Between workshops and shots of tequila
and still, I hear of military violence

This blogger is travelling for business in Mexico and, blissfully, since Monday morning does not know anything of the recent shenanigans of the Chavez administration. Though he does not doubt for a second that things are not improving. He also trusts Miguel, to give the news from Venezuela direct, and other bloggers who ae linked on the right around the world to keep this blog’s readers well informed for a few days.

But tequila is not clouding my mind enough. While getting ready for yet a nother workshop I was distractedly listening to CNN. The matter was the US Senate hearings on the Iraq torture scandal. It is certainly not the objective of this blog to consider what is going on in Iraq, however I could not fail to be impressed at the relative speed at which the United States did set up such hearings and how three top generals of the US were being questioned by rather veteran senators, senators of the type that are not so easily fooled.

Backtracking a little bit the readers of this blog are surely familiar with the death of two Venezuelan soldiers burnt in a “mysterious” ad rather unlikely “accident”. Or about Zambrano, tortured to death in some military center, while his lady companion was raped in front of him. Or so many other cases from February 27 and following days, where many protesters were arrested by the National Guard, beaten, tortured and what not.

Instead of a serious inquiry into military violence in Venezuela sponsored by the National Assembly we have a Chavez giving medals to the soldiers that did some of this violent and despicable acts. And the few Assemblypeople trying to do some serious inquiry unable to even reach some of the reports from events that are in public knowledge and for which the generals in command should at least submit some explanation. Not to mention that their work is obstructed and scorned by the chavista tenous majority.

Well, perhaps the US Senate hearings are just a show, but at least the US public is respected enough by the powers that be to get a show. In Venezuela Chavez despises his people enough that he does not even pretend to be shocked by brutality.

Does anyone still think that Venezuela is a democratic state? How much immorality will we have to witness until all are clear as to what is going on behind the doors of Miraflores Palace?

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I will try to check in every couple of days for the next week or so

It would have been a slow Sunday if it were not for Chavez

Sunday 16, May 2004

Today chavismo called for a march and rally on Avenida Bolivar. The Great Leader, el Comandante Chavez did drive through the flock in a well filmed sequence courtesy of the state TV cameramen. When he spoke, cadena! And when the cadena was over quickly the Globovision cameramen did the counter take showing the real numbers in attendance. Nothing out of usual, really.

However the speech was not quite usual. Chavez using the "incident" of the paramilitary invasion (we learned that some were not even 18!) has decided to revamp the security system of Venezuela. Bigger army, create a theater of operation in the heartland of the country (bypassing thus on some matters the civilian authorities from the opposition, voila!) and create a neighborhood militia. That was the US will have a hard time invading Venezuela.

Actually the biggest phrase of the speech was:

"The Bolivarian Revolution after 5 years has entered the anti-imperialist stage, this is an anti-imperialist revolution and that fills it with a special meaning that forces us to clear thinking and to action, not only in Venezuela but in the whole world.
[snip]
"An anti-imperialist revolution demands, we are obliged, for example, to end latifundia [big landownership]".

I personally fail to see the connections, in a country less than 20% rural, but then again I have failed to understand much of that jargon. What I am sure is that it means trouble ahead, at least an authoritarian regime if it comes to pass.

El Universal did carry an interesting article today from Manuel Caballero making a loose and not so humorous comparison between the Reichstag burning to the ground and Hitler arresting communists and social democrats, and Chavez with his pseudo paramilitary. Were the paramilitary excuse what Chavez was looking for? One might be tempted to believe so as one observes so many foreign media outlets unable to cast a questioning eye on last Sunday cheap show. Curiously one of the best pieces comes from Liberation, a leftist newspaper in France. Of all the papers around, Liberation does seem to appreciate best the real authoritarian underlining of the Chavez regime. Certainly better than the New York Times that should know better (and who by the way run again in trouble in Brazil).

Well, Sieg Heil! for tonight!

Wet petards in Venezuela

Saturday 15, May 2004

Back in Caracas today. I have been welcomed with some "interesting news".

The Foreign minister in an interview to Radio Caracol from Colombia stated, amazingly, that Venezuela might have "exaggerated" the real purposes of the famous paramilitary. Imagine that!

