They also have gay Komissars

I came across this tweet today and I can hardly express my indignation in words. Every day chavismo/madurismo seems able to reach new lows of vileness.

Gran jornada de atención social por la #Igualdad #ConMaduroSomosVisibles @NicolasMaduro nuestro protector #LGBTI pic.twitter.com/LNARAzcsK0

— C.Presidencial LGBTI (@CPGPSD) April 21, 2018

This tweet is to bring in the gay vote for Maduro through a special social "activity" to help the LBGT community.  Not only it is a vile attempt, but it is also an insult to the intelligence. Then again it is a chavista specialty, is it not?

La mendacidad de Elias Jaua

Es con usted, diputado Jaua

Leo su respuesta a lo que usted llama "infame el editorial de El Nacional".

Yo no voy a entrar en el debate de si la diputada Tamara Adrian oyó lo que ella oyó. Ella sabrá defenderse; y muy bien lo hará porque ella no tuvo nunca los apoyos que usted tuvo y que le permitieron tirar piedras toda su vida quedando impune.

Tampoco voy a especular si la diputada Adriana D'Elia es una lesbiana. Eso es irrelevante, y ni me importa como a usted no debería importarle lo que la gente hace con su vida privada mientras no afecte a otros. Le recuerdo que su vida privada si afecta a otros cuando, por ejemplo, usted hace que la República cubra los costos de viaje de su niñera bien armada.

Frontal, primitive, homophobia inside chavismo: Bernal as poster boy

I have been telling you that chavismo is homophobic, strongly homophobic, as are all these authoritarian to neo-totalitarian systems. Today the words of representative Bernal would have him resign within 24 hours from his public positions in any civilized country. Of course, in Russia or Iran those words could be considered as wise, I suppose. But in Venezuela unfortunately it may not go further than the twitter storm tonight.

Bernal (left) is not the lone
homophobe inside chavismo

Freddy Bernal, former mayor of Caracas and now one of its National Assembly representatives, has always been a violent character, from his previous support to coup mongers like Chavez, to organizing the "colectivos" of Caracas which are nothing but an armed thug militia. Under his 8 years tenure Caracas went, of course, from bad to worse, but the regime did establish a firm rein on the political activities within. Now, for example, an opposition politician cannot go publicly to Bolivar square downtown for some wreath laying ceremony.

To add insult to injury Bernal is also a former cop, of the corrupt type. And now he is in charge of some commission to restructure police in Caracas. Whatever, the man has no credibility outside the groups that need dirty jobs done at which he seems to excel. Unfortunately he is a public figure, an elected representative and as such his position would require a minimum of self control. One thing is to insult Obama and the US for political expediency, another one is to admit that gay Venezuelans are second class citizens. Let's look at his words. In an interview today at pro regime Globovision he said the following:

Crucial elections everywhere, dramatic conclusions! Shame and pride for all!

Today we had dramatic elections in three areas of the world and curiously, I can put them together in a way that they relate to Venezuela! Not necessarily directly but bear with me.

Notes on Voluntad Popular, under siege

Just a short post to remind readers that the only political party that is truly creative these days in Venezuela is Voluntad Popular. Not that other politicians are not creative, such as Maria Corina Machado, but her failure at creating a solid party handicaps her a lot.  For example today Voluntad Popular promoted a march to defend gay rights in Venezuela, to demand the liberation of one of its activists, Rosmit Mantilla,  unjustly arrested on false charges. The event seems to have been small attendance by current oppo standards. I did not show up since it was my day to take care of the S.O.. But that is not the point.

The morally uptight revolution

Long time readers of this blog will remember that I often wrote that on many aspects the bolivarian pseudo revolution is a mere look at the past, your basic reactionary movement. This week they reminded us again how morally uptight they also are, Victorian to the core but without the work ethic or basic honesty.

Homophobia as a chavista weapon to destroy the opposition

Besides that I am particularly sensitive on the topic, what was most disgraceful tonight was the deliberate use of insult and homophobia to taint the opposition. Chavismo must have reached real lows that it is left with the language of the lowest life thug as political argument against its political adversaries.  Let me try to summarize briefly, if I can, if my mind clears up some after the homophobic onslaught to which we were subject today, live on TV.

Of course I am going to vote for Maduro....

Inaceptables las palabras de Maduro de "A mi si me gustan los mujeres, y yo si tengo hijos". Una persona de izquierda jamas diria eso
— LaDivina Diva (@LaDivinaDiva) March 11, 2013

Unacceptable words of Maduro "I am one that likes women and yes, I have children". Someone from the left would never say such a thing.

And the homophobia card has been used a few minutes ago, when Maduro registered his name for the April 14 vote, as already reported in twitter.

