…Armageddon?
Mad Maduro’s minions just announced a date for Venezuela’s elections – July 28. The Barbados Agreement he’d signed with the United Opposition parties had specified the “second half of 2024” – so he was cutting it mighty close. But the date – picked out of twenty that had been suggested by his party and allies – wasn’t unexpected, since it is the birthday of Hugo Chavez!! That alone gives a huge boost to Mad Maduro, since the cult of Chavismo still moves the masses and the armed forces!! He’s counting that with the country festooned with images of Chavez alongside his, it’s gonna be very difficult for them to not put their “X” for the party Chavez founded.
The elephant in the (elections) room, however, remains whether the major Opposition figure Rosario Machado will be allowed to participate. The Barbados Agreement had specified “the parties recognize and respect the right of each political actor to choose their candidate for the presidential elections freely and in accordance with their internal mechanisms”. The hugely popular Machado had overwhelmingly won the Opposition primaries last year to earn that right, but Mad Maduro’s state machinery used the caveat on the above agreement on candidates – “taking into account the provisions of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the law” – to railroad her!! The institutions deciding whether Machado had violated any of “Venezuela’s laws” are all, of course, under Mad Maduro’s thumb!!
With any other Opposition candidate running against him – even with Machado’s support – Mad Maduro would’ve boosted his chances of slipping back into office. We now have to wait for the other foot to drop – Uncle Sam’s size twelves!! At Machado’s original disqualification, the US immediately rolled back part of the sanctions it had lifted – the one having to do with gold exports – and threatened that if she weren’t allowed to run, Chevron and other foreign oil companies’ licences, that expire end April, would not be renewed!! These companies have offered Mad Maduro a lifeline out of the economic meltdown Venezuela had suffered after Chavez had kicked out the foreign companies that had the capital and expertise PDVSA had haemorrhaged under Chavez and Maduro’s ministrations!!
Up to now, Mad Maduro’s been talking fat: he’s counting on Biden not rocking the oil-import cart to have gas prices at the pump rise, with elections due in November. March 25 is the deadline for candidates to register – and so the US doesn’t have much time to signal its move to ensure free and fair elections in Venezuela.
Another six years of Mad Maduro’s reign – with drug running at the highest levels; criminal gold syndicatos; PDVSA’s revenues stolen by army controllers; destabilization of neighbours; etc – cannot stand!! Bun, Mad Maduro!!
…anarchy?
For more than two hundred years after slavery, to become a Civil Servant was the dream of the freed slaves and their descendants. This wasn’t only wukking for the white man who lorded over them, but the RULING white man who lorded even those who ran the plantations and businesses!! To not only BE in their presence, but almost rub shoulders as they scribbled away at their journal entries was to be in heaven!! And when they descended back to their homes, they NEVER let their neighbours forget it!! They cultivated the mores and manners of the whites, and snottily kept themselves apart.
But it all fell apart when they followed the despised masses and formed unions to bargain for money. They forgot that even if they’d been living in poverty, it was a GENTEEL poverty – and they could keep up their