I could tell you about my ordeal to find medication for 4 different treatments I am supposed to take. I had to look for them in about a dozen pharmacies in Caracas and about half a dozen in San Felipe. In the end I could sort of put together with substitutes and incompletes three of them, Fortunately none was vital, one was preventive and one "just in case" otherwise I probably would not be typing today.
I could tell you that toilet paper, powder milk, coffee, laundry detergent, soap, shampoo seem to have disappeared for good. Corn flour, despite its recent price increase, is still nowhere to be found. But we do have tooth paste and mouth wash aplenty, something that was missing badly last year. I have stocked just in case.
Thus it is more relaxing to discuss the latest adventures of Obama's executive order and Maduro/Cabello hysteria. As you may recall Obama signed about a moth ago an executive order that bans 7 (SEVEN) Venezuelans from entry in the US, from having checking accounts in the US, from having property in the US, from having business deal with US citizens. They can go and do such things ANYWHERE else in the world but not in the US.
PERIOD.
Well, this sent the regime in a frothing in the mouth frenzy. First, they decided that this decree was about Venezuela, not 7 corrupt officials with crimes ranging from drug trafficking to human rights abuse. Of course NO SINGLE investigation was started inside Venezuela to prove the US wrong. But who is counting? They moved swiftly to bring to the dark side as many international players as possible. In Latin America this was not too difficult as chavista money has corrupted so many already that they better support any criminal in Venezuela least they are placed in the list next. By the said criminal probably. Blackmail has its advantages and when you can do it to others because you owe them so much money it is even funnier.
But this was not the worst, by far. The worst was the campaign started all across the country to have people sign a "petition" to have Obama withdraw the executive order. You may ask: what is wrong with that? Well, not only school children in public schools were drafted (and their parents along), but they even went to jails to gather signatures from inmates. The pressure on public servants was, well, you can imagine. Even Maduro went door to door (in San Felipe the fascist governor sent plenty to collect door to door).
Now, I am asking you, Maduro or a red shirted group shows up at your door and asks you to sign. What would you do if you disagree but lived in Podunck Venezuela while a Nazional Guard or militia accompanies the party that goes door to door?
Right.....
The amazing thing is that Maduro, Cabello et al. probably think that the world will not take notice on how these signatures have been taken. There are embassies, you know. But in the end the regime could not care less because this going to be another huge political tool for them: the renewal of the Tascon List. Those that will not appear in the data base currently elaborated out of these sheets (even the phone number was requested) will be a new Tascon List of sorts and will be used to actively discriminate against them in the future, as traitors preferably. The regime claims already 4.5 million signatures, This is enough to insure a chavista base easily blackmailed in the future to control both sides of the populace as need arises. They want 10 millions. Who knows, they may come to my office and I may sign. Twice if necessary. Who cares? What credibility in that process? I promise to take a picture if the day comes.
At least there is a silver lining: many inside the opposition will have their political career seriously dented for having supported the regime on that without having dared to demand at least an investigation. In particular the various flip.flops of Lara governor Heni Falcon will have a big cost. Good riddance.
So there you are, any excuse to advance the totalitarian state. Even Twitter is now threatened...
But what else can Cabello and Maduro do? If they are ousted from power they go to jail. All criminals know that when their weapons are taken away what is left is jail. So we can expect them to forge ahead with more crimes and abuses.
PS: more than ever I support the Obama executive order because it has revealed how rotten is Venezuela as a whole. Even if that was not necessarily the original intent.
And Pooh-Pooh on all who think that "the timing was bad" "the opposition will be hurt" "it helps Maduro in Latin America" and assorted idiocies.
Henri Falcon! When he was the rojo rojito mayor of Bqto, his boss Reyes Reyes then governor of Lara State asked him to put on the brakes on his stealing, scheming, whatever, it was becoming so embarrassing. He should be hung from the nearest lamppost.
ReplyDeleteIt's a feeble reconciliation gesture to the right from Obama, about as limp as it could possibly be, while he is actively enabling the regime by renewing ties with Cuba, along with a number of other cowardly gestures around the world to appease enemies and alienate friends. Now if Obama had followed up Maduro's move by instantly banning 70, and then next 700 Venezuelans, I might have been impressed. Barely better than nothing at all.
ReplyDeleteI understand it was intended as a message to Latin American nations. But Obama's foreign policy sure looks like it's run by a mixture of mental weaklings and neocons. He puts an absurd emphasis on pissing off the Russians by overreacting over Ukraine, doesn't know if he's coming or going in the middle east, and blows kisses at the Castro family dictatorship.
DeleteBy the way, I wrote a new version of the communist manifesto, and published it. I think it provides a concise view of the modern dialectic.
Norbert
DeleteYou should not let your anti obama feeĺ cloud your perspective. After aĺl no US president has seriously considered taking Castro down and it could have ben attempted after the Berlin waĺl fall.
It's a feeble reconciliation gesture to the right from Obama, about as limp as it could possibly be, while he is actively enabling the regime by renewing ties with Cuba, along with a number of other cowardly gestures around the world to appease enemies and alienate friends.
