Chávez llego a Argentina porque mas nadie lo quiere recibir. De hecho, ni en Argentina lo quieren recibir porque el que lo esperaba en el aeropuerto no fue la Presidenta, no fue el canciller, no fue un ministro, no fue un vice-ministro, fue el jefe de protocolo de la cancillería que se la tuvo que calar.
Allí Chavez llega y dice: "Nosotros seguiremos enviando para acá petróleo para garantizar la soberanía energética de Argentina" y agrega que comprará "miles de tractores, sembradoras y cosechadoras, que ya están construyéndose", allá, no aquí en Venezuela. Ademas va a pasar por el supermercado a comprarse 600 mil toneladas de alimentos de los cuales quien sabe cuantos se irán a pudrir.
Dos naciones soberanas en verdad, una que depende del padrote para su gasolina y otra que depende del chulo para poder comer. ¡Ni Orwell podía inventar una soberanía tan brava!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
From Kabul to Tripoli, It is the same war
Tonight I am in Caracas and watching the news with my old Dad. TVE of Spain translates live the Obama speech about why the US had to get into the Libya potential mess. I am trying to explain him that Republicans are unfairly attacking Obama, and that many in the US think that two wars are enough. My Dad easily and convincingly dismiss the whole thing with a handful of words: "They shouldn't. It is the same war".
Saturday, March 26, 2011
That everyday "coup d'état": two this week in Venezuela
François Mitterand was a long time opponent of Charles de Gaulle, to the point of writing a book which title was "Le coup d'état permanent", the continuous coup. He reproached de Gaulle his strong presidential style to the point of equating it to a a rule issue of a coup. In France with a long tradition of unstable parliamentary government the accusation did ring, but that did not stop Mitterrand, once elected president in 1981 to rule as much or more as an "imperial presidency", US style.
When all is said and done it was rather amusing and somewhat ridiculous because the separation of powers in France had been achieved long ago and was too anchored to be easily corrupted, even for some one with the stature of de Gaulle. And this did not stop de Gaulle to resign after he lost a referendum that he sponsored. In Venezuela on the other hand, a president asks for a major referendum, loses it, and goes on applying the failed referendum anyway, through a system that can be justifiably called a "permanent coup" and military at that. The constitutional violations of the regime, of a Constitution that it wrote itself 11 years ago, cannot be counted anymore. Every day new violations, based on previous violations, become the law of the land. This week we got two more for the list.
When all is said and done it was rather amusing and somewhat ridiculous because the separation of powers in France had been achieved long ago and was too anchored to be easily corrupted, even for some one with the stature of de Gaulle. And this did not stop de Gaulle to resign after he lost a referendum that he sponsored. In Venezuela on the other hand, a president asks for a major referendum, loses it, and goes on applying the failed referendum anyway, through a system that can be justifiably called a "permanent coup" and military at that. The constitutional violations of the regime, of a Constitution that it wrote itself 11 years ago, cannot be counted anymore. Every day new violations, based on previous violations, become the law of the land. This week we got two more for the list.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Are self starving students managing to expose the inner workings of the regime?
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| Self starve, wreck an Imperial McDonald! |
And yet it worked: the first hunger strike by students in front of the OAS forced the government to recognize that there were bona fide political prisoners in Venezuela and that the judicial system was there to serve the interests of Chavez. There was not even a pretense to consult the High Court before releasing some of the prisoners. Even if the freedom of political prisoners is not complete, even if the judicial system remains genuflected in front of Chavez from now on there is no need to accuse the regime of such evils: they have been proven, they are an established fact.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Watery lies leave yours truly discombobulated as to Mars invaded by alien capitalists...
[UPDATED] Back at the ranch after a week end obsessing about Libya I must put up with Chavez starting the week with two, TWO, noon cadenas. The one that just ended deserves reporting.
First, in what Chavez announces as a grand gesture to solve the water problems of Caracas, he started giving away a few plastic containers to some homes. Fine, you might say, but he also announces that his objective is that a water truck shall come every week for deliveries. In other words Chavez is describing us the future rationing of water because now, even if his un-waterlogged plan were to work, a family will need to learn to live, laundry and all, with 1,500 liters of water a week, That is less than 400 gallons a week, toilet, laundry, drinking, cooking, moping, showering, etc..... Divide that by, say, 6 and each family member has less than 80 gallons a week for all their needs. And imagine the fleet of trucks required to deliver 400 gallons per home per week, in a country where inefficiency, corruption and incompetence are the norm. There you have it, official rationing of water, even as he announces the completion, some day soon, I swear, no kidding now, trust me this time, you´ll see of a new aqueduct system that was scheduled to be done 10 years ago. Why the delay? Do not hold your breath waiting for the explanation, rationing is so much more a socialist approach to life!
