Two chavisterias

Sometimes I am lacking a good word to describe certain attitudes or actions that have such a chavista character that makes them sui generis, of sorts. Chavisterias as in the title is good, and better than chavescism which might be a more anglo-saxon terminology. But Chavez is all the excesses of the Caribbean so let's try chavisteria for a while, sounds better.

We had recently two such examples. Chavez decided to give 18 millions to supporter Danny Glover who never in his life would have been able to raise that kind of money in L.A., and certainly not for the little work he did for Chavez. That is, for a few trips to Venezuela and a few hours sitting listening to Chavez in rapture the guy is getting 18 million bucks from Venezuela to film the life of Toussaint Louverture. I mean, not even Negro Primero.

But that would have been cool except that the local producer and movie makers of Venezuela complained to the ministry of culture saying that in a single swoop the government gave one foreigner more money than it gives in several years to the movie sector. The Kultur minister did the very chavista thing, the chavisteria of breaking relationships with the movie associations of Venezuela .

Why was the minister Sesto so incensed? Well, someone pointed out that a Venezuelan movie costs about 1 million and that with the Danny Glove gift a few Venezuelan movies could be made, in particular for the new line up of Tves so starved in fresh material of any nature. nobody of course likes to be exposed publicly for the sold out incompetent twit they are. Besides since Chavez sort of named him the official Kulturer of Venezuela, the guy cannot hear himself farting anymore. Regimes such as chavismo do create such individuals.

However this is not all. Demonstrating once again that Chavez has no qualms about spending money that is not his (the Venezuelan budget for example which disposition is strictly at Chavez will now) last Sunday Chavez decided that to be a good revolutionary you should give up unnecessary riches, whatever that means. In other words rich people who signed up for the PUS should stat giving up fancy items. Their Humvees? Their Rolls? Their Rolex? Or as TalCual points out, will Chavez give up his own luxury items (I am thinking of his gold plated airplane, his closet full of designer suits or whatever else he has been enjoying since he is president)?

But Chavez reassured us quickly: he will set the example by giving up part of his Qaddafi Human Rights Prize (yes, there is such a thing believe it or not). Now, Tal Cual although appreciating the gesture of Chavez to give up 250 000 has a few interesting questions. 1) does it count that he gives it to the PUS? Is it not like taking from one pocket to place it in the other? After all, he is the boss of the PUS; 2) and by the way, did efficient tax collector Vielma Mora checked the tax dues by Chavez upon receiving such an amount of money (which is of dubious constitutionality we are also told)? Me thinks not. Paying taxes and making their tax returns public is for leaders of non democratic countries like the US. In Venezuela the beloved leader has no accounting to do.

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Not that totally unrelated but for some reason I felt it would fit quite well here. After all Sesto proposes almost a reverse racism by promoting Danny Glover of local talent, and Chavez might be giving away money that he does not own but that does not stop him from being a racist of sorts, and anti Semite to boot. His generosity his very well targeted to those who can promote him.



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