You may want to read the Economist article below of a road trip in Zimbabwe, between Harare and Bulawayo. Then think that my regular road trips between San Felipe and Caracas are looking more and more like those road trips in Zimbabwe, time extension included, except that I do not get to drive past the estates of Chavez familiy.....
http://www.economist.com/blogs/baobab/2011/07/travelling-through-zimbabwe&fsrc=nwl
Thursday, July 14, 2011
9 comments:
Comments policy:
1) Comments are moderated after the sixth day of publication. It may take up to a day or two for your note to appear then.
2) Your post will appear if you follow the basic polite rules of discourse. I will be ruthless in erasing, as well as those who replied to any off rule comment.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I noticed the racial hatred bias before I left.This is something nearly impossible to prove to the world at this point, but nevertheless very much felt by those who are sensitive to their environment.Many people though deny it or play it down.
ReplyDeleteIt is particularly perverse that when race relationships had been gradually improving over the years and diminishing as an issue, unscrupulous politicians came to ruin it all.
My husband's white family of English origin in Rhodesia,but who considered themselves Rhodesian,and whose kids were all born there had to escape , and did so on time. Gradually most were able to leave but under duress.They escaped early enough to plan.
I doubt the race problem will get that bad in Venezuela but it was bad enough for me to feel it.Racism in Venezuela is mostly a tool for political power.
Firepigette: when you talk about feeling "racism" in Venezuela are you referring to racism against whites? I'm assuming so, but it's not too clear.
ReplyDeleteIf that happens to be the case, then I might have some personal stories to tell you about...
Carolina, yes I am speaking of racism against whites.Not with all people of course but oddly enough racists began to crawl out of the woodwork during the 1st years of Chavez..I am now afraid to go back there, though I am dying to see my family and friends.But being a very obvious gringa hmmmm :(
ReplyDeleteSometimes I was confused with Italian, or British but still....I remember the last year I was there I wanted to cross the llanos by car to see a friend, and my dear trusted car mechanic begged me not to...he said it had become very unsafe for the likes of a mujer gringa.....I was seeing some things in the end, that I never saw before, and I was there since the late 60's.
That is very sad. I'm sorry.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am convinced that this situation was on the making way long before Chavez. He only made it worse turning it into real hate.
I am venezuelan born & raised, and the result of a mix of all sort of races and colors, like a true "pavo real"!
Too bad for me, I was the one that was born as white as one can be, blond and green eyes, almost albino but not quite.
Because of that, I grew up being constantly bullied at school, all the kids telling me that I needed to go to the beach, "cucaracha de panaderia", "are you sick? you look pale" and all sort of things. It was an everyday thing. Maybe the only one that I remember with laughter was some guy who yelled at me from a car one day I decided to face it and use a miniskirt, "adios patas blancas!!) remember the mosquito of the dengue? Quite creative I must say.
I remember that, as I teenager, I used to buy my clothing at the mercado de Guaicaipuro, but I had to go with my sister so she can ask for prices instead of me, otherwise I will be paying way more simply because of the assumption of the vendors that I had money. I would say that is a form of discrimination.
Perhaps back then they were just jokes, but racism always has been there on one way of the other.
I agree with both-Firepigette and Carolina. I too am one of the lightest with green eyes-some skin color, and dark hair(now turning white)(-I am 1/2 French)anyway, in some areas of Central America also-but, I am so uncomfortable now in Vz. I have older US friends who don't seem affected by it-they seem unaware I guess..
ReplyDeleteBut, for me-being rather tall and not so stong anymore-I guess I look like an easy target-I have been insulted and threatened -for no reason and my wife who is lightly mixed and native Vz will come and go anywhere-fearless...
I remember Chavz saying something years ago about his "african roots'
(and I daresay he has much more native indian blood than african blood)-I have heard gringo and pitiyanqui so many times I am sick of it in past few years.
The point of this article is exactly correct. This is now and this is the future of Venezuela-same as Zimbabwe.
ReplyDelete"Of around 6,000 mostly white-owned commercial farms in 2000—....less than 300 remain. Some of the land was allocated to poor landless blacks. But the biggest and best farms were handed out to generals, judges, ministers, senior civil servants and other Zanu-PF bigwigs, along with Mr Mugabe's own family and friends, most of whom have little interest in farming. Eddie reckons that at least half the seized farms now lie derelict."
Note-MOST OF THEM HAVE LITTLE INTEREST IN FARMING-look at food production in Venezuela-going down-this is why. Rhodesia/Zimbabwe used to be "the breadbasket" of Africa- now half the population starves..And remember Robert Mugabe is Chavez's friend-calls him "brother"
I have said 100 times "Chavez is following Mugabe's playbook"
Yes-Venezuelans-study about Zimbabwe...and the nightmare there continues.
Dis shit ain't as easy as it looks. Wish Ima got me a gold mine instead of all this damn sorry ass land.
ReplyDeleteCarolina, I am really surprised at all that happened to you.Wow!
ReplyDeleteBack in the 70's I didn't notice any racism against me even though I lived in Los Frailes de Catia.When malandros threatened me on the street, the folks living nearby would protect me just like they protected any other neighbor.There even got to be a time when I half- forgot I was different.
However after Chavez, I started noticing horrible hostilities on the streets of Caracas toward me.Once I got on a bus and some dark skinned women looked at me with hatred and screamed: We have the power now jajajaja"....when I would step on an elevator I could feel the hate vibes coming from the darker skinned people and directed at me.In my case I saw quite a difference between pre- Chavez and post- Chavez.Before Chavez I felt as though I was fitting in.
Farmin B-is your point to be
ReplyDeletedisrespectful to farmers- or to any and all people who "work hard"
You are not funny.
And, you insult the earth. Repeat this-"I will not use bad words"-please try to learn a language and possible
get the medication you may need...