Alo presidente! Chavez Sunday talk show will not be aired. He has "ceded" the space for broadcasting the "huge popular" march tomorrow, where people will march against "terrorism, foreign intervention, popular sovereignty and the Constitution".

Ismael Garcia keeps saying that he has the proof that the OAS is being bought by Cisneros, the wealthy Venezuelan businessman. Apparently some low key bureaucrats were treated to a week end in Los Roques by Venevision. We are waiting for the stubs to appear. Meanwhile he is less adamant about the OAS and the Carter Center to leave the country. Looks like more backpedaling if you ask me.

Expect soon a new scandal, about the only thing that could help forget completely the "Bahia de Cachitos" affair (1).

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(1) The pun circulating around Caracas is that the paramilitary affair was intended to be the Chavez equivalent of Bahia de Cochinos, Bay of Pigs in English, the failed landing of 1960 against Castro. But since the clean cut and unarmed paramilitary found were eating fancy croissants "cachitos", the pun was quickly created...

A few vulgar details in Venezuela: chavismo reveals its class, yet again

Friday 14, May 2004

It is in such moments that the true colors of people are revealed, when decisions must be taken rather fast and based on heartfelt principles, without forgetting a minimum of clear headed cogitation. I have already translated articles of Milagros Socorro (1) who has made a specialty at demonstrating the lack of principles and values of people that are still surrounding Comandante Chavez (though not necessarily lack of value, singular, depending on the price one is willing to pay for).

I have gathered a few little things, some rather small news, but elements that will describe the mettle and moral corruption of many a chavista follower.

Iris Varela. One of the loudest Assemblywoman in chavismo's bare majority, has managed amazingly to have the National Assembly vote a petition to tribunals to strip of their Venezuelan citizenship a few notorious journalist that happen to have been born outside of Venezuela (and disagree with Chavez). As if this neo-fascist approach to obtain "truth" in journalism were not enough, this morning on a TV talk show, she admitted her sympathies for the Colombian guerillas (FARC and ELN). At least one good thing came out of this disgraceful moment, it turned out that about half a dozen chavista assemblyfolks left the room instead of having to vote on such an outrage.

Ismael Garcia. This other Chavez supporter is the campaign head of the various chavista electoral efforts. The leader of a quasi fringe group he has gained quite a notoriety by saying the most outrageous things, not bothering to present a minimum of credible evidence to support them. Today, not to be left behind of the Chavez/CNE offensive against the outside world he accused the Carter Center and the OAS to have received funding from the opposition. But Mr. Garcia does not realize that in other countries standards are a little bit more elevated than in the glorious Bolivarian Revolution. Swiftly, and briefly, the OAS replied that it was not true. Period. Leaving Ismael to either bring real proof or wipe the egg from his face.

Isaias Rodriguez. The General Prosecutor, a supposedly independent position within one of the "5 powers" of the Bolivarian Constitution (2), has served notice to Justice Martini Urdaneta that he was under investigation. The reason? Improper procedures followed when he ruled on the validity of the signatures objected by the CNE. Now, Isaias Rodriguez has no business to rule in that matter, certainly none until the High Court rules on the conflict of between the Constitutional and Electoral Courts. That is, not until somebody entitled to put a claim against one of the Justices. The diligence of the prosecutor in this case where chavismo interests are directly at stake is to be contrasted with the unbelievable delays that his office has put on matters such as of the April 2002 deaths investigation. Few people are as discredited as Mr. Rodriguez in Venezuela.

Fidolo Salcedo, the Capriles Radosnki judge. This judge, a provisional judge, has been warming up a few benches for three years, not deserving enough under chavismo eyes. On Alo Ciudadano tonight, Gerardo Blyde a Primero Justicia Assemblyman and one of the best legal minds of the country, regaled us with quite a story. Apparently, for having accepted to break the law to put Capriles in jail (3), the judge finally got yesterday his long awaited promotion. And it turns out that he is a dentist turned judge 5 years ago. Blyde was wondering if he still is collecting his paycheck from teaching at dental school.

