "cadena" means chain. And to put the networks in "cadena" is to chain them to the official message. No doubt that it is Chavez's secret wish, to finally once and for all chain all the networks to his glorification. Hence the chains on the front page picture of the glorious moment when the Portuguese goalie, Ricardo, nailed once and for all the coffin of England's hopes.

Nobody in Venezuela that did not have access to cable could see a single live minute of that great game. Even chavistas talked about that today, surprised themselves by such a relentless "cadena". With the never ending cycle of "cadenas" there is no wonder that the impoverished country still manages to have a third of its TVs receiving some form of cable, legally or illegally.

But Chavez cadenas will not make us forget about the Fort Mara soldiers who died of a painful death. Nor the one that was drowned on purpose. Nor the Nazi-onal Guards that tortured Zambrano to death while raping his girl in front of him. Nor the prisoners vilely murdered in Puerto Ordaz. Nor the clouds of toxic gas released over Caracas after February 27 2004.

No, we will not forget that the ones really betraying the fatherland are those that are unable or unwilling to prove that they are not corrupt military officers such as Lopez Hidalgo, Cruz Weffer, Garcia Carneiro, Ivan Rincon and countless other selling their souls and Venezuela for a few perks and some stars on their shoulders. Chavez can throw any military parade at them, we will not forget.

And in today Venezuela, by writing these words I could be charged of treason to the father land, I'll have my gentle readers know. No more have done the Sumate people, Henrique Capriles, Carvajal, and countless other that are now in jail or waiting for jail any time soon.

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PS: the picture caption, "no me fodas", is a rather strong pun that I rather not translate in this family oriented blog :-)