At any rate yours truly found particularly offensive that Jacqueline Farias, the Caracas gauleiter, attended the inauguration of plastic tubs in popular areas with an obscene and useless scarf of expensive nature, showing that she does not have laundry problems. What is it with Chavez cachifas that they all love to wear scarves as expensive as possible?
But since you have been very good readers I left the best for the end: Chavez speculation on how capitalism and imperialism ended civilization on Mars! I kid you know, watch the video below.
My translation below from sec 16 to sec 32:
First, in what Chavez announces as a grand gesture to solve the water problems of Caracas, he started giving away a few plastic containers to some homes. Fine, you might say, but he also announces that his objective is that a water truck shall come every week for deliveries. In other words Chavez is describing us the future rationing of water because now, even if his un-waterlogged plan were to work, a family will need to learn to live, laundry and all, with 1,500 liters of water a week, That is less than 400 gallons a week, toilet, laundry, drinking, cooking, moping, showering, etc..... Divide that by, say, 6 and each family member has less than 80 gallons a week for all their needs. And imagine the fleet of trucks required to deliver 400 gallons per home per week, in a country where inefficiency, corruption and incompetence are the norm. There you have it, official rationing of water, even as he announces the completion, some day soon, I swear, no kidding now, trust me this time, you´ll see of a new aqueduct system that was scheduled to be done 10 years ago. Why the delay? Do not hold your breath waiting for the explanation, rationing is so much more a socialist approach to life!
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| Water trucks and scarves........ |
At any rate yours truly found particularly offensive that Jacqueline Farias, the Caracas gauleiter, attended the inauguration of plastic tubs in popular areas with an obscene and useless scarf of expensive nature, showing that she does not have laundry problems. What is it with Chavez cachifas that they all love to wear scarves as expensive as possible?
But since you have been very good readers I left the best for the end: Chavez speculation on how capitalism and imperialism ended civilization on Mars! I kid you know, watch the video below.
My translation below from sec 16 to sec 32:
Monday, March 21, 2011
Unexpected collateral damage from Libya (in Russia)
Changing world orders sometimes can have amusing side effects. Putin earlier today repeated the Qaddafi words assimilating the UN resolution to the Crusades. Well, HIS president, Medvedev was not amused and said that choice of words was "unacceptable".
See, that is why in autocracies they only chose family to succeed them or share power with them. When there is no blood link one never knows when the youngster may start speaking up!
This is going to be fun as other such "incidents" are sure to happen here and there.....
See, that is why in autocracies they only chose family to succeed them or share power with them. When there is no blood link one never knows when the youngster may start speaking up!
This is going to be fun as other such "incidents" are sure to happen here and there.....
That Libyan double standard and other half truths
Since Amr Moussa, maybe thinking about his eventual election as next president of Egypt, went on record dissociating himself of the attacks on Qaddafi bases, you can find many articles that go as far as mentioning the double standards of the West. Indeed, if Sarkozy is bombing Libya why is Obama not bombing Bahrain or Yemen?
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Para los chavistas, que sepan lo que signfica "rodilla en tierra" de verdad: recordando a Mohammed Nabbous.
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| Mohammed Nabbous |
Mohammed Nabbous era (porque un francotirador de Gadafi lo mató) un libio de Bengasi que se alzó contra el tirano que nunca fue electo en voto popular y que tenia 41 años mandando en ese pedazo de desierto con petroleo, sin compartir nada, robándose todo, poniendo bombas en aviones (como Posada Carriles, sea dicho de paso).
Cuando el pueblo de Cirenaica se canso de tantos abusos, Mohammed, que seguramente debía tener uno que otro conocimiento de tecnología de la información, se las arregló para montar una emisora que transmita la verdad de Bengasi, para que pueda burlar el cerco informático que imponía Gadafi. Eso si era una emisora comunitaria, una que realmente informaba, no las vainas de propaganda que ustedes manejan.
Muchos periodistas dependieron de la información que él transmitía hasta que por fin algunos lograron llegar a Bengasi y verificar que todo era una cruel verdad. A esa gente "si le constó" y no como a Esteban que lo único que le consta es el número de focas aplaudiendo a rabiar sus chistes malos y sus insultos palurdos.
Así que cojan ejemplo y no hagan como el 11 de abril que salieron despavoridos a esconderse en la Hummer o detrás del 18 años. Pero sé que no aprenderán de ese ejemplo porque los Mohammed Nabbous de Venezuela ya hace mucho tiempo que abandonaron la robolución, bien fea que es ahora.
¡Ah! si quieren mas noticias mas "oficiales" sobre este héroe de la revolución Libia, la auténtica, pueden consultar lo que quieran aquí.
PD: disculpen, pero no mencioné el original de Terry Glavin.
