(Este post en español aquí)
Yesterday, Chavez’ PSUV party held its weekly meeting and the outcome could not have been more cynical and proof of the lack of scruples and disregard for human rights Chavismo has for the citizens of Venezuela.
First, the Minister of Finance and member of the Board of PSUV (only in Venezuela!) said the attack on the 12 reporters was “provoked” and that the reporters were acting as citizens, not as reporters.
Huh?
We will get to the provocation later, but the Minister (and Board member of Chavez’ party) seems to be saying than in this country with no law and order, and Government it is OK to beat up anyone you see in the street exposing and protesting a point of view you don’t agree with.
Because it seems that time after time, it just so happens that it is always the anti-Chavez (not opposition, as we will see later) point of view that gets beaten up. Funny, no?
And the Secretary general pf the Communist party (El Nacional) seemed to agree when he said “we are at war” (Yeah, but who has the weapons?) and “protesting has its risks”
Again, the risks are only associated only with opposing Chavez, it is always opposition marches (with permits) that get gassed and attacked, but somehow Chavista protesters (without permits most of the time) are always free to do so and when an anti-Chavez march is nearby, the police always seems to be protecting them.
But let’s go back to the so called provocation by reporters from the Cadena Capriles, a mostly pro-Chavez (or servile) media outlet which consists of a number of very popular newspapers. These guys were walking peacefully and certainly not very threatening (note the guy on the right, his name is Marco Ruiz and he was injured:
Do these guys and gals look “provoking” or threatening” to you?
Then, the Chavistas intercept them:
Do these guys look like they are “provoking”? On the contrary, they are holding their hands up, while the Chavistas (mostly workers from a Chavez-financed TV station Avila TV) certainly look like they are ready, not for a fight, but to attack.
And they do, as can be seen in the third picture:
where a guy that I don’t think is Marco Ruiz is attacked and hit on the head (Recall 12 reporters of those marching in the first picture were injured in the attack, no Chavistas were hurt, interesting, no?)
Then, there is this sequence to be published by Cadena Capriles tomorrow in the newspapers, where you see Marco Ruiz after being beaten with a bat (nice people! This is what Ali Rodriguez seems to approve of)is down on the floor and anther reporter from his paper (Cesar Batiz) comes to his rescue:
In the last picture even a street vendor (Cap and red shirt), with more morals and ethics that Chavez’ PSUV Board members, intervenes and steos in between the Chavistas and the injured reporter.
There you have it, an outlaw Government who could care little for human rights or the rights of anyone that disagrees with them and justifies an attack on innocent people, because the Government they preside and participate in, is incapable of providing the safety and defending the most basic rights of the Venezuelan citizens.
And they dare call this a revolution!
The Devil's Excrement 
August 30, 2009 at 6:41 pm
[…] el doble estándar sigue con el ataque a los periodistas de la Cadena Capriles, de lo cual ya hice un post mostrando cómo los chavistas atacaron a los periodistas. Una vez más, a pesar de las fotos y […]
August 27, 2009 at 10:48 pm
[…] Chavez’ fascismThe revolutionary “privilege” of getting rid of the country’s best scientistsThe sequence of events that Chavismo cynically dared call a “provocation” by reporters attacked …The Bolibourgeois in Action by Teodoro PetkoffThe curious case of Chavez giving Antigua US$ 50 […]
August 23, 2009 at 6:00 am
GWEH I don’t know if your “Capriles” story is true or false but I do know that you at least got some facts wrong. The woman that’s in jail for killing her boyfriend’s lover is not a Capriles, she’s De Armas, different media group.
August 22, 2009 at 2:47 am
Crow, are you an agent? It seems this thread is swimming with agents. We need to start cross-checking IP addresses again…
“Connie Mack is all we have…”
I think Connie Mack is ALL YOU HAVE.
I should not bother with your last sentence because your ignorance of Citgo’s U.S. distribution network is blatant. You are about 4 years behind and need some serious catching up. Please do your homework and refrain from posting out of your a**. This is not Venezuela 101.
August 21, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Hey GWEH,
Connie Mack is all we have, at least he speaks out against the dictators in our southern hemisphere. Obama just wants to be friends with Chavez and let him do what he wants. I firmly believe that the American people can put an end to Chavez by simply boycoting Citgo. Without US dollars, Chavez has nothing…
August 21, 2009 at 9:49 pm
bono
when you have spent as much time writing an opposition blog as miguel has done, putting himself in the front of a sector of the anti chavez movement, and thus willingly becoming a potential target of chavismo, then you will be allowed to question miguel as to whether he will attend the march tomorrow.