President Chavez. We could not leave without the latest from the ring leader. After having accused Colombia and the US of being behind the paramilitary episode of Sunday, today when the Colombian Foreign Minister, Carolina Barco, came to town to discuss serious matters we observed quite a backpedaling on the issue. This afternoon at a press conference only for foreign correspondents (Chavez does not give press conferences to Venezuelan media) he said that the Colombian government had nothing to do with the affair! What? In 48 hours Colombia goes from the invader to a bystander? But he still could not resist to comment that although he had no proof of US implication in this sordid invasion, he still believed they were behind it. And Chavez is surprised when people do not take him seriously! Maybe one day he will realize that silence is golden.

Yes folks, this are the people that are the "decision makers" in Venezuela. No wonder we are in so much trouble.

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(1) The op-ed of Ms. Socorro yesterday was another little gem of simplicity and of important questions.

(2) The "citizens power" is comprised by three people, the General prosecutor, the Ombudsman and the General comptroller. Their basic function is to instruct prosecution cases for judicial trials, monitor public servants and check out the Nation's accounting, respectively. Together the three of them can "investigate" in specific circumstances members of the other powers.

(3) There is a strong rumor going around that the arrest of Capriles Radonski, which has no leg to stand on the evidence presented, is a personal request of Fidel Castro. Apparently he thinks that in Venezuela putting political enemies in jail is as easy as in Cuba. Well, it is not, but it is getting there.

News everywhere!
Venezuela invaded? The Carter Center and OAS booted out of Venezuela?

Thrusday 13, May 2004

Morning TV was abuzz with yesterday major news of Chavez declaring Venezuela invaded. But the pace kept going on this morning as the Electoral Board, CNE, demanded an apology from the OAS and Carter Center or else. Let’s go by parts.

Chavez installs the National Defense Council.

As incredulity keeps receiving the Sunday adventure, chavismo realizes that sending the usual revolutionary spokes people might not be enough. Not afraid of ridicule, the Great Leader convoked the National Defense Council because “Venezuela has been invaded”. This was of course a perfect opportunity for yet another cadena. No opportunity was wasted to criticize Colombia and the US, going as far as saying such things as "I have no proof but I am sure that". Well, a blogger might get away with such a statement but not the president of a country. And the Coordinadora Democratica wasted no time in condemning Chavez international gambling.

It is scary to see that Chavez seems only too ready to take the relations between Colombia and Venezuela to the brink. How desperate are these people? A possible answer next.

The Carter Center and the OAS run afoul of the CNE.

Two days ago the Carter Center issued a communiqué which diplomatically stated their concerns as to the course that was taking the signature repair process. It seems that this was not pleasant for the chavista members of the CNE. From El Universal English section:

The president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Francisco Carrasquero, urged the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Carter Center to publicly apologize with the agency for their comments on the CNE's willingness to accept signature invalidation from "repentant" signers of the presidential recall petition.

Carrasquero warned that if the two organizations do not take their words back, the electoral authority will "reconsider" their performances during the referendum process.

Jorge Rodriguez said Thursday morning that he will "never again" attend any meeting with Francisco Diez of the Centro Carter and Marcelo Duarte of the OAS because of their "disloyalty."

The Carter Center and the OAS issued on Wednesday a joint declaration saying that "repentance" as a reason to withdraw a signature from a recall request is not among the international standards on the matter.

Well, as it happens that has been the latest trick tried out by the CNE, of which I spoke a few days ago discussing the many questions that must be addressed if a clean Repair Process is to be achieved. There is a little item in that declaration which can be seen as the "writing on the wall" for the CNE shenanigans, and probably explains why they decided to move to the offensive against the observers:

Both the OAS and The Carter Center are deeply concerned by reports of intimidation of signers. We reiterate that each individual signer should be able to freely exercise his/her right to reparo, without harassment or coercion, whether it is exercised directly, or indirectly through the deprivation of rights or benefits to which all should have equal access.

But how bad is the electoral situation for Chavez?

At the Central University of Venezuela, UCV, the internal elections ended up with the trashing of the chavista candidate by the anti Chavez candidate by a 4 to 1 count. The traditionally left leaning UCV has abandoned the ship.