DeleteWhat mindless drivel. The clowns who accuse Obama of "appeasement" or "cowardice" rarely state openly their proposed alternative and I notice this poster doesn't either. Well, with Iran, the alternative is clear: war. The last thing we need is another Middle East quagmire. As for Cuba, the embargo was serving no purpose except creating sympathy for the Castro regime.
The sanctions against the seven were correct, it's just unfortunate that the law that was used contained the requirement that country of the targeted be labeled a threat. They should have known this would be a rhetorical gift to the chavistas.
with Iran, the alternative is clear: war.
DeleteI think that's a false choice. The other, better choice is to put together an even stronger coalition of reasonable nations (or at least ones that fear a nuclear Iran) and institute even stronger sanctions. That is what brought the mullahs to the bargaining table, and that will bring them back, willing to make a deal that will make it very hard for them to make a nuclear weapon.
Donn, you may sincerely believe that, but many of those pushing that line really want war. The “let’s keep the pressure until they capitulate” line was tried in 2005 and US ended negotiations while Iran’s nuclear infrastructure was much smaller. The result was it enabled the hardliners and that infrastructure was greatly expanded. The current round of negotiations didn’t begin until Rouhani got elected. The prowar crowd wants to scuttle diplomatic efforts so they can turn around and demand the "military option." Some are quite open about it.
Deletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/26/opinion/to-stop-irans-bomb-bomb-iran.html
Any thought of war is completely off the table now for Obama. All him and Kerry are thinking about is their legacies. They can kick the can down the road far enough to give the Iranians enough so they can easily build weapons in a couple of months when the opportunity arises. That will be another president's problem, they hope. Of course the Israelis aren't happy about it at all, but when they voice their objections Obummer gets really genuinely mad for the first time. Of course the coward's anger is displaced onto an easy target, a friend and ally, who just has a little problem that the peace legacy solution might just put them in danger of immanent annihilation
DeleteI think the regime was more angry about Obama's statement about Venezuela being a threat than they were about the sanctions against these individuals. Either way, their constant anti-US rants and 4 million signatures are meaningless. If they really meant what they said, they would have stopped selling oil to the US. Of course, this would mean a quick end for them so they can't do it. Still, I'm actually surprised they never tried to expropriate the McDonald's locations in Venezuela and replace them with "socialist" restaurants, or ban the sale of Coca Cola and Pepsi.
ReplyDeleteEven the number of signatures shows how pitiful and desperate they are. There are 30 million Venezuelans and only 4.5 million signed. That's 15%!!! Even by forcing children and prisoners to sign, and by going to people's homes and literally forcing them to sign at gunpoint, all they can manage is 15%?? Really?
ReplyDeletePooh-pooh? Way to have an intelligent conversation, Daniel. (sarcasm) I guess no form of tyranny can be intelligently defended so insult & mockery must be resorted to. Good luck with the idea that bringing Venezuela back under US control is the best option. It was pretty bad in the '90s when I lived it. Is your new slogan going to be "de regreso a la corrupción del puntofijismo"?
ReplyDeleteThe 90 ies were horrible!
DeleteAll the oil was taken by the US without payment.
Squads of Marines terrorized the population.
Punto Fijo corruption was so bad that in the middle of the night they would expropriate your bed without you noticing it.
Orders arrived daily from the White House via Telex.
Elections were a joke and Chavez had to make a coup in 1998 to finally be elected.
Crime was out of control, people had to learn to sleep locking their doors.
There was no apparent scarcity of Venezuelan food because everybody was obliged to have lunch at Wendy's.
The only way to get an aspirine was to travel to Miami.
And so much more that can be blamed on the US and its evil influence. Good thing you survived the ordeal Darren! Come back, it is all cream and peaches now.
Good one Darren, keep sending them.
Wow, Darren Wolfe, a supposed "libertarian" who defends a totalitarian socialist state!
DeleteAnother Gringo from lala land ( Darren Wolfe) repeating memetic nonsense ...
DeleteI am sick to death of my naive, politically indoctrinated compatriots spouting nonsense......get out of the country for at least 10 years...live in a third world country,renounce your party, think for yourself and then form an opinion we can respect.
firepigette
A through the looking glass moment for me here on this blog.
DeleteConsDemo, please show us where I defended Masburro/Chavez. Oh, that's right, I didn't.
Firepiggette, open mouth insert foot. Your comment about me is so disconnected from reality that I almost didn't dignify it with even this comment.
Daniel, et al, oh yes the wonderful '90s. Here's a dose of Venezuelan reality. Massive unemployment, high inflation (100% in '96). The banking crisis of '94. High crime (10s of murders a week in Caracas alone). Rampant robbery (notice all those bars on windows? They were there before Chavez) 4th most corrupt country according to Transparency International. Loss of 40% of GDP since '77. Massive shantytowns (cerros). All of this before Chavez.
Face the reality that the only reason Chavez gained power was the failure of the previous regime. Was Chavez worse than what came before? Of course, but that doesn't mean that times before him were great. Opposition people in Venezuela that I know are clear that there's no defending what preceded Chavez. They have no desire to go back to it. Unfortunately, that seems to be the desired direction around here.