You can always count on the cowardice of the Arab League
So yesterday the anti Qaddafi alliance started bombing some military targets to stop Qaddafi advance, the more so that he was in violation of the UN resolution.
And guess what?
And guess what?
Through a glass, clearly
Chavismo reaction to the first bombs in Libya can only be interpreted as a scare of what might happen to them in a not so distant future. I think that up to a point some must understand what is happening, in spite of years of self brain washing. But that Chavez forged ahead a few weeks back in support of Qaddafi cannot simply be swept under the rug and something must be done. Alas! Instead of damage control I am afraid that they are making things worse.
Saturday Science
Let's forget for a few moments Japan, Libya and Chavez destruction of science and education and remember what makes us humans. For me, science and the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake. I will paste below the NYT editorial of today for your enjoyment.
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Mission to Mercury
Late on St. Patrick’s Day, Eastern time, a spacecraft called Messenger, weighing a little more than a thousand pounds, slipped into an elliptical orbit around the planet Mercury, becoming the only manmade object to orbit the planet closest to the Sun.
Through the coming days, scientists from NASA and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory will check Messenger’s systems and begin turning on its instruments. On April 4, observations begin.
Messenger spent nearly seven years in transit and traveled about five billion miles. It will spend one Earth-year studying the mineralogy of Mercury, mapping its surface and magnetic and gravitational fields, and trying to identify the substance covering the planet’s north pole. All the while, a ceramic-fabric sunshade will be protecting Messenger from the ferocious heat of the nearby Sun and the solar reflection from Mercury. The craft will eventually plummet into the planet.
It really doesn’t matter how many space missions you’ve followed or how many Hubble photographs you’ve marveled over. There is still a sense of raw excitement about reaching a critical stage in an expedition like this, an excitement that will only grow as data begins to stream toward Earth.
Part of the thrill is knowing that this is the pure pursuit of knowledge, the scientific impulse — a human impulse — carried to a remarkable conclusion. It’s hard to know just what we will learn about Mercury. Like all scientific missions and experiments, this is a journey to a more refined sense of what we don’t yet know.
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I do not know about you but I still can feel the excitement and emotion of the previous of Voyager missions and how I was counting the minutes for the first pictures to reach us....
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| Mercury, the smallest one |
Mission to Mercury
Late on St. Patrick’s Day, Eastern time, a spacecraft called Messenger, weighing a little more than a thousand pounds, slipped into an elliptical orbit around the planet Mercury, becoming the only manmade object to orbit the planet closest to the Sun.
Through the coming days, scientists from NASA and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory will check Messenger’s systems and begin turning on its instruments. On April 4, observations begin.
Messenger spent nearly seven years in transit and traveled about five billion miles. It will spend one Earth-year studying the mineralogy of Mercury, mapping its surface and magnetic and gravitational fields, and trying to identify the substance covering the planet’s north pole. All the while, a ceramic-fabric sunshade will be protecting Messenger from the ferocious heat of the nearby Sun and the solar reflection from Mercury. The craft will eventually plummet into the planet.
It really doesn’t matter how many space missions you’ve followed or how many Hubble photographs you’ve marveled over. There is still a sense of raw excitement about reaching a critical stage in an expedition like this, an excitement that will only grow as data begins to stream toward Earth.
Part of the thrill is knowing that this is the pure pursuit of knowledge, the scientific impulse — a human impulse — carried to a remarkable conclusion. It’s hard to know just what we will learn about Mercury. Like all scientific missions and experiments, this is a journey to a more refined sense of what we don’t yet know.
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I do not know about you but I still can feel the excitement and emotion of the previous of Voyager missions and how I was counting the minutes for the first pictures to reach us....
Friday, March 18, 2011
Silvio Rodríguez, otro idiota mas.....
El cantautor cubano Silvio Rodríguez nos regala hoy otra perla desde la inmoralidad a la cual el castrismo (y el chavismo que lo sigue cerquita) han descendido. El tipo dice así no mas que hay que respetar las costumbres de los pueblos y que el voto de la UN ayer en contra de Gaddafi es una barbaridad.
Colombia says it found Venezuelan weapons on its territory
Oh dear! Colombia says it found an arsenal labelled Cavim, the Venezuela ammunition and weaponry agency. It is becoming repetitive, you know.... Let's see how Chavez new best friend responds to yet another find of FARC held weapons coming from Venezuelan barracks. Let's assume for a second that these were stolen: will Chavez even pretend to open an inquiry?
When hypocrisy and realism meet: the UN Security council finally votes on Libya
The mountain eventually gave birth, and if it was much bigger than a Mouse it certainly was not yet a Lion....
