Yours truly does not follow on twitter gossip columns (for example, the only @boccaranda I ever read are those forwarded to me). In fact, anyone that has a tendency to tweet too often is promptly "unfollowed", unless it is news source. This being said, with all my precautions, I still could not escape the wave of rumors about Chavez health that swept this Carnaval holiday. A word to the wise.
First, chavismo has learned to use shamelessly Chavez cancer for propaganda purpose. These days, it is not even enough to figure out the source of the rumor to assess its veracity. And use it they do since minister r-Izzara-ita goes on record himself accusing those rumors of being a "dirty war" against his boss, as faithfully reported even by the BBC in its Spanish site. Or if you prefer hints in English you can go to the New York Post.
Second, it really does not matter: if Chavez wants us to believe he is cured, let's take him at his words and campaign against his poor administrative record (poor is charitable in this context). Remember, the more we speak about Chavez pain in the ass, the less we speak about inflation, crime, scarcity, unemployment, etc, etc...
Third, nothing serious will be going on until Chavez changes his vice-president. Only when that happens, and depending who is put in place and in which circumstances, rumors will become a necessity. As long as Jaua is vice-president Chavez is not croaking, nor in immediate risk of doing so.
Last, but not least , in case some chavista still haunts these pages. The author wishes Chavez a long life so he will have enough years to spend in jail not only to pay for his crimes but also to see that Venezuela can be a much better place.
He is just drunk or something similar. The rumors are just to kep people talking about his absence. When he sobers up he will come out showing everyone how healthy he is. To paraphrase Daniel, "long live Chavez - in jail", and with his pain-in-the-ass. As people in the middle east say: I hope he loses all his teeth, except for one - so he can still get a tooth ache.
ReplyDeleteI agree Daniel, not to also mention how boring I find endless speculations.
ReplyDeleteI like to keep an open mind and heart, so that I can respond without too much preconditioning when the time comes.Sometimes when we imagine something it becomes harder to see what is actually happening when it happens.
We lose time and energy every time we care or think that much about his health.Energy that is invested into the wrong direction.
If I may, I would like to disagree with your premise.
ReplyDeleteThe health status of one Hugo Chavez is indeed important. Yes, speculation on this topic is an unsavory and ugly undertaking. One never knows which rumor is false, and which is fact. It is also ghoulish speculating on the imminent death of another human being.
But,....but, all of this is brought about by Chavez himself, and his government of secrecy. No one knows the true accounting figures of the Bandes and Fonden accounts. The actual physical status of the refineries and other assets of PDVSA, the Golden Goose of Venezuela, has been kept hidden from the general public. Cordon and Amuay may be falling apart tomorrow for all we know. And the man directing all of these secret doings, Hugo Chavez, is a sick man, both mentally and physically. Sorry, but it is important to know what's taking place with regards to his medical condition. Rumors on his condition are simply a bi-product of his governing secrecy. It's his problem, not ours.
It's probably a losing battle to depreciate rumours about Chavez's health. As long as he does everything secretly, people will talk. That's especially so when they respond with a "non-denial denial".
ReplyDelete"Chavez is being treated in Havana."
Response: "That's dirty war."
So, are they saying Chavez wasn't being treated in Havana?
Wolf! Wolf! Oh shit...WOLF!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Deletecheck the next post, you reached VN&V glory!
DeleteOh my. Hugo just showed-up at a factory in Barinas. According to El Universal:
ReplyDelete"....In reply to rumors spread in social networks in the past two days, Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez went on television Tuesday to supervise the Santa Inés industrial complex, in the southwestern state of Barinas.
"I took a couple of days off. I was with my family and I decided to inspect this tractor factory," the Venezuelan Head of State said.
...."
So, was he operated on over the weekend? Maybe, maybe not. Again, it's his problem, not ours.
Daniel, I also beg to differ.
ReplyDeleteWith the ministers & PSUV denying vehemently that 1) that he was in Cuba & 2) that there were further medical problems I think it is not only important but essential that all information of this type be disseminated & talked about.
If they won't we should.
It has now been shown that all the rumours were true except that he hasn't yet had the operation which was also referred to in the rumours.
I say congratulations to the people who used Twitter to send out this information.
Bocaranda is better informed and more forthcoming than Izarra!
ReplyDeletePlease remember how hurt "el pueblo" was when they realized that the rumors were true and they had been lied to. More of the same...