August 21, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Bono, seriously: you have no bloody idea.
August 21, 2009 at 4:12 pm
This is the kind of people we are dealing with, my friends:
http://bit.ly/1pGYI8
No remorse whatsoever and total denial of a criminal act. The fact that Thugo himself goes on national television saying “those reporters weren’t doing their job, they were giving away pamphlets” says a lot of about the kind of scum they are.
I’m specially saddened since I used to be friends with the author of that “piece”, I can’t comprehend how he has the balls (or be so short-sighted) to imply that the social differences of one side or the other can justify people being beaten for giving away pamphlets on the street.
These are the kind of people who in a case of rape would put the blame on the girl for wearing a mini-skirt. Mindfuck is how feel.
August 21, 2009 at 3:03 pm
miguel, you didn’t answer my question…
most of people talk talk and talk but when figth matters dont care… a lot of people said this bill is for adoctrinar our child, tomorrow they are going to the beach… thats my point… are you going tomorrow? becasue it seems you just write from wherever you are and dont get involved
August 21, 2009 at 10:14 am
I am opposition from day 0, but I am pissed off at the way the opposition gives so much credit to Globovision. It preaches to the converted. That would not be a problem at all if it were not because of this: its way of broadcasting has this “tonito”, this attitude, that turns away almost anyone who is not an oppo. It seems a lot of people don’t get it.
Don’t get me wrong, Globo shows some value added, but it is wrapped up in such a way that most people tire off.
VTV can do that and it does much much worse, we can’t afford it. We need to communicate in a way that attracts “the others”. Well, I don’t expect Globo to become more effective at this stage but we do need to do it. We need to go to the big masses in any way we can and win them over. I know it is going to be hard, very hard, but we must do it.
As Uslar Pietri said over 70 years ago, Venezuelans have turned into parasites. Most have very low education levels, most think one way or the other the states has to provide for them, most are convinced Venezuela is rich, there is just need of a different distribution. It is very difficult to motivate the masses with anything but outright demagoguery and ready-to-deliver food bags or whiskey for the better off…but there are some possibilities.
Now take the education law. It sucks, it is bad, very bad. Still: the way most see it is “how is it going to affect private schools and our children at university”. Yes, that is bad, but you won’t get many people outside protesting unless you also put forward arguments to the poor.
The best description of the law I have seen so far is in The Economist’s latest edition, not in our media.
It is hard, but the opposition leaders need to get out of the east of the
capital, listen to the people outside, to the smaller towns, deliver a new message
Look here:
http://venezuela-europa.blogspot.com/2009/08/venezuelans-on-crossroad.html
The vast majority of children in Venezuela go to state schools. Their parents care even if they are not organized at all. Isn’t there a message for them? Are the heads of “camara de la educación privada” and the heads of universities the only ones to talk?
August 21, 2009 at 9:52 am
hey miguel, or any bodyhere, are you going to walk the street next saturday against the educational bill?? or you really are not interesting in marchitas because it is not for you?
August 21, 2009 at 7:54 am
I agree with deananash in principle but if the events of the general strike of 2002-2003 showed one thing, it was that the general populace did not have the will or the endurance to go all “Atlas Shrugged” on the country. Unfortunately the “best” solutions on paper and principle are not always the most feasible in reality. I see more and more the general situation in Venezuela degenerating into an implosion of Chavismo caused by themselves with Chavez as probable victim and martyr to then evolve into some unsavory version of what “Peronismo” historically became and is in Argentina today. I truly would want that not to be possible but I just don’t see the elements in Venezuelan society to prevent such an outcome. Any opinions on this?
August 21, 2009 at 6:52 am
deannash, step away from your dog eared copy of “atlas shrugged” and take a deep breath. after all, when the AN took a (superficial as hell) page from John Galt and declined to participate in legislative activities, imagining a similar effect as yours, look what happened. passive withdrawal of the press will have no positive result in venezuela. in fact, it is an ill-conceived notion to imagine that el pueblo venezolano will notice, let alone care. the ones that read el nacional and watch globovision don’t need to be convinced. and the marginal and marginalized masses of “revolutionaries” will only see a victory over the putrid, oligarch press.
August 20, 2009 at 8:59 pm
I hear you deananash, but the price IS being paid now and will keep getting worse, at one you have to realise that. Resistance can take many form, passive, or active, and it doe snot necesseraly mean civil war.
August 20, 2009 at 7:20 pm
“nobody special” – the primary problem with your idea is that Chavismo is now bigger than Chavez. And a civil war is going to be WORSE than Chavez, because, in the end, ALL Venezuelans have to live together.
That said, you’re right about there needing to be a ‘cost’ to the perpetrators, both the ones doing the violence AND their supporters (Chavez, et al.)
I think that the answer lies in a complete shutdown, not just 24 hours. The “producers” should simply withdraw their minds from society’s service. What’s more, give Chavez EVERYTHING he wants, and then, egg him on to take even more. The sooner the whole thing implodes and the philosophy is fully discredited, the sooner Venezuela can begin rebuilding. Until then, the only options are war and more of the same. (See “Atlas Shrugged”).
August 20, 2009 at 4:55 pm
With all due respect GWEH at one point violence becomes legitimate and can be used. It’s not a question of being Rambo.
August 20, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Oops, yes, Didalco, thanks…so many thugs, one can mix them up from time to time
August 20, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Kepler I believe you meant “Didalco”
August 20, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Now Diosdado asks for refugee status in Peru. I wonder why we haven’t heard anything more about Carlez.
And on another topic, the “still chavistas”: are they going to do a farce process to absolve Barreto or that is not even necessary and oblivion in Paris is good enough for them?
August 20, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Nobody Special,
That would mean civil war. A lot of high ranking officials would be happy if some extremist kills Hugo.
August 20, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Nobody Special: are you suggesting codes of justice such as an eye for an eye or ley guajira? Assasinating Chavez or murdering Chavistas is not in the cards for the opposition. May I remind you that you are dealing with an extremely powerful state security apparatus and a feeble unarmed opposition. Go play Rambo somewhere else.
August 20, 2009 at 11:58 am
Crow, Connie Mack is well intentioned but his MO is naive at best. Yeah Connie, lets put Venezuela on the State Sponsor of Terrorism list and have sanctions kick in. Let’s kiss the billions in exports to Venezuela goodbye (exports from your State Florida). Lets stop importing Venezuelan petroleum products, create an energy crisis in the middle of this recession and take over Citgo which we will not know what to do with since we will not have Venezuelan petroleum to feed it. Maybe we can sell Citgo to the Russians who then will buy our Venezuelan petroleum allocation and resell it back to us… get the picture?
EARTH TO CONNIE, COME IN OVER….
August 20, 2009 at 11:03 am
Thought you may want to see what US Congressman Connie Mack said recently about Chavez. This was released on August 14, 2009. Mack recently returned from Honduras and supports the current Honduran government.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Connie Mack (FL-14), the Ranking Republican of the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, today urged Congress to stand with the Venezuelan Jewish community and condemn the continued anti-Semitic acts in Venezuela.
Mack’s call comes after news reports indicate that Hezbollah is suspected of building terrorist base camps in Venezuela.
August 19, 2009 at 9:04 pm
The problem is that there is only one way to deal with tyrants… and I won’t expound on that.
Marching in the street??? Please.
Getting beaten for marching in the street? What does anyone expect?
It doesn’t require a mass conspiracy, it doesn’t require an organization, it simply requires people of conscience and integrity…. and a steady hand and a sharp eye…
When the perpetrators of the violence realize that there is a terminal penalty for playing this game, the numbers of players will decrease exponentially and very rapidly.
They want a revolution? Give them one.
August 19, 2009 at 5:15 pm
It’s all about greed. Chavistas are in power to make money and want to stay in power to keep their money. Greed knows no boundaries or ideology. Take the recent case involving Zuloaga’s and the hoarding of vehicles … all true. Zuloaga’s son did this without his father’s knowledge. When the shit hit the fan the old man almost killed the son because the amount of money involved was insignificant for them. They are wealthy yet the son took and incredibly stupid risk to make an extra buck (and stupid he is for keeping the trucks in daddy’s house).
Regarding Patricia, of course she despises Chavismo but the incident shows how she’s willing to frame an innocent “Chavista” judge for money. She justified this knowing she would get away with it.
People are staying in Venezuela to make money. Plain and simple. Those that can leave will eventually leave. When? I say that next years AN elections will be the clincher. If Chavismo takes the AN then it’s time to go. Globovision will be shut down afterwards (2011) if not sooner. I assume everyone is making preparations to leave.
August 19, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Kepler, the Poleo’s cannot be trusted. It’s suspected the old man was a CIA asset during the IVth. Patricia is something else. In her youth she dated a drug dealer and used to visit him in prison for intimate sessions which were secretly videotaped by Disip and then shown around. That is none of my business and I could care less … just sharing old Disip gossip.
The Capriles story is very true and I left parts out to protect sources. I have mentioned before about the fake opposition. Patricia is fake opposition and a fake journalist.
Take her award winning Montesinos reporting (it’s probably online) and then compare that with the US court docs in Jose Guevara vs. Peru government (these were also online at one time). Two different stories. Guevara won a $10M judgement against Peru. Patricia’s version of events was all BS yet she received an award!
I know of this from the law firms and players involved including Mr Jose Guevara.
August 19, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Funny how when you stage a coup against somebody that they lose their sense of humor. The “opposition” is sponsored by the U.S. and there are so many agent provocateurs that you need a play book to keep all of the players straight.
Propaganda on top of propaganda and a bitter opposition that can’t stand Chavez.
What is real and what is not?
Quien sabe?
August 19, 2009 at 9:55 am
Fred, they will always be penalized in the land of dynamic legislation. You just do something that buggers off Hugo, his thugs will create the law and it will be applied retrocactively.
August 19, 2009 at 9:48 am
Gweh,
That is hard to believe and yet possible, it is Venezuela.
What kind of character is Poleo, then?
What does she stand for? Is she just unprofessional or so incredibly crooked?
I suppose she does not like chavismo, she may be close to the Capriles family
August 19, 2009 at 9:31 am
How much would the media lose by shutting down for 24 hours. If they can afford it, they should do it to show the country what the consequences of these new laws could be. Of course, this would have to be organized quickly and perhaps anounced only the night before. Can they be penalized for not transmitting, printing news, etc. for one day?
August 19, 2009 at 9:15 am
The judge also learned her lesson. She knew that accepting the TSJ post meant subservience to Chavismo but she did it anyways because she badly wanted to be a supreme court justice. Today she resides in the US.
August 19, 2009 at 9:08 am
here’s a Capriles side-story that involves a host of characters, the USG, Patricia Poleo, and The Miami Herald… (this is a quick summary):
The female Capriles heir that is languishing in prison for having killing the girlfriend of her lover unsuccesfully tried to bribe the female TSJ judge (the same judge that oversaw MIcrostar case).
The judge is independently wealthy from family fortune and has a home in the US.
A plot was hatched by the Capriles woman and powerful Chavista cohorts to get the judge out of the way.
The judge was a frequent traveler to the US where she has a daughter in college.
Patricia Poleo (pen for hire) was paid to write a column in the Miami Herald that the judge was arriving to Miami with significant amounts of monies aka money laundering. Simultaneously, the FBI was informed of the same by a Venezuelan confidential informant on both sides of the fence.
The stage was set… the judge arrived in the US and was greeted at her home by two FBI agents. The judge was aggresively question but not arrested. Realizing she was being framed, the judge sought help. Luckily for the judge she was innocent and has well connected friends in the US who helped her clear things up.
Lots of lessons here: things are not what they seem to be. Patricia Poleo is not who she says she is (her Montesinos reporting was false yet she received an award), the media cannot always be trusted, The Miami Herald was duped, the FBI was duped, it’s all about money.
August 19, 2009 at 8:12 am
The PSUV’s initial statement about the attacks (issued Friday) was quite different–a simple, terse condemnation. Word must’ve reached Rodríguez that that needed to be amended.
August 19, 2009 at 7:51 am
I ve sayed a lot of times, if people want to keep marching, they got to do it ready to call at arms… ¿How many times have we seen this scenario over the last months? It’s time to make a statement to be broadcasted, that if attacked, we will fight back, and get ready to defend ourselves. As Churchilll said (I think) “Habla con suavidad pero lleva siempre contigo un garrote”
August 19, 2009 at 7:35 am
Chavez agrees:
http://www.noticias24.com/actualidad/noticia/76376/dice-que-periodistas-de-la-cadena-capriles-agredidos-provocaron-lo-que-les-paso/
These guys were “provoking” so they were asking for it.
Should I be livid? Shocked? Nah… The time for that was 10 years ago, when this bozo was first elected.
August 19, 2009 at 5:12 am
So did the attackers really get arrested or are they on vacation in Cuba with Lina Ron?