The Security Council finally voted to establish a no fly zone over Libya (and that delay is the mousy part of the announcement. But on the other hand it had a rather free ranging clause to allow any UN member to do whatever it takes to protect civilians (the tiger part of the deal). Even perhaps too late the urgency of the measure was greeted ecstatically by Benghazi as Qaddafi is about to ravage them. Let's react quickly to the late but good news of resolution 1973:
The Security Council finally voted to establish a no fly zone over Libya (and that delay is the mousy part of the announcement. But on the other hand it had a rather free ranging clause to allow any UN member to do whatever it takes to protect civilians (the tiger part of the deal). Even perhaps too late the urgency of the measure was greeted ecstatically by Benghazi as Qaddafi is about to ravage them. Let's react quickly to the late but good news of resolution 1973:
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Real news? Worth reporting?
I am talking of silly CNN and BBC making special entries for Chavez annulling Venezuelan Nuclear plant. Please! as Miguel pointed out and I mentioned myself in some post some day, Venezuela has neither the skill, the money, the real interest to even consider a nuclear reactor when it has all the trouble in the world to run its thermal plants and make sure its dam do not empty before time.
Here, there is an entry from the WSJ as to the future and real threat of Nuclear Energy and the entry from the BBC as to Chavez annulling "his" nuclear program. Which is the real serious news and information and which is the facile pamphleteer note? Even the note of the Chigüire Bipolar is more researched than the one of the BBC!!!! Or the CNN clip I saw yesterday fore that matter.
I am getting sick of the massive hysteria promoted by the media while nobody talks anymore about the bodies washed by the tide.... Say yes to global warming! No to nukes! And wait for the next Tsunami to end all Tsunamis as Antarctica melts down!
Here, there is an entry from the WSJ as to the future and real threat of Nuclear Energy and the entry from the BBC as to Chavez annulling "his" nuclear program. Which is the real serious news and information and which is the facile pamphleteer note? Even the note of the Chigüire Bipolar is more researched than the one of the BBC!!!! Or the CNN clip I saw yesterday fore that matter.
I am getting sick of the massive hysteria promoted by the media while nobody talks anymore about the bodies washed by the tide.... Say yes to global warming! No to nukes! And wait for the next Tsunami to end all Tsunamis as Antarctica melts down!
The pro Chavez "students"
My S.O. was "requested" today to join the pro Chavez "student" march, even though he is decades from his latest degree.... You know, they need to bulk it up forcing public employees to attend..... The chavista students are really an embarrassment, they suffer from terminal lack of creativity, have absolutely, have no individual character, sound older than Mathusalem, etc, etc... But rather than go on with a rant on how much of an embarrassment they are, I will let two Weil cartoons of Tal Cual illustrate the matter better than any rant I can come up with.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
A new world order
With apologies for the cliche title but with the events that have been taking place in the last 2 months I have the suspicion that we are entering into a new world system. It all started with the fall of Tunisia dictatorship, moved on to the Nuclear reactor explosion in Japan and made a no return point with the abandoning yesterday of Libya's rebels to the murdering hordes of Qaddafi by the G8.
The consequences of all of these events, related or not as you may wish them to be, will be a protracted reevaluation of the West values and way of life, a political event that will be at the very least in the league of the fall of the Berlin Wall in the way it will affect our future lives. In fact, my parallel might be 1848. You may recall that the bright revolutions of that year were crushed one by one, either through a military coup like in France in 1851, or a brutal invasion in Hungary. We roughly had to wait for 1918 to accept that democracy was to become the norm in Europe, and thus the final victory of 1848 even as the totalitarian era had already started in 1917.
The consequences of all of these events, related or not as you may wish them to be, will be a protracted reevaluation of the West values and way of life, a political event that will be at the very least in the league of the fall of the Berlin Wall in the way it will affect our future lives. In fact, my parallel might be 1848. You may recall that the bright revolutions of that year were crushed one by one, either through a military coup like in France in 1851, or a brutal invasion in Hungary. We roughly had to wait for 1918 to accept that democracy was to become the norm in Europe, and thus the final victory of 1848 even as the totalitarian era had already started in 1917.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Japan Videos
I am in awe and horror at the videos that are coming now from everywhere. National Geographic is going to have a heck of a special when they get around to do it....
¿Nacen viejos los estudiantes "bolivarianos"?
Los estudiantes están marchando exitosamente en Caracas para sus derechos y ¿que hace el gobierno? ¡Sorpresa! ¡Cadena!
Por qué quiere Chavez un candidato opositor ¡YA!: para estar solo en Diciembre
Si hay una cosa que Chávez sabe hacer, ademas de dejar que sus compinches se roben al país, es estar en campaña electoral. El no sabe hacer mas nada, no sabe gobernar, no sabe pensar en el futuro de un país, nada: pura campaña que ya va por 12 años, y los dos mas que ya empezaron.
