The news today is complex. We must underline first the massive repression, hundreds of people arrested, brutal violence and maybe even torture. In particular in the states of Lara and Carabobo, and dead people in Tachira.
Threats came from everywhere, including from the high court TSJ who is apparently ready to write sentences before crimes are actually officially reported. Meanwhile Luisa Estela, the head made a total ass of herself. then again, she looked disheveled during her declaration, so she may be on pills or something. Whatever, within minutes she was proven that as the chief justice her grasp of the law is weak at best.
At the Nazional Assembly, its president, Animal Farm Pig Diosdado Cabello, not satisfied with shutting down any representative that disagree with him, fired all commission presidents and vice presidents that were held by the opposition. Finally chavismo gets what it wants, a monochromatic parliament. Of course, Diosdado used to barracks politics held at gun point may find himself surprised to see that the opposition democrats are unbowed. (1)
And more such mistakes. With all of this display the only thing the regime proves is that it never had any democratic nerve in it. I mean, overseas, because we have known better for years. The thing is that the foreign press seems more and more bemused and only the more retrograde of the lot are having thoughts....... (2)
The evidence that there must be trouble inside chavismo is becoming apparent for those who listen with calm. The diverse reactions, out of coordination, from the CNE to Diosdado show clearly that there is no clear central direction for the political crisis that Maduro has unleashed. And not because of the fraud of last Sunday, he started the crisis when he started his many lies about Chavez health. We are just reaching the climax these days.
If this does not convince you, let me refer to you to a few foreign surprises I am not going to go into Spain's pathetic attitude which is stupendously amazing coming from a Rajoy who presents himself as a tough cookie. He is going to pay for that at home, but I digress. No, the surprise comes from those who are supposed to be Chavez allies. Before coming to Caracas to swear Maduro Friday they decided to meet in Lima tomorrow. Not only that, but Ecuador's Correa who was so fast in recognizing Maduro is saying today that sure, he recognizes the victory but he sees no objections in counting the ballots....
This could mean all and nothing. That is with rumors of fraud now impossible to hide, with the known facts that Santos and possibly two more will not attend, there is a major breach inside Unasur. Thus the reunion may either to demand Maduro to put his house in order before they go for his swearing in, or to force those who waver into attending. But with the US and the European Union dragging their feet, I let you speculate.
Things are not looking rosy, and even jailing Capriles is not going to be the solution for the regime.....
--------------------------------------------
1) I have a theory that actually Diosdado is doing this on purpose. See, by rendering the Assembly useless, there is no easy way for Maduro to have new credits voted. The opposition representatives, barred from attending the parliament and representing at least 49.5% of the country according to the fraud, can say that they will not recognize any debt contracted by the regime...... Think bout it........ Would you lend money to Venezuela knowing that the opposition may wave you away sooner than expected?
2) If some have doubts some have it quite clear, like this Washington Post editorial that surely was not missed neither by Kerry or Obama. Let's remember that Kerry 8 years ago was critical of Chavez.
Maduro pasó la tarde en el funeral de dos personas que murieron en las manifestaciones, haciendo proselitismo politico y todos los asistentes en vez de tener caras tristes riendo y aplaudiendo Que clase de desalmado es. La Maga Lee
ReplyDeleteDaniel, any predictions on what Capriles will do. Will he go all the way his people or will he back down to the dictatorship and that dude tibisay?
ReplyDeleteAlso, maduro seems to be able to declare anything he wants to, but a recount he supported is not one of them?
If you are chavista, what is the thought process, how do you trick yourself into believing this stuff?
Agree with your take on Diosdado, he starts off with a tweet saying Maduro's razor thin win calls for self examination. He hasn't helped Maduro de-escalate at all either. Now he destroys Maduro's ability to secure credit, which the country desperately needs. With friends like Cabello, Maduro has no need for enemies.
ReplyDeleteAny word from the carter centre?
ReplyDelete"P E A N U T S"
DeleteGerry.
When strong supporters of maduro who previously backed a no recount start talking about recounts, I start to get a wierd feeling in my stomach. For sure they have been working overtime in parallel this week taking fraud to the next level to fabricate documents and ballots, just in case the pressure to recount is so great that they will have to allow it. It is highly possible that in the end, maduro's count may increase. I trust nothing or no one from this circle of thieves. Maybe just paranoid, but......
ReplyDeleteThis lack of coordination among the Chavista power base may be the decisive factor for its demise...let's hope. Perhaps this is evidence of an unintentional power struggle between Cabello and Maduro, as Cabello's ego leads his brain. Sin querer queriendo.
ReplyDeleteThis is an opinion piece from Uruguay, from an ex UN ambassador that I highly recommend to those that read Spanish http://eldiario.com.uy/2013/04/17/venezuela-si-hubo-fraude-ya-es-lo-de-menos/ Title says it all: Even it fraud existed it doesn't matter anymore. About Unasul's meeting, there's a division also there: Cristina and Correa are fighting to inherit Chavez's leadership. Good luck and good ridance! And Capriles saying "Cristina should come with a list of what she owes us" is worth all of this. It's priceless, just as Mastercard! :-)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 7:13 I don't think you are wrong. My "conspiracy" mind is telling me they did attempt to "manufacture" the ballots and realize it was not going to be possible to make it all look right and match in names and numbers. So they unleash Plan F (just because they have attempted so many other things), the CNE would say the system is so perfect there is no need to re-count, TSJ would say there will be no "legal" requirement to count, Maduro will say "I respect the opposition, el pueblo, but those who caused the violence (coupsters) will have to answer to the judicial system." The minister of defense will say something like "the bolivarians FAN will protect the constitution and the vote of the people".
ReplyDeleteI heard maduro also said "I'll support whatever CNE decides"...I think the combination of it all will provide enough cover to the international community who is today "acting" as if they were impartial.
I think in a day or two, those bolivarians in the closet (UNASUR, MERCOSUR, OEA, Brazil, Kerry, etc) will throw their support behind maduro.
HRC is already being attacked from central government and Miranda. Once the international community calls it "good and whishes maduro success" the stage will be set up for maduro to close the curtains and go to work.
I said it already a week or so ago, I believe Capriles will be forced to either follow Rosales and go into exile or follow Afiuni and immolate himself.
Tomorrow is a critical date, CNE is supposed to crown king maduro, the international community will have to pronounce itself, if they do what I fear, is full left wing fascism for Venezuela.
Orlando,
DeleteI think your instincts are good.
firepigette
Orlando, pretty good. Disagree about Kerry being a closet Bolivarian...c'mon! The deal was cinched in the international community when Brasil signed on and it started bad for oppo when Colombia and Spain signed on. Don't count on everyone throwing their support behind Maduro. What the U.S. and allies say or do is critical but don't expect much. It's all a matter of priorities something the consistent Cubans well versed in and their Chavista pupils seemingly understand. Maduro has to prove his mettle and is far more radical and extreme (willing to take risks) than his predecessor.
Delete"Orlando"
ReplyDeleteYou may be right, but I don't want to believe it yet. I still believe that no one is above the law or the constitution, no matter how high chavez stacked the deck to insure that the law can be bent in any direction they need it to bend. Everyone has to answer to someone, and as soon as el pueblo wakes up and realizes that those clowns are supposed to work for them and not the other way around, they can be removed of their duties and carried straight to jail or hell. I believe that this may be the last chance to correct the path, at least for several generations. There has already been one generation born under chavez that has been damaged or altered for life.
"Tomorrow is a critical date, CNE is supposed to crown king maduro, the international community will have to pronounce itself..."
ReplyDeleteI'm NOT chillin! The time to make your case is .....now. They must give the international press something to chew on. Now.
Utterly and dangerously bias
ReplyDeleteI am not saying that Kerry wears a red undershirt, but rather that the US diplomacy will look the other way...that signal,for all intents and purposes, is a vote for perpetual chavismo en Venezuela.
ReplyDeleteObama is well aware of the growing latino vote. Any resistance to the chavismo cancer would go a long way for the cuban/venezuelan/honduran/etc. (insert here any country chavez has negatively impacted), american support.
ReplyDeleteIt is a brave new world........