You would think from the headlines of El Universal, El Mundo and Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias shown above, that the Government had scored a big victory in signing a collective bargaining agreement with Sidor workers and managing to appease Venezuela’s steel conglomerate and its unions.
Except that the information is fake. False.
There is no agreement. This is just a staging of the signing of a contract.
There is no legally signed or approved contract. It has not been approved by the Assembly of workers, nor has it been signed by the Executive Committee of the union. This is simply a media operation by the Government taking advantage of its almost total control over all the print and broadcast media. For more than 15 million Venezuelans, the Government won in its fight against the “right” trying to destabilize it using Sidor. When and if there are more protests in the upcoming days, the Government will remind everyone that a contract was signed and the workers can’t go to work because a small group of “right wing” union workers (I would like to meet just one!) decided to boycott the agreement. You and I and others that read Tal Cual or Damian Prat will know it is not true. But it does not matter. The Government does not care about Sidor producing or union workers having rights. All it cares about is its image, which it can control via its control of the media.
Orwell would have been proud of them.
Some reader made a comment saying that what I posted is not from today’s El Mundo. I have no idea what he is talking about, but here is the front page of El Mundo today
and here is page 14 with the story
The Devil's Excrement 
September 7, 2014 at 7:45 am
А
http://proday2kolesa.com.ua/
сайт продажи мотоциклов
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August 25, 2014 at 12:05 am
They always seem to do the very opposite of what should be done. Free the markets and the shortages and long lines will all end.
August 19, 2014 at 1:06 pm
I remember when SIdor and all of the Puerto Ordaz area industries were vibrant, international players, They were professionally managed with good engineering and a lot of international investors.
Now they are inefficient industrial carcasses incapable of any real competiton.
The required raw materials are in the area so eventually these industries could be re-developed at enormous cost after the current collectivist nonsense disappears like the vapor it is,
August 17, 2014 at 6:39 pm
The cancer in Cuba-Venezuela, sooner than later, will spread to the rest of Latinamerica and other countries. Moises Nain wrote this a book “The End of Power.” However, his thoughts do not seem to apply to the current political power in Cuba-Venezuela which seems endless.
August 19, 2014 at 10:30 am
I am not so sure. The countries that have already gone through and overcome their populist leftist crisis are more or less vaccinated against it for a couple of generations. At least, I don’t see Chile and Colombia succumbing any time soon.
August 21, 2014 at 1:15 pm
Didn’t people in Colombia voted again for Santos, the same man who’s directing the sickening charade with the pedo-narco-terrorist farcs seeking to give them all the impunity possible for the thousands of crimes?
Hell yeah, Colombians are so well vaccinated from the comunist gangrene.
August 16, 2014 at 4:39 pm
[…] Via The Devil's Excrement: […]
August 16, 2014 at 4:33 pm
Thank you for your kind responses to my comment. We know that this is a blog about Venezuela. We are sad that the government hurts the people. You may know how much oil the US gets from Venezuela. This money supports your government. A quick study of US laws, passed over the last 10 years will show how little separation there is in the branches of US government and how many rights we have lost. Big corporations control our government. It is easy to verify if one follows state and national elections. Big companies pay low taxes and use profits to rig elections. We feel that the government no longer represents the common people of the US. Perhaps there is a positive manner that is non violent that could help us get our lives back both in Venezuela and the US. BTW there is no news about the cholera epidemic in Cuba. Could it hurt Venezuela ? S.
August 16, 2014 at 5:56 pm
There is a huge difference between what is going on in the US and in Venezuela as Roy so correctly pointed out. Just think, come next year, there will be elections and Obama will be out. At this point Chavismo has a hold on power on Venezuela for who knows how long.
August 17, 2014 at 10:26 am
“We know”
“We are sad”
“We feel”
Are you schizophrenic? Who is we?
“You may know how much oil the US gets from Venezuela.”
Less and less everyday.
“A quick study of US laws”
Did the legislature give the president dictatorial powers? No.
Have the courts overruled both the legislature and executive? Yes.
“It is easy to verify”
Which voice in your head verified it? How has that been verified?