Entre las muchas explicaciones que se pueden ofrecer para sus declaraciones del ultimo Alo Delincuente, perdón, Presidente, la que mas claramente se me ocurre es que el no quiere competencia este diciembre. ¿Porque?
Entre las muchas explicaciones que se pueden ofrecer para sus declaraciones del ultimo Alo Delincuente, perdón, Presidente, la que mas claramente se me ocurre es que el no quiere competencia este diciembre. ¿Porque?
The measure of a rat: Chavez demands that the opposition name its presidential candidate
[UPDATED] The major problem for Chavez in his quest for eternal presidency is that he has nothing to show for it. And even worse, he has run out of ideas or people to try to solve the problems of the country. In other words: he is impotent in front of the mounting problems of the country because he has no idea on how to solve them and he is surrounded by a group of corrupt and incompetent people.
What to do to try to wing it and get the nod for another 6 years in 2012 without cheating too much? Those are two long years..........
What to do to try to wing it and get the nod for another 6 years in 2012 without cheating too much? Those are two long years..........
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Chavez, das pena ajena
Esta noche te lanzaste otra cadena de no se cuantas horas de sandeces. Lo que la gente quiere ver es el maremoto de Japón. Y la guerra en Libia. O por lo menos descansar de la semana.
Pero, no, tu no puedes soportar que esta semana no hayas ocupado los titulares, que te los quitaron los estudiantes en huelga de hambre, que si Muammar esta jodido y jodiendo, que si los japoneses malucos te robaron el show de Vargas. Entonces te lanzas en otra cadena de tonterías. ¿Es que no hay nadie que te diga "No, micomandantepresidente querido, esta noche mejor no. Mejor esperamos el domingo"? ¿Es que no hay nadie en tu entorno que entienda lo que pasó en Japón, que por lo menos entienda que deberían decirte que no, que esta noche no, aunque no lo hagan por ser cobardes? ¿Es que tu reconcomio, tu resentimiento, tu odio, tu narcisismo, no te permiten regalarle la noche a los noticieros, el tsunami y los muertos del Japon?
Sinceramente, cada día eres mas y mas un pobre tipo, amargado e hinchado. Como presidente del país lo que nos das es pena ajena. ¡Ha! Y no te ofendas, porque si quieres que te respetemos aprende a respetarnos respetando nuestra preocupación por nuestros hermanos japoneses.
Addendum: para rematar el sábado te lanzaste otra cadena cuando lo que nos preocupa a todos es el reactor nuclear japones. Que patético te estas volviendo....
Pero, no, tu no puedes soportar que esta semana no hayas ocupado los titulares, que te los quitaron los estudiantes en huelga de hambre, que si Muammar esta jodido y jodiendo, que si los japoneses malucos te robaron el show de Vargas. Entonces te lanzas en otra cadena de tonterías. ¿Es que no hay nadie que te diga "No, micomandantepresidente querido, esta noche mejor no. Mejor esperamos el domingo"? ¿Es que no hay nadie en tu entorno que entienda lo que pasó en Japón, que por lo menos entienda que deberían decirte que no, que esta noche no, aunque no lo hagan por ser cobardes? ¿Es que tu reconcomio, tu resentimiento, tu odio, tu narcisismo, no te permiten regalarle la noche a los noticieros, el tsunami y los muertos del Japon?
Sinceramente, cada día eres mas y mas un pobre tipo, amargado e hinchado. Como presidente del país lo que nos das es pena ajena. ¡Ha! Y no te ofendas, porque si quieres que te respetemos aprende a respetarnos respetando nuestra preocupación por nuestros hermanos japoneses.
Addendum: para rematar el sábado te lanzaste otra cadena cuando lo que nos preocupa a todos es el reactor nuclear japones. Que patético te estas volviendo....
Friday, March 11, 2011
Tsunami in Japan
I have had a close relationship with Japan as fate had me study and research for many years with many people from Japan. And I much prefer Japanese manners, cuisine or art to the mainland offerings, acknowledging my great admiration for a culture that produced people like Kurozawa or the fabulous displays at the Boston museum. So, in respect to the friends and acquaintances that I used to have many, many years ago, I will dedicate this post as my mark of sympathy as I watch in horror the coverage which will make it the most extensively reported Tsunami ever. After all, it happened during working hours and after the quake they had they knew they had to rush to airports and to their cameras as they all knew the Tsunami had to be coming.
From what I have seen, it is amazing to see so much devastation in a country that is so ready for such catastrophes. I cannot imagine what would happen in Venezuela after such an earthquake and a Tsunami half as big......
From what I have seen, it is amazing to see so much devastation in a country that is so ready for such catastrophes. I cannot imagine what would happen in Venezuela after such an earthquake and a Tsunami half as big......