Recent polls are more and more scary as they show a stalemate, Chavez being unable to make any headway no matter how much money he throws out to buy votes. The GQR poll for example show that Chavez would be losing the Recall Election and that around 90% of those that have to repair their signature will more than likely do so. But regional polls are hadly any more reassuring. The Chavez "Bete Noire" in Zulia, governor Rosales, is riding a very comfortable advance over his chavista opponent, 69% to 21% according to Consultores21. Even worse, the favorable opinion question gave a 28% for Chavez but a 60% for Rosales, establishing clearly that part of the Rosales vote is an anti Chavez vote.

The best strategy for chavismo seems to be shooting the messenger, a sure sign that their own unpublished polls are probably confirming all these numbers. Again let’s look at the English section of El Universal:

María Corina Machado, spokeswoman of the civil organization Sumate, appeared Wednesday before a national attorney [prosecutor] to testify in connection with the investigation about the alleged funding Sumate has received from the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

Sumate, the organization that has processed the opposition's signatures to request a presidential recall, is not being investigated for electoral felonies but for treason, a crime that the Venezuelan law punishes with 20 to 30 years of prison.

Probably they will indict Ms. Machado from carrying fancy pastries to the paramilitary in Daktari farm.

Ah! Realismo Magico!

Operation Red Dawn in Venezuela
One version of what really happened last Sunday

Wednesday 12, May 2004

I had no idea that I would have to break my oath earlier today that fast. But this is new worthy material.

Marianella Salazar is a journalist with a long distinguished, if controversial, career. She writes for El Nacional and has made through the Chavez years a virtue of frivolity as a weapon of resistance to the vulgarity that besieges us everyday. She is actually rather well informed, in particular on military matters having scored a few hits such as the FARC traffic through the Colombo-Venezuelan border. Her column today offers a fascinating interpretation of the events of last Sunday. Whether it is true, it makes required reading. And it also will make more of a target for a chavismo going berserk.


Operation Red Dawn

Jose Vicente Rangel broke his legendary poise and showed himself decomposed in front of the cameras, -a theater of operations that he usually handles well- when Operation Red Dawn, mounted with months of anticipation in the Situational Room was exposed before the national and international public opinion like a piece of buffoonery, a weird police-military operation with many loose ends. For a long time the government has been unsuccessfully making up coups and riots that would allow it to appear like a victim before the international community, to persecute decidedly the opposition, to end the Recall Election and to complete the purge initiated within the Armed Forces.

The alleged paramilitary that arrived to assault a military barrack and to attempt against the president of Venezuela are a badly told story. Not even at the time of the war against the Castro-Communist guerrilla of the Sixties, the Armed Forces had the opportunity to face an enemy with the power and quality of the opponent arrested this past May 9. Never was there a organization, an assembly and a strength in an enemy so abundant, preceded of so ferocious a battle experience, as the United Self Defense of Colombia (AUC).

Then, why the absence of the Army since it is the component most suitable of the National Armed Forces (FAN)to fight terrorists, and instead, the responsibility of that operation was unloaded on the CICPC (FBI like), commandos of the Disip (National Police) and Detachment 51 of the National Guard (GN), who by the way, was quartered this Saturday waiting for a military action at dawn.

The innocents

The Colombian citizens, disarmed, uniformed with "camouflage fatigues" of the Venezuelan Army and stopped by the Metropolitan Police and the one of El Hatillo, are humble and innocent farmers recruited in Cucuta, who under promise of payment and an ID card came with the illusion of improving their lot in life. Our military sources indicate as the people likely in charge military double agents -identified in my column of 02/11/04 as infiltrated agents who encouraged within the FAN a coup d'etat for that Friday 13 of February- who in complicity with the national security corps, brought the farmers on false pretense and provided them uniforms to attend, dressed like reservists, a supposed act of masses in which president Chavez would participate.

Under that deceit they would take them to get a Venezuelan ID to Detachment 51 of El Paraiso. But the scheme underwent an unexpected change from the operational people in charge - the minister of the Defense, the commander of the GN and the director of the Disip- when the driver of one of the buses hired (not highjacked) called by a cell phone his wife, to alert the her that he feared a kidnapping. She was the one who called the Metropolitan Police, who, jointly with the police of El Hatillo intercepted them and gave them to the Disip. That explains that the tame paramilitary, with scared faces, did not react with violence or rebelled. According to the sources, the Colombian citizens were saved of being massacred in Detachment 51 of the GN, where "Red Dawn" was programmed.