“Big companies pay low taxes”
In case you have not read the news lately, both parties agree that US corp. income taxes are too high driving companies to reloacted their head offices overseas. The income tax avoidance comes after companies have paid sales, payrole, SS, Medicare/medicaid, property taxes. etc.
“use profits to rig elections.”
Are corps. miscounting votes? Are they stacking election boards with only their lackeys? Are they closing press outlets?
“that could help us get our lives back both in Venezuela and the US.”
The comparison is delusional.
“BTW there is no news about the cholera epidemic in Cuba. Could it hurt Venezuela ?”
Couid it hurt Miami? Its a lot closer.
August 17, 2014 at 3:01 pm
Good response, but I doubt you are going to convince her. She appears impervious to arguments from people who have actual live experience in Venezuela. She (and others) believe what they want to believe.
August 16, 2014 at 2:33 pm
16/08/2014
What Government Control Of The Media Means In Venezuela
anagrammatt2:
Soluciones para los trabajadores de SIDOR!:
Que no cierren a SIDOR!
Coleccionar en secreto AK-47 y balas!
Comer callado lo poco que les dan!
Mi humilde opinion!
August 16, 2014 at 2:31 pm
Reblogged this on anagrammatt2 and commented:
Soluciones para los trabajadores de SIDOR!:
Que no cierren a SIDOR!
Coleccionar en secreto AK-47 y balas!
Comer callado lo poco que les dan!
Mi humilde opinion!
August 16, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Perdon: fuera noooo! fuerza!
August 16, 2014 at 2:28 pm
Una equivocada política exterior. Por: Fernando Ochoa Antich. El Nacional
anagrammatt2 Says:
16 de agosto de 2014 en 2:32 PM | Responder
Ochoa Antich es culpable de tener la mentalidad erronea del pacifismo de Caldera! Politica erronea de Lusinchi y Carlos Andres Perez! Politica errones de Claudio Fermin, Oswaldo Alvares Paz, etc! Esos locos del grupo de Chavez ya los conocian y no los demitieron del ejercito antes de su fallido golpe o presos por el tiempo debido y prohibicion a politica!!!
anagrammatt2 Says:
16 de agosto de 2014 en 2:36 PM | Responder
Hay errores politicos, que cuestan hasta la Historia de un pais! Hay errores politicos, que cuestan hasta Guerras Mundiales WW1 y WW2…!!!
NO PENSARON EN UN CAMINO RAPIDO DE REVERSION DE SUS ERRORES OBVIOS MUY TEMPRANAMENTE EN LOS PRIMEROS AÑOS DE CHAVEZ…!
AHORA pica y se extiende el mal! Y ni una fuera de guerrilla como las FARC puede salvar a Venezuela!
Puediera ser que una guerra civil como en Syria lograra cambiar el rumbo perdido para siempre de la Historia de Venezuela!
———————————
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August 16, 2014 at 6:53 am
So? Which paper can I read without propaganda? Just Tal Cual or are there more independend newspaper o websites?
August 15, 2014 at 8:47 pm
That the free press and media in Venezuela has now been silenced by takeovers, loss of license, shortage of paper or physical threats is a fact. You want to disagree? Bring it on! There is more information in the international press as the journalists who know what is going on in Venezuela now write freelance for the international press. Not a great living when few in the world even care about Venezuela. All this is right out of the Cuban Marxist play book. Just because they have not put journalists (and a few bloggers) On The Wall as they did in Cuba, does not mean they don’t want to!
August 15, 2014 at 11:50 pm
Jesus! Don’t put ideas in their heads!
August 15, 2014 at 5:02 pm
It seems that a new strategy is been planned by the goverment. Main papers regional and nationals, cost between 10 and 15 Bs, 20 Bs on sundays. Caracas Today is free, and “La artilleria del pensamiento” is cheaper than “Correo del Caroni”. People at the States, read for “free” the front pages of the news papers, and save Bs. to buy a coffe. Two time tables for the news, and the goverment radios finish what must be known by the people. I never doubt of your credibility, that is what I wonder for just reading internet and listening to some radios. Sorry.
August 15, 2014 at 6:51 pm
No problem Alberto, I thought you were suggesting that this was not the true front page of those papers.
August 15, 2014 at 4:32 pm
As for El Universal
Here is its front page
Click to access primeraPlana.pdf
The picture from ACN was what was on this morning. Obviously it chnages during the day.
August 15, 2014 at 4:29 pm
Additionally, what you read online changes all the time. The day’s paper, which is what I put in my post, does not.
August 15, 2014 at 3:44 pm
“El Mundo Economia y Negocios” of today 15/August/2014 is not what the blog shows in the front page, nor any announcement is mentioned about the problem in Sidor. Radio news this morning, in interview of a sindicate leader of Suttis, declared that the signature of two leaders of Suttis does not means the acceptance of the contract, because it has to be approved by the workers in a poll. I wonder about the front page, because you may read ” 15 de Agosto” in the blog. Today reactions in Guayana proves that no valid signature has been made.
August 15, 2014 at 3:57 pm
Really? You are saying I made this whole page up? That is what I get with my susbcription. I have posted the whole thing in the post. Maybe you can explain that.
August 15, 2014 at 4:02 pm
I don´t say you did it. I say what I read in the web (no subscription). AVN does not show what you show neither El Universal. What is going on?
August 15, 2014 at 4:16 pm
Above you will find the front page and page 14 of today’s El Mundo. It is one thing the stories El Mundo let’s you read for free and another the issue of the paper you can subscribe to and/or buy at the puesto de periodicos. Go out and buy one and you will find exactly what I posted.
August 15, 2014 at 2:29 pm
“Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.”
“WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH”
George Orwell would have had a field day with Chavismo. Or, is it Chavismo having a field day with George Orwell?
August 15, 2014 at 12:55 pm
This blog is about Venezuela.
August 15, 2014 at 1:21 pm
Thank you M.O.
August 15, 2014 at 1:27 pm
For?
August 19, 2014 at 10:33 am
For setting the record straight regarding the nature of this blog; well explained by Roy above. I have follow your blog for long time; also admire your orquids
August 15, 2014 at 12:15 pm
We wish the Venezuelan NEWS would stop copying US media strategy. Like “we need to help the migrant children- put them in “prison” for safety. We need to protect Palestinian children- send bombs to Israel. But the prez is not sending troops to Iraq- just advisors -most are human rights workers- with guns..” Remember that the Peacemaker is a revolving pistol. S.
August 15, 2014 at 2:48 pm
Susan,
You should know that we in Venezuela find comparisons of American party politics to what is happening in Venezuela offensive. You may claim that the differences are only quantitative instead of qualitative, but please let me assure you that this is not the case. America still has separation of powers between the branches of government. Venezuela does not. America still has a free press (however silly it often is). Venezuela does not. Americans have legal rights and institutions that are pledged and dedicated to protecting those rights. Venezuelans do not.
As Miguel said, this is a blog about Venezuela which has a history and set of economic and cultural realities very different from America. It cannot be well understood solely through the prism of the American experience. And, it certainly cannot be understood in the context of the traditional American Right-Left political dichotomy. Please keep an open mind when reading about what happens here.
August 16, 2014 at 4:57 am
Well said.
And the idea that something may be wrong in the U.S. (based on opinion, of course), doesn’t make anything in VZ LESS wrong.
August 16, 2014 at 12:27 pm
Thanks Ira. I tried to craft that response to avoid giving offense. I hope I succeeded. Even with my family and friends in the U.S., I find it difficult to explain the situation here. Their experience is too limited and they try to fit the facts into the political model they are familiar with.
Of course, with ordinary Americans or even Europeans, this is understandable. What really makes me crazy is when professional politicians, diplomats, and journalists, who should know better, do the same.
August 17, 2014 at 1:40 pm
I agree Roy, that there are no comparisons between the USA today and Venezuela today. But what is interesting to me, is i see many similarities between Venezuela when they first started their slid into hell and the USA of today. They are on the same road down. Yes, there are still separation of powers, but way less than when obama took over. America still has a free press, but that is even getting arguable. My point is, American seems to be trying to race Venezuela to the bottom, although, Venezuela has a huge head start.
August 17, 2014 at 3:04 pm
Sigh… Please re-read original comment.