Less despondent in Caracas
I am in Caracas for a few days and that trip started well with the news that the French government has recognized the Libyan rebels as legitimate interlocutors. In fact the French are about to send an ambassador to Benghazi, a position that few people in the world these days are crazy enough to wish for...
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Los culpables de la dictadura: Rafael Ramirez
Ya los casos de corrupción, de incompetencia deliberada y caradurismo profesional abundan, desde Pudreval a las transferencias extrañas con el Banco Central, pasando por las ayudas sin auditoria a países supuestamente amigos. Pero lo último no tiene nombre. No es posible que usted haya permitido que se juegue con los ahorros de los planes de pensión de los trabajadores de PDVSA y que un ex empelado, ¿o será un socio?, haga jueguitos de pirámides financieras que le costarán a esos trabajadores tal vez mas de 200 millones de dolares. ¿Es que usted y su séquito no tienen ni un ápice de vergüenza?
Sus manipulaciones financieras y sus perdidas cuantiosas responderían a un plan diabólico logrando dos cosas. Primero, usted financia todos los grupos criminales que permitirían a la revolución fea intentar arrimarse de por vida. Ademas, toda esa gente corrupta, que sabe que irá presa el día que la justicia vuelva a nuestro país, no tiene otro camino que apoyar a una dictadura que los proteja y les evite rendir cuentas por sus fechorías y crímenes. La segunda cosa es que los bienes de la nación que usted perdió propiciaran una crisis económica con las obligatorias perturbaciones sociales. Esto es la excusa ideal para poder reprimir y consolidar la dictadura cuando esto se vuelva necesario.
Por lo tanto su contribución ha sido esencial para establecer una dictadura en Venezuela y es por eso que el día que termine este régimen usted será uno de los primeros a enfrentar juicio y terminar en una cárcel, y mazmorra que es lo usted merecerá por robarle el futuro a tanta gente.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
De primarias y otros demonios
Parecería que a la Mesa de Unidad Democrática (MUD) últimamente no le va muy bien. Después de semanas de agonía lo que pario fue una ratón con eso de un plazo para las elecciones primarias que llega a marzo del 2012. Vamos a traducirlo en el lenguaje de la realidad: allí hay gente que no quiere elecciones antes de junio del 2012 y de aquí a diciembre ya encontraran la manera de posponer las primarias a junio. Ellos tendrán sus razones pero están equivocados. Terriblemente equivocados y no solamente nos van a llevar al despeñadero pero con eso no taparán los riesgos de una división de la MUD y, de paso, no prosperarán sus cuentas políticas privadas.
Digamos que la única razón algo aceptable para tener unas primarias presidenciales en marzo del 2012, o más tarde, es que un candidato de la oposición tempranero podría desgastarse antes de tiempo y podría entonces provocar una división dentro de la oposición. No lo creo: lo que está en juego es demasiado grande y si algunos partidos políticos no lo entienden la mayoría del pueblo opositor si lo tiene claro: salga sapo, salga rana, el vencedor de las primarias será el candidato único por más burradas que pueda cometer después. Que no las cometerá porque el que gane la caimanera de la oposición ya no pisa peines.
Estoy casi seguro que pocos políticos de la oposición leen estos blogs, y menos en inglés aunque este haya predicho que la oposición ganaba 69 en septiembre 2010 (gano 67). Por lo tanto, para que por lo menos este plasmado en alguna parte y que podamos restregárselo a quien sea algún día, aquí va mi opinión, en cristiano, a ver si me dan argumentos de peso y honestos para desacreditar mi propuesta. Lo que propongo seguido es una serie lógica de acontecimientos que se imbrican el uno del otro.
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| Hay que visitarlos todos |
Estoy casi seguro que pocos políticos de la oposición leen estos blogs, y menos en inglés aunque este haya predicho que la oposición ganaba 69 en septiembre 2010 (gano 67). Por lo tanto, para que por lo menos este plasmado en alguna parte y que podamos restregárselo a quien sea algún día, aquí va mi opinión, en cristiano, a ver si me dan argumentos de peso y honestos para desacreditar mi propuesta. Lo que propongo seguido es una serie lógica de acontecimientos que se imbrican el uno del otro.
Monday, March 07, 2011
Weirdness in Miami
OK, there is one for you, lovers of conspiracy theory: the Venezuelan government has fired 29 of its Miami consulate staff, basically putting it out of business. Since the foreign ministry refuses to talk, you are free to speculate at will. Have fun at the expense of yet another banana republic consulate!
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Creeps on the way out: Assange and Ron
Today we have news about two creeps, people who have stirred the shit often for no other reason but to make it to the front page. Their actions eventually never have the full impact they hoped for because, well, let's say it, they never thought much about it or their consequences.
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| Separated at birth? Assange and Ron.... |
Saturday, March 05, 2011
A fully aware Insulza and a totally clueless Sean Penn
Two interesting items to report today.
