Hunger, oil lies and cynicism

Living this week in Caracas makes one head dizzy.  For one thing there is yet another hunger strike going on demanding that the OAS to fulfill its original promises made when they lifted the previous hunger strike.  The OAS as usual is wavering, looking for any excuse it can grab on, hoping that somehow miraculously the hunger strike will be lifted, in a country where the example of Brito is now the powerful precedent for such activities.

It is indeed true that "legally" OAS secretary Insulza nor the IACHR can visit a member state without that said state permitting such a visit.  However it is also true that Insulza could be more vocal in declaring that whatever happens in Venezuela with the now dozens of hunger strikers will solely be the responsibility of the Venezuelan regime and that some OAS country should have the balls to request an investigation.  Because this is the crux of the matter, many democratic governments are more than willing to criticize Chavez privately or publicly but when push comes to shove, even the Colombians are willing to backpedal once Chavez accepts to pay what he owes them.

Of course, the regime in full decomposition cannot be bothered, cannot deal, is clueless about what to do with the hunger strike.  The more so that the now highly discredited energy and oil minister, Rafael Ramirez, the one that makes sure Chavez can plunder the country at will, is finally going to have to pretend to account for his actions at the National Assembly today.  I am not expecting much, after all as seen from the recent hearings I am not hoping that the opposition representatives come up with something as short and concise and to the point as my rant on gas hike posted yesterday.

Ramirez needs to be protected by the regime and his lies validated in front of the chavista lumpen.  For one thing he has become the symbol of Venezuela's corruption and inefficiency under Chavez regime.  And for another thing he is on everyone's short list of the people that need to be investigated first and foremost once the regime is deposed.  Not only he will go to jail for the rest of his days but he has the potential to bring along with him a boatload of corrupt chavistas.  So today they did manage to have a few hundred chavista accompany him on the way to the assembly.  The regime should be happy of the outcome, they still manage to have more people defending Ramirez and the other corrupt ministers declaring today than there are hunger strikers.   Though at about 100 paid for "spontaneous" supporters per minister I would start worrying some.

But the cynicism of the regime is from a good school.  Its mentor, Fidel Castro, congratulated the Egyptians for overthrowing Mubarak after 31 years.  Has anyone told Castro that he has been in office for 52 years as a ruthless dictator that makes Mubarak look as an altar boy?  At any rate, I will spare you the rest of Castro's words because it is lunch time and you do not deserve to lose your appetite either from excessive laughter or sudden nauseas.