Governmental Charade

The incoherence in the paramilitary plot is striking successive and evident blows to logic. The entrance of the alleged militias to Venezuelan territory is a filigree operation, difficult to hide from the organisms of security of the state, without the provision of internal complicity. Then there is the transfer to the final locale (Hacienda Daktari, in the municipality of El Hatillo), that judging by the information of the day was made as an afterthought and without security previsions.

With this Opera Buffa the case of Fort Mara dead soldiers, the planting of private Barroso, the drowned soldier of Socuavo, the Zambrano case, the human rights violations, the elections in the Central University of Venezuela, the Rematazo, the Recall Election, the North American diplomatic offensive, the military judgments to the journalists, the political persecution against mayors and governors, and the generalized repression drop to a discreet background. But, luckily, the truth, that cannot be avoided usually prevails over the camouflages. And it will pop out.

Where are we standing right now in Venezuela?

The short answer: we really have no clue.

The long answer is of course a little bit more complicated. Since I want to close this chapter of the alleged captured paramilitary, I will write a brief estimation now and move on to other more interesting topics. At least until real answers come forward.

One fact is now certain: a hundred or so Colombians have found their way to Caracas. This by itself is quite important as it might reflect the vulnerability of the Venezuelan state to all sorts of foreign attacks. Who, and how, brought in these Colombians must be duly investigated. Even if it was a show for political purpose, the fact is that somebody was able to plan such a dangerous show.

This is pretty much all.

Which are the pressing questions that must be answered in the next few days?

Who are these Colombians?

Apparently a couple of dozens of them did serve in the Colombian Army. Only one of them has a criminal track record. The other are just the local variation of Joe Sixpack. According to Colombia. But it should be pointed out that Colombia responded to a list sent by Venezuela and that no actual Colombian security personnel has been brought, yet. In all fairness this question cannot be answered without a shade of doubt as long as Colombian security is not allowed to examine the suspects. Otherwise for all that we know they could be some Venezuelan recruits with a fake list courtesy of the Colombian underworld organizations.

Who brought them to Venezuela?

The government has made a few arrests and has pointed a few fingers at the dissident military, certainly prime suspects. A Venezuelan of Cuban origin is also pointed out because the farm where the arrests were made belonged to him, and because he has an active web presence promoting forms of civil disobedience. Unfortunately there are a few contradictions as some of the military sought might have been in the Chavez camp at some point, such as the one hoarding bulletproof vests. Not to mention that the government might take advantage of the situation to arrest its political enemies for at least a short while. Without forgetting that these arrests warrants do not rule out other military inside the Chavez camp that could be double agents. A lot of work until a real answer comes here

How did they make it to Caracas?

Coming all the way to Caracas from the Colombian border without proper documentation is rather difficult. It seems that to bring in 130 or more Colombian paramilitary would be impossible without some collaboration from the Venezuelan Army. How could the dissident military pull out that feat without some help from their friends inside the regular Army? Did they come one by one? How easy it is to organize such a drop wise travel without having a “ferocious” paramilitary be caught somewhere?

How could they hide for 40 days?

The area neighborhood has reported nothing suspicious. What did these paramilitary do for 40 days? Did they “train” without guns? Where is the evidence of what they were doing for 6 weeks in a place that does not even have running water? And how could they hide so close to the big city where any one of them could have sneaked in and disappear, in particular after a few claustrophobic weeks? Remember that we are talking young and vigorous men here.


All the other questions are just “details”: the alleged targets, who found them, how come only the state News happened to be there, the semi decapitated body found and more.

It is absolutely pointless to ask more questions until some of these are answered. I will come back on this subject only when interesting data appears. Meanwhile I much prefer to talk about the Recall Election and dead soldiers killed at the hand of real Venezuelan Military.

Let me remind the gentle reader of one thing: who cares what the paramilitary will do to the Venezuelan civilian population when the Venezuelan Army is already hurting that very same population that it is supposed to protect? You may read the latest Amnesty International Report if interested.