Darren
DeleteYour reply is in bad faith. You implied that before Chavez Venezuela was under the boot of the US. Now you ignore your own premise.
The only looking glass here is that you may call yourself a Libertarian but I more of one than what you are.
Yes, Venezuela was under US control through the regime that used to exist there. I haven't ignored this, I just addressed other things. This libertarian's journey through the looking glass continues....
Delete"And you've picked up a bit of an attitude, still curious and willing to learn, I hope."
--Cheshire Cat
Darren
DeleteYou are getting tiresome.
For all those bad mouthing Obama you would no matter what he did anywhere in the world. Your rhetoric has no real difference then the crap Maduro speaks. I am a conservative and a republican supporter but my politics and views are not all bias based on party. Bush and the Tea party were disasters and was high time the Republicans take a look in the mirror and get their act together with better people. When the republicans win the next elections hopefully it is with sensible people caring somewhat about the country and less about politics.
ReplyDeleteI do not know what it will take to get the criminals out of office in Venezuela but only hope the brave people stand up to them and succeed before it is a life long dictatorship like Cuba. And even then will take a miracle for anyone inheriting that mess to politically survive. And for those Obama haters let me tell you as a republican supporter that he inherited a hell of a mess and the USA is getting back on track.
Maduro's people were even collecting signatures in shopping malls in London yesterday under the headline 'Stop the US bombing Venezuela'.
ReplyDeleteOne can leave Venezuela and put distance from the madness, but the madness just follows.
What's most disappointing is despite the number of ex-Venezuelans around the world who have left the country for political reasons, none of them can be bothered to counter Maduro's activities abroad. And then they all complain about the 'biased' coverage in the International press.
Limey
"The sanctions against the seven were correct, it's just unfortunate that the law that was used contained the requirement that country of the targeted be labeled a threat. They should have known this would be a rhetorical gift to the chavistas."
ReplyDeleteExactly. It's about time the US comes up with a better "format" to issue such international statements. What Obama should now do I show up in Panama, NOT shaking Masburro's hand, and with a list of an additional 70 names of Venezuelan crooks, denouncing the crimes against humanity, corruption, and freezing every Corruptzuelan penny is the USA.
Finishing with, "Oh, BTW, sorry about the format of our previous statement. Of course we love the Venezuelan people, hope they will rid themselves of the current totalitarian regime, and welcome them by the Millions in our country, as we already do, meanwhile."
One can still dream, no?
I do not think it is unfortunate that the USA labelled Venezuela as a threat. Venezuela supports all terrorism all bad gov'ts and as it implodes will be a complete cesspool of crime and heaven for evil minded people to spread their hate of the USA throughout S America. It would buy nukes and aim them at the USA if they can get hold of them. Why shouldn't they be labelled a threat?
Delete"A threat" to the USA's National Security" is ISIS, Hezbollah, Al Quaeda, Iran, perhaps North Korea, Iraq or Lybia.
DeleteCorruptzuela, especially now with plenty of Fracking oil and other sources, is nothing but a little blister on the left foot of the USA, like about 3 dozen other messed up little countries in this messed up world.
They could have done the SAME thing, condemn Venezuela and those 7 crooks in a much subtler way, same results, instead of prompting stupid worldwide misinterpretations.
Why only 70 names? Add all 10 million names of those that signed the petition to the U.S. visa ban. Anyone who signed obviously supports the violation of human rights in Venezuela and also is not showing respect for the U.S. Why should any of them be allowed into the U.S. ?
Delete@ Ronaldo, most don't know what they are signing many are told it is something other then it is. One of my wife's family members was told it is to get your name on the list to get products in short supply.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteAbout Fear Politics, Mass intimidation, and this new "Tascon List"... Yep, Daniel is right.. who would have believed it would come down to this 10 years ago..
ReplyDeleteUn-freaking-believable. But true, Diablodado, Masburro and all high-profile Chavista crooks have no choice now but to hang on to power or face International Criminal charges on many levels (theft, drugs, human rights, etc).
Thus, the repression is just about to get worse, as the economic situation continues to get even worse. On the short run, they'll start to use this "Tascon Terror" tool and "Smartmatic", Chavez's automatic e-fraud tool for mass fraud, turning the up-coming elections into a 55% or so Masburrismo win, from a reality of over 80% disapproval.
Here we go, the next 50 year-old dictatorship, just like Cuba!
So incredibly sad to have observed the decline you have endured. I wish that James Earl Carter could be held responsible, but unfortunately US law does not provide for that. It must be such a Hobson's choice for Venezuelans to decide what to do as their government sends the economy down the drain. It is so incredibly complicated by a system that makes you an enemy of the state if you speak the truth. My heart cries for all of you.
ReplyDeleteDo you even know what a Hobson's choice is? I guess not. But since "your heart cries for all of you" you are forgiven.
DeleteA Hobson's choice is a free choice in which only one option is offered. As a person may refuse to take that option, the choice is therefore between taking the option or not; "take it or leave it".
Delete