In an unusual (and probably calculated) show of candor, OAS secretary Insulza said in a New York conference that the situation was difficult in Venezuela, that tensions were high and about to get worse as the 2012 elections come close. He was promptly criticized by all sorts of chavista going as far as suggesting he retires and make a living with tarot cards.
The thing with that is a clear admission that Insulza has known all along that Chavez was a basket case and that Venezuela was marching straight into major trouble. And only this year he is finally speaking up. Why? Is he hearing encouragement to speak up from other OAS countries? He does not need Chavez anymore? Interesting...... maybe he has decided that he would not be the OAS secretary that would bury the OAS and he is using his remaining 4 years term to edge it towards a more assertive presence.
But if we get a confirmation that Insulza was never clueless, just a sold out agent when convenient, we are reminded that other people are awfully clueless. In the middle of the Qaddafi debacle with Chavez and Sean Penn is visiting! Apparently he is worried about what is going on (no details on the what). In his own idiotic way Sean Penn is pulling his international version of Charly Sheen, but without the panache or the humor......
PS: El Universal reminds us that Sean Penn asked for jail for whomever called Chavez a dictator. I think that since the legislative coup of last November December he has his work cut out! Maybe as the star of "Dead Man Walking" he has ideas on how to build jail for the thousands of people that call Chavez a dictator?
In an unusual (and probably calculated) show of candor, OAS secretary Insulza said in a New York conference that the situation was difficult in Venezuela, that tensions were high and about to get worse as the 2012 elections come close. He was promptly criticized by all sorts of chavista going as far as suggesting he retires and make a living with tarot cards.
The thing with that is a clear admission that Insulza has known all along that Chavez was a basket case and that Venezuela was marching straight into major trouble. And only this year he is finally speaking up. Why? Is he hearing encouragement to speak up from other OAS countries? He does not need Chavez anymore? Interesting...... maybe he has decided that he would not be the OAS secretary that would bury the OAS and he is using his remaining 4 years term to edge it towards a more assertive presence.
But if we get a confirmation that Insulza was never clueless, just a sold out agent when convenient, we are reminded that other people are awfully clueless. In the middle of the Qaddafi debacle with Chavez and Sean Penn is visiting! Apparently he is worried about what is going on (no details on the what). In his own idiotic way Sean Penn is pulling his international version of Charly Sheen, but without the panache or the humor......
PS: El Universal reminds us that Sean Penn asked for jail for whomever called Chavez a dictator. I think that since the legislative coup of last November December he has his work cut out! Maybe as the star of "Dead Man Walking" he has ideas on how to build jail for the thousands of people that call Chavez a dictator?
Friday, March 04, 2011
That Sirocco breeze from Libya....
Chavez is having a real bad week with that Libya thing. At home and abroad, for that matter.
At home I do not know if some of the bolibanana grandees are catching the drift from North Africa but for the past couple of weeks there have been a few dramatic pull backs that can result in even more trouble for chavismo. In short, the government has been backtracking big time on some key "policies" but it is doing so half heartedly and in fact unwillingly demonstrating that if you really stand firm to the regime that one is more likely to blink first. True, you need to be willing to die in a hunger strike or be able to start a general strike, but the novelty is there, the regime is now backpedaling more often than one would think, establishing very well that the coup d'etat of last December was a attempt at hiding how weak the regime is becoming.
At home I do not know if some of the bolibanana grandees are catching the drift from North Africa but for the past couple of weeks there have been a few dramatic pull backs that can result in even more trouble for chavismo. In short, the government has been backtracking big time on some key "policies" but it is doing so half heartedly and in fact unwillingly demonstrating that if you really stand firm to the regime that one is more likely to blink first. True, you need to be willing to die in a hunger strike or be able to start a general strike, but the novelty is there, the regime is now backpedaling more often than one would think, establishing very well that the coup d'etat of last December was a attempt at hiding how weak the regime is becoming.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Anuncio --- Announcement
Puse un botón en el lado derecho para acceder a los escritos en español, sean traducciones o originales. Así me evito crear un nuevo blog, cortesía del sistema de etiquetas de Blogger. No todos los artículos en español han sido etiquetados, pero a cada día su faena. Espero que les guste y les ayude.
I have created a button to access all my articles in Spanish. Using tag links I do not need to create a new blog for the articles, by clicking on the button you get access to all articles written in Spanish, written originally or translated. I still have to dig some that are not tagged but to each day it toil.
I have created a button to access all my articles in Spanish. Using tag links I do not need to create a new blog for the articles, by clicking on the button you get access to all articles written in Spanish, written originally or translated. I still have to dig some that are not tagged but to each day it toil.
Venezuela on trial in San Jose: guess what the verdict will be?
