The morning after?

With the withdrawal of Primero Justicia the elections of next Sunday are a sham. This morning Gerardo Blyde had even strong words against Ruben Perina, the OAS delegate to monitor the Venezuelan election. I suspect that Perina actions have not been well received by the OAS secretary Insulza who indirectly detached himself from the delegation the OAS sent by reminding them that their role was to observe, only to observe. Interesting. At this time it would be best for the EU and OAS delegations to just leave the country and decline any further observation. What is there to observe, anyway?

We are still waiting to see if Rosales will withdraw in turn. But that decision will not modify much the current situation, he would be only the final nail. Of course chavismo state machinery is in gear trying to do damage control as for example the useless and sold out ombudsman self importantly announced that it will declare his position on the matter. Even the Pope had a word on Venezuela yesterday, showing that the Catholic church is not the passive body that chavismo hoped it would become after the recent nomination of the new Caracas Archbishop. In fact the declarations of the archbishop yesterday reminded my old father the words of the Catholic church in the last weeks of Perez Jimenez when it started pushing for the downfall of that regime.

The only reasonable solution would be to postpone the election until at least February to allow for a revision of the basic electoral problems. And, OF COURSE, the resignation of the actual CNE board. But the best we might obtain is simply the same board, postponing the election and adding some meager improvements. The worse? Holding elections next Sunday anyway. This would not be that bad. It would make official the entry of Venezuela in an authoritarian system, a one party state, as a previous stage to full dictatorship. At least the hypocrisy will be removed as Chavez leaves his authoritarian closet.