Random notes on what the hell is going on, TSJ included

I suppose that when I try to make sense out of today's Venezuela I should always start with the following opening statement:

Extraordinary corruption has eventually turned Venezuela into a narco-state. Those in charge, for lack of a better word, are so compromised that there is no way they can surrender power through elections or any other action because they know that jail, or worse, is in their future as soon as the dozens of body guards paid by the state are removed from around them.  This is a camarilla that cannot leave the country anymore, so entrenching at all costs is the word.  

If you do not understand the text above, then you understand nothing about Venezuela.

This being said let's try a few comments on the current situation.


You probably heard that there are elections tomorrow.  Their results would be fine if they mattered much. Oh, do not think I am mistaken, the game is played elsewhere.  No matter what a farce these elections are we still must go and vote.  As the PAN of Mexico said about the elections under the glory days of PRI electoral fraud, the PAN would not know how many votes they really got, but the PRI would.  Translation for today Venezuela is that the regime will know the extent of its true rejection even if ourselves do not know it for sure. Thus, not voting, more than ever, is helping the regime.

This being said, rejecting those supporting abstention, we must note that many foreign governments have let it known in no uncertain terms that the elections ARE NOT fair but that the opposition needs to participate, that Venezuelans need to go and vote.  In other words you can only demonstrate electoral fraud if you have been a victim of it, not by being a bystander.  That the regime is bluntly applying old and novel ways to thwart the elector's intent can only be used outside when Venezuelans present their case as stronger as possible.  The next to approve sanctions against the regime would be the European Union: they are just waiting to observe the extent of the electoral fraud this time around and as early as next Monday we could hear from them.

When I said that this is played elsewhere I would note that the OAS has sit the High Court judges named by the National Assembly. These judges were named legally by the National Assembly but condemned by the current regime installed TSJ.  As such they were jailed or forced into exile. Interestingly the ones that should have been punished would have been the ones that elected this new judges, but nothing was done against the National Assembly members (besides all the crap they already received from other sides).

Thus those exiled judges that could make it were received by OAS secretary Almagro and sworn in. Extremely impartial EFE news (not!) reports that many ambassadors did not like the event, including countries unfriendly to Maduro's regime. But EFE does not give names nor could I find any.  As usual with EFE, there is a rat somewhere....

But that is not the point: obviously the in-exile TSJ can make any rulings it wants, but those will not apply in Venezuela as long as the regime is sitting. There are two real purposes. One, admitting that some anti Maduro countries did not like the novel judicial move, it remains that what Almagro sought in part is to force the wishy-washy countries to finally take a stand on Venezuela: you either support or condemn a dictatorship. If you do not condemn it, then you are supporting it.  So, if you get too vocal about Almagro´s move then, well, we know were you sit.

But the other purpose is far greater. There will be a Venezuelan court in exile, but Venezuelan lawyers anyway. They can start preparing the complicated dossiers that will document all law violations of the regime, and verify all the crimes and injustices and human rights violations. And if regime were to change we would have a new judicial ready to sit.

Let's not forget that a few weeks ago the OAS held hearings about human rights violations in Venezuela that had quite an effect on the regime, if anything to render it more hysterical than usual. Thus installing a legal-to-be Venezuelan court is a logical step, even if Almagro tenses the cord quite a lot at the OAS. But then again, is it not time for the OAS to get serious? Or die?

But let's go back to tomorrow's vote.

On September 14 I wrote this:

And today I must say that I did not know I would be proven so right.

In a last ditch effort, after wall papering the state with blue, not red, posters of Hector in a country were there is no toilet paper, the regime this week decided to move voting centers at the last minute. Curiously enough the voting centers in question were won by the opposition largely in previous elections; and from middle class neighborhoods they were moved far away at best, or in dangerous areas at worst. We are talking of at least 10% of Miranda voters that will arrive at their usual station only to find the doors closed, with at best an ill written address of where to go.  If the election is close this will weight. Then again I have the feeling that Ocariz will win no matter what, because in Petare popular areas he should pass the 60% without trouble, win in Guatire, Guacaipuro and at least one of the 4 red districts of Valles del Tuy.

That tells you the mood of the regime, desperately trying to get at least a handful of governors.

To leave you with a cheerful note there is this tweet from one of the lone international impartial observers (not!) agreed by the regime.

I had the great honor of meeting with Tibisay Lucena, the courageous president of the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/q807jRBVpk

— Dan Kovalik (@danielmkovalik) October 14, 2017

And my reply 'cause, why not.

Impressive how unreconstructed commies as @danielmkovalik avail repression, corruption, electoral fraud etc. as long as it's from the "left" https://t.co/SkHXRBY9Gj

— daniel duquenal (@danielduquenal) October 14, 2017

Courageous Tibisay, with gazillion body guards and armored vehicles going to her big mansion.....  My foot.....


PS: written listening Bruckner #6, in case it explains my mood.