Today was the second and last day of the hearings on the "inhabilitaciones" in Venezuela. The case heard at the Inter American Court for Human Rights in San Jose, Costa Rica, pits down the Venezuelan regime against the Inter American Comission, representing in a way the hundred of people who have been barred from some of their civil rights through a mere administrative fiat, without even a trial, fair or not. I will say no more about that since I covered it, limiting myself to indicate a few early reactions from the regime which clearly indicate what they think the verdict will be.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
While the MENA burns.....
I have written a new piece for Troymedia about the general drift of Latin America, least they forget in Canada that we exist. Heck, I even offered them a way to help!
A Juan Paullier de BBC mundo le falta seriedad
Uno tiene que asombrase al leer el estudio de Juan Paullier sobre la situación de los medios de comunicación en Venezuela, La "contaminación política" en la televisión venezolana, publicado este primero de marzo en BBC Mundo.
Si bien el articulo efectivamente refleja ciertas verdades innegables y algunos de los entrevistados son gente de opinión respetable, me parece que escribir un articulo donde ViVe se considera como entretenimiento y que no habla de las cadenas presidenciales es sencillamente una falta grave. O Juan Paullier no hizo su trabajo correctamente, o prefiere VTV a Globovision. Lo que si está claro es que al señor Paullier le falta mucho para entender lo que pasa en Venezuela, incluyendo algunas horas adicionales sentado frente a una televisión. ¡Y en la BBC Mundo no mas, que en general tiene buen manejo de la información de Venezuela, mucho mejor que la BBC Londres que nos mandó joyas como Will Grant!
Si bien el articulo efectivamente refleja ciertas verdades innegables y algunos de los entrevistados son gente de opinión respetable, me parece que escribir un articulo donde ViVe se considera como entretenimiento y que no habla de las cadenas presidenciales es sencillamente una falta grave. O Juan Paullier no hizo su trabajo correctamente, o prefiere VTV a Globovision. Lo que si está claro es que al señor Paullier le falta mucho para entender lo que pasa en Venezuela, incluyendo algunas horas adicionales sentado frente a una televisión. ¡Y en la BBC Mundo no mas, que en general tiene buen manejo de la información de Venezuela, mucho mejor que la BBC Londres que nos mandó joyas como Will Grant!
Chávez, el complejo de Santo Tomás y la solidaridad idiota
Una de las supuestas cualidades del venezolano es la “solidaridad”, y mejor si viene incondicional. Tal vez donde mas se ve es con los familiares protestando en frente de las cárceles cuando se indignan porque no los dejan pasar con la comida, no los dejan visitar, tirar, etc… Si bien es verdad que en las cárceles de Venezuela las condiciones son de terror también tenemos que reconocer que el lenguaje y la convicción de la gente protestando es algo sorpresivo en cuanto a eso de entender las razones por las cuales el ser querido está preso. A veces pareciera que el reo está preso como yo estaría cesante de trabajo o de permiso por enfermedad. Sí, nos dicen, Wilmer Jose mató a ese motorizado pero también es verdad que si el motorizado no se hubiese resistido todavía estaría vivo y yo no estaría pasando trabajo para traerle la comidita a Wilmer Jose, que tengo que hacerlo porque pobrecito, en esa cárcel se muere de hambre antes que le peguen un tiro.
O algo por el estilo.
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Chavez 's date at the Inter American Court for Human Rights
Tomorrow it might be Leopoldo Lopez who takes the witness stand at the Inter American Court for Human Rights in San Jose, Costa Rica, but the one on trial is Chavez and his methods of destroying democracy.
The Chavez system to use democracy to install his rule for life includes many facets, from cheating in elections to plunder the public treasure to run his "electoral campaigns". But perhaps the most offensive one is a novel strategy of simply banning folks from running for office, the more popular they are the better to ban. This is "legally" but unconstitutionally done by simply finding any minor fault during the public office tenure of an opponent and thus have the General Comptroller of Venezuela,. Clodosvaldo Russia, ban that person for a certain number of years from seeking any elected office. Banning someone from running for office is something that exists in many countries, and justifiably so. However such political bans are ALWAYS preceded by a fair trial and the ensuing condemnation were the persons involved found guilty.
The Chavez system to use democracy to install his rule for life includes many facets, from cheating in elections to plunder the public treasure to run his "electoral campaigns". But perhaps the most offensive one is a novel strategy of simply banning folks from running for office, the more popular they are the better to ban. This is "legally" but unconstitutionally done by simply finding any minor fault during the public office tenure of an opponent and thus have the General Comptroller of Venezuela,. Clodosvaldo Russia, ban that person for a certain number of years from seeking any elected office. Banning someone from running for office is something that exists in many countries, and justifiably so. However such political bans are ALWAYS preceded by a fair trial and the ensuing condemnation were the persons involved found guilty.