tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4080946.post5142973061416097384..comments2024-03-26T00:37:34.943+01:00Comments on Venezuela News And Views: Cancun secretsDanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12128609182544333477noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4080946.post-10126639292304688612010-02-27T01:03:38.800+01:002010-02-27T01:03:38.800+01:00A bit OT but it looks like Uribe won't be able...A bit OT but it looks like Uribe won't be able to run in a second reelection:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/justicia/corte-constitucional-le-dijo-no-al-referendo-lvaro-uribe-no-podra-ser-candidato-presidencial-_7304227-1" rel="nofollow">Una segunda reelección inmediata atenta contra los principios de la Constitución, dijo la Corte</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4080946.post-59942281356842253972010-02-27T00:30:22.966+01:002010-02-27T00:30:22.966+01:00The concept is : if they are one of us they are im...<i>The concept is : if they are one of us they are immaculate.By embracing the most extreme representative of this like the Castros, you prove your credentials and show your total commitment and pride in being a Latino Americano.</i><br /><br />I thinking I just learned something important.HalfEmptyhttp://www.ninme.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4080946.post-24834754803384885442010-02-26T21:23:32.327+01:002010-02-26T21:23:32.327+01:00Babalu has the video on a power interruption duri...<a href="http://babalublog.com/2010/02/prende-una-vela-ramiro/" rel="nofollow">Babalu</a> has the video on a power interruption during a Thugo TV talk, appropriately titled, “Turn on a Candle, Ramiro.” It quotes a WaPo article, which is here <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/25/AR2010022504613.html" rel="nofollow">in full.</a> <br /> <br /><i>CARACAS, Venezuela -- Power failures have become a fact of life in Venezuela, but the energy problems have not affected the presidential palace - until now. <br />President Hugo Chavez was giving a televised address Thursday when the broadcast on state TV was suddenly interrupted. TV screens went fuzzy for a couple of seconds, then the channel switched to a spot urging Venezuelans to save electricity. <br />When the live broadcast resumed minutes later, Chavez said the interruption was caused by problems with a power generator. <br />Chavez blames energy shortages on a drought and low water levels at the Guri Dam, which supplies about 70 percent of Venezuela's electricity. Critics argue Chavez has failed to invest enough in electricity production. </i><br /><br />So, there are SOME advantages to watching ThugoTV. According to Breitbart, Thugo was ranting about Bush when the power was interrupted. Dunno about that.Boludo Tejanonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4080946.post-72187980327262824462010-02-25T18:46:24.302+01:002010-02-25T18:46:24.302+01:00There has long been a development of " la con...There has long been a development of " la conciencia de ser Latino Americano" which has received a boost with the appearance of leftists like Lulu, the Kirchners, Bachelet etc.It is regarded as something sacred where any breach would be seen as blasphemy.<br /><br />The concept is : if they are one of us they are immaculate.By embracing the most extreme representative of this like the Castros, you prove your credentials and show your total commitment and pride in being a Latino Americano.<br /><br />From the perspective of the US the best course is not to interfere in this mutual admiration society and just let folks indulge themselves while making sure Castro does not join. the OAS.firepigettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17348890269608169297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4080946.post-14557401490052496662010-02-25T18:00:40.055+01:002010-02-25T18:00:40.055+01:00“And a war with Venezuela is not necessary as the ...“And a war with Venezuela is not necessary as the country is imploding on its own; but its implosion will create displaced masses at the borders and political trouble there. “<br />- Everytime we think something is going to happen because it cannot get worse and we are once again at another tipping point, well...a holiday is celebrated, it’s Holy Week, Summer Vacation, another show of dueling Marches and nothing ever happens and everything just goes back to limping along again, sinks to a newer low and everyone conforms. To throw out a question for info....who is a good immigration lawyer/firm to use in Caracas? Maybe it is time to take Plan B off the shelf once again...dust it off and... Grrrrrr... Thanks MMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4080946.post-82712336884429664512010-02-25T17:26:53.842+01:002010-02-25T17:26:53.842+01:00Very thought-provoking, Daniel. The idea that an ...Very thought-provoking, Daniel. The idea that an organization without the US will sideline the Yankees is simplistic, even naive. The US will maintain bilateral relationships with all of those countries, and nearly every one of those is likely more significant than whatever actually happened in the OAS. And if they want to talk to more than one country at a time, it can easily be arranged.<br /><br />The US has never had the option of blowing off the OAS entirely, as that would be widely seen as ignoring the region (damned if you do, damned if you don't), but this would simply relieve them of a burden, at no cost to themselves. Brazil is setting themselves up to find out that having crappy neighbors in your "backyard" is more trouble than benefit.AIOnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4080946.post-15227048583847087582010-02-25T14:54:20.538+01:002010-02-25T14:54:20.538+01:00The attitude of Caribbean and Latin American presi...The attitude of Caribbean and Latin American presidents toward the Castro brothers is not much different than that of African presidents toward Robert Mugabe. In fact these two regions look more and more alike in more than one way.Charlynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4080946.post-71829135914659952782010-02-25T09:35:05.249+01:002010-02-25T09:35:05.249+01:00Daniel, I find your take on the Mexico summit meet...Daniel, I find your take on the Mexico summit meeting very interesting, in particular the roles of Mexico and Brazil in the ongoing realignment of forces, and how the US wins by not being part of it. The topic of support for leftist governments or rulers, to the extent of ignoring even their most blatant crimes, is something that has intrigued from a very tender age. I remember my primary school bus driver (this was before the Castros came to power) defending the then Russian ruler Stalin at the high of his repressive regime. And it saddens me to see people in Europe today trying to rehabilitate the same Stalin and make him look like the people’s defender. I think it is due to rigid dogmatism in leftist ideologies: the left is good for the people and must be supported despite its “shortcomings”; the right is bad for the people regardless of any success stories. Castro good, Obama bad. Sad. <br />AntonioAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4080946.post-87606357978729199672010-02-25T07:30:38.394+01:002010-02-25T07:30:38.394+01:00the US was ... serving Brazil notice that if it wa...<i> the US was ... serving Brazil notice that if it wants to exclude the US it would also have to foot the bill for the potential failed states that border it. I mean Venezuela and Bolivia. Want them? Have them!</i><br /><br />Sounds accurate to me. There is increased sentiment in the US for stopping the funding of OAS. Why fund an organization that has an HDP like Insulza at the helm?<br /><br />But like the UN, the OAS is a mixed bag. While the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council are but additions to world entropy, the FAO and WHO appear to do good work. I certainly have used their statistics enough. Similarly, the shame of the OAS with regard to Honduras and Cuba may be balanced by its recent Human Rights report on Venezuela. It will be interesting to see what the fallout of the OAS human rights report on Venezuela will be.Boludo Tejanonoreply@blogger.com