PS: never mind the time stamp, when you embed a tweet in blogger it seems to pick up a fantasy time, in the future this time around....

ex-Republica versus La République

En Francia cuando se dice "La République" es mucho más que decir que Francia tiene una forma republicana de gobierno. Significa también que estamos orgullosos de que sea así y que estamos dispuestos a renunciar a una parte de nuestros intereses personales por el bien de La République . Eso sí, no para la mayoría o para el colectivo, para la "La République". Hoy, la Asamblea Nacional francesa aprobó por 329 contra 229 una nueva definición del matrimonio, que ahora incluye a dos adultos que expresan su deseo de casarse. Como tal, todos los matrimonios pronto recibirán el mismo trato ante la ley, desde el seguro de salud hasta la herencia, incluida la adopción. Los mismos criterios para todos.

La République

In French stating "La République" is much more than saying that France has a republican form of government  It means also that we are proud of it being so and that we are willing to give up some of our personal interests for the sake of La République. Mind you, not for the majority or for the collective, for "La République".  Today the French National Assembly approved by 329 against 229 a new definition of marriage which now includes any two adults that express their desire to get married. As such, all marriages will soon be treated equally in front of the law, from health care to inheritance, including adoption. Same criteria for all.

Guanaguanare

Guanaguanare

Guanaguanare es un extraño villancico, lleno de la tristeza de la separacion si escuchan la exquisita sobriedad de Jesús Ávila, o el consuelo algo mentiroso de la versión navideña de Nancy Ramos. Y sin embargo es delicadamente evocador de la calma de las mañanas en Sucre, si han tenido la suerte de disfrutarlas, una calma como no la he sentido nunca en otro mar.

Guanaguanare

Guanaguanare

Guanaguanare is an odd Christmas song, full of the pathos of longing if you listen to the exquisite sobriety of Jesus Avila, or fake merry Christmas spirit, but consoling, if you consider the Nancy Ramos version. And yet it is exquisitely atmospheric if you have had the luck to wake up more than once in Sucre where the morning calm is the calm I have never felt elsewhere.

I have to admit that this week end, as I am dusting off my Christmas music, it is hitting a raw nerve.  Thus work strange associations who make a single song suddenly embody all that is wrong with your surroundings.  Of course, it is a sad coincidence that this magic tune includes the name of the city Guanare where this week the most ugly aspects of misery came up as flotsam. But that flotsam was brought upon us by a regime that has really done nothing to protect children rights, gay rights, property rights, basic rights....  We certainly cannot blame the regime of the machismo, homophobia, disregard for the weak that are the sad heritage of our history.  But we can blame it from having paid lip service at best while it made it all the worse in its pursuit of power, and money, and materialism, which now reign supreme.

And to finish it all up last night the fascist thugs set aflame the "house that defeats the shadow" while today in yet another obscene cadena the tyrant of our spirit played with a little boy in military drag.

But Jesús Ávila leaves us a consolation:

Tenue es la luz y alegre la alborada

Bolivarian homophobes

I do not know what is it with these bolivarians and their complexes, but they all seem to be of the same feather.  I have long written on chavismo as the homophobic and anti-Semitic presence in its leadership (examples here).  Now it turns out that Evo Morales is another homophobe!  And, as expected, in association with ignorance.

Evo Morales declared at an "alternative climate summit" (Copenhagen was not good enough for them, it did not have feathered natives enough I suppose)  that eating chickens raised on hormones was a cause for homosexuality.  His exact words, and a video to prove it:

"El pollo que comemos está cargado de hormonas femeninas. Por eso, cuando los hombres comen esos pollos, tienen desviaciones en su ser como hombres"  The chicken we eat is loaded with feminine hormones.  That is why, when men east these chickens, they have deviations in their maleness being (or something like that).

Is the Future in Europe?

Two news item from Europe this week tell us that the social future is in Europe and not in Venezuela.

In Paris, former president Jacques Chirac will stand trial on some funky business when he was mayor of Paris. During his 12 years tenure at the presidency he managed to dodge the issue claiming that a president benefited from judicial immunity during his tenure. Now, he is again a simple citizen and his past is finally catching up to him. Interestingly the more sympathetic comment came from his socialist adversaries, one of them regretting that such a trial would affect the needed majesty of the presidency.

Whatever the case might be, it is refreshing to see that the French quasi monarchic presidency is brought down from its cloud. First the term was lowered from 7 to 5 years, and last year, sitting president Sarkozy supported yet a new constitutional change that limited the presidency hold to a maximum of two consecutive terms. I need not offend your intelligence by reminding you how the Chavez presidency has become eternal, imperial and unaccountable. Por ahora.

Across the border in Germany a new government has been sworn in. It includes as the number 2 figure, vice-chancellor and foreign minister Guido Westerwelle, openly gay politician with hubby, leading the Liberal party of Germany (Free Democrats, neo-liberal in US terms). Of course, my first thought is for gay movement of the US who like African Americans have tied hopelessly their fate to the fortunes of the Democratic party just to be used and discarded as needed. Or should I remind folks for example how blacks voted for Obama in California while shooting down gay marriage there? So pays the Devil.

Amusingly the first foreign trip of Westerwelle is to Poland where he met with Catholic militant (and possible homophobe?) very conservative president Lech Kaczynski. I had to put the picture because I find the meeting hilarious, when one knows all the past of these two countries and their troubled relationship. If anything says social progress in Europe, it has got to be scenes like this one.

Right now I cannot imagine a meeting between cheap macho Chavez and Westervelle. I am pretty sure that either him or his boss Angela Merkel will try to avoid such a meeting as much as possible. I can even imagine the vulgar pleasure that Chavez might take during one of his Alo Cadena in preparation to such a meeting, or after that one. He would talk good words but in such a tone and context so as to make them in fact a vulgar mockery. After all Chavez is the president who has managed to put 4 women in the 5 powers of Venezuela, to the contrary expected effect. All of them look like maids there, put up by Chavez so they can do whatever he orders them to do. It is amazing that the fact that 4 out of 5 top political positions occupied by women in Venezuela end up in fact as a regression on women's lib, in effect looking much more like a symbol of female submission to the alpha male that tries to find any possible way to screw us.

Truly, the future is not in Venezuela.... But one can always dream of Chavez on trial (with much m more serious charges than those of Chirac) while a new democratic National Assembly votes gay marriage. Which will happen first?

-The end-

Chavez antisemitism at the Boston Review

An editor at the Boston Review thinks of this blog highly enough to point out to me an article about Chavez antisemitism, and to the replies that the writers felt compelled to give to their readers. It is indeed an interesting set, and a very useful read, if anything for the practical advantages one gets out of it. The article by itself brings back to our attention many of the things that I wrote already here as to the attacks of Chavez and chavismo on Jews. What makes it noteworthy is that the authors, Claudio Lomnitz and Rafael Sánchez, manage to tie it all in what could call a model of neo-antisemitism. And they go further integrating into the model two features of chavismo discourse, the routine insults to anyone dissenting and the clearly expressed homophobia. They understand this very well, as we can read from this paragraph:

While Chávez’s political vocabulary often portrays Jews as inordinately influential and manipulative, he does not restrict himself to the trope of the Jew as master conspirator. Instead, he enacts the classic double move in anti-Semitism, used from the time of the Dreyfus Affair to Nazism and beyond: the powerful, exploitative Jew who is also inherently weak and contemptible. Chávez thus refers to his opponents as “escuálidos” (squalids), a Spanish term that connotes not only dirtiness and abjection, but also flimsiness, wimpiness, and scrawniness. Not surprisingly, figures conventionally associated with degradation are important in the imagery. Homophobia is a key element in that repertoire; although unlike Cuba (Castro is Chávez’s admired “father”), which bans homosexuality and persecutes homosexuals, Chavismo relies on homophobia as invective rather than state policy.

They probably have read my blog where long ago I made a connection between the imagery of Florentino and chavismo homophobia, in 2004. However these authors are probably not familiar with the routine attacks that opposition bloggers have been subjected to since 2003. In fact, we are so used to the pro Chavez camp methods that we have learned to ignore them, or ban then outright from our pages when they become mere trolls. The 19 comments (as of today) they got must have surprised them enough that they felt compelled to write a full reply. I felt sorry for them at first as I started to read their replies, but then again I switched to a praise mode because they simply wrote what should be a standard of how to reply to chavismo. The comprehensiveness with which they demolish 11 criticisms addressed to them is simply a read to behold. Not necessarily because of what they wrote, but because one senses that they could have gone further in their very educated rebuttal and could easily pare any other criticism that is thrown their way. From now on, I just need to refer to this piece of work from them to silence any chavista that dares to pretend Chavez is not antisemitic, or homophobic, or insulting, or simply not a nice person at all. Of course such a complete rebuttal is pearls to swines since from long experience I know that those who wrote those criticisms are not going to bother to read the replies. To give you an example, I noticed that comment #15 in the major article by a certain lobo is the same repetitive argumentation by one of the hired pens of Venezuelanalysis, the pro Chavez news site. This character, who changes names according the the site he comments on, also has this key signature motto of "ad hominem attacks" which he uses whenever he is duly confronted. He has overstayed his welcome in more pages than one cares to count. What is interesting here is not that this kid harasses Lomnitz and Sánchez, but that he has so much time in his hands to harass anyone criticizing the Bolivarian fraud. I let you speculate on the reasons why lobo and other keep popping everywhere, as if it were they day job. Anyway, I recommend you bookmark at least the reply article of Lomnitz and Sánchez as I am sure you will be able to use it someday. And pass around their first article to your pro Chavez acquaintances. -The end-

The company they keep: Iran anti gay policies

Lately Chavez speaks less of Iran (after all, he speaks so much of the FARC and Uribe that even himself cannot find enough hours in the day to include Iran). Yet this country and its rogue government remains a key partner. Well, I have been informed that there is yet a new gay teenager hanging in the works in Iran. That is right, in Iran Sodomy or any Gay Activity is simply punishable by death, either in the bowels of some prison or in public hanging.

This time there is a petition you might want to sign, stressing Venezuela as the country where you are signing from. There is little bit more we can do as even "closeted" homosexuals like mayor Barreto are not going to come out to condemn such atrocities. The picture on the right is from the previous hanging of teenagers in Mashhad.

So please, drop by this petition and sign it if you are so inclined.

By the way, there is in Yaracuy a covert campaign agaisnt Cocorote Mayor, Capdevielle. He cannot run again for Cocorote and he is thinking about running for governor in November. Well, since he is a leading candidate that could unite chavista and opposition under his banner, there are all sorts of rumors about his sexuality running around (I have been hearing these
"rumors" for 8 years now, and he is all but out of the closet officially). That I know of, these rumors seem to be coming more from chavismo than the opposition which is trying to court its support in joining a primary or some sort of deal. Though machismo surely makes equally strong ravages in both camps and if Capdvielle runs on his own "rumors" will come flying from both sides. I have no illusions on this respect. On the other hand Gerardo Blyde might be running for Baruta mayor and he might become, I hope, the first openly gay mayor in Venezuela, that is, if he comes out of his closet too. I think Baruta is ready.

-The end-

Homophobia and chavismo

Check one more evidence for chavismo as a fundamentalist creed

One thing that I enjoy about blogging on Venezuelan politics is that sometimes I write something that might seem to strain belief, and within a few days events manage to confirm my prediction or comment. A couple of days ago I discussed which aspects chavismo could be assimilated to your average fundamentalist cult. Well, today from the home page of aporrea we get this lovely picture.



I will be the amateur deconstructionist here.

Observe the opposition character, with the CD shirt, showing unmistakable signs of homosexuality, according to Venezuelan conventions:

pink skin
pointed long tongue
swaying wide hips
long nails
shaky demeanor overall

These match some of the characteristics of the devil except that he would be more macho.

I need not comment of course on the US flag use.

And the "coup de grace": the ¿ZI? banner, which is of course the lisped SI, the SI of the opposition voting consign (the YES to the recall election). The question mark probably alludes to the fact that when the CD finds a real male (female?), there might be no more question marks...

The message is quite clear.

On the other side of the cartoon you have Maisanta, the road robber turned hero and apparently one of Chavez relatives. He is the code name of the Chavez campaign. He has the nose of Chavez. He has the lips of Chavez. He does has grey hair in spite of his young age, suggesting of course wisdom. Maisanta seems quite amused while pinching the ZI shirt bottom while the horse shows contempt, the rightful contempt of the people for such a wretched creature.

There is even a great detail (perhaps accidental?). The t-shirt of ZI is actually rather drab when you think of it. But it has the three colors of the political parties that signed the "Pacto de Punto Fijo" that gave Venezuela 40 years of relative peace.

Some people might think that I am exaggerating a little bit. I will remind them of the August 2002 public uttering of Juan Barreto in front of the High Court while inciting to violence a group of chavistas out of control. "Los Patiquines Maricones de Primero Justicia", the faggy preppie boys of Primero Justicia. If you want to see what Primero Justicia represents for chavismo you can read Alexandra Beech excellent post.

No, chavismo has a long story of using homophobic comments when it is away from the cameras, and even in front of them sometimes when Chavez suggested the opposition to roll their newspaper and stick them [pregnant pause] in their pocket... They have been careful not to show that ghastly face, but they use it, and more often. Like any fundamentalist creed, they are not afraid to use personal disqualification and ignoble tactics when necessary.

I do not wish this to be construed as an attack on Aporrea. They are what they are. It is just fun to see Aporrea on the same page gloat about the Brazilian intellectuals coming to Chavez rescue and show a homophobic cartoon that probably would cost them some support in Brazil.

PS: I have the complete picture that also shows the day when it appeared in Aporrea, just in case they were to withdraw it. But if they write to apologize I will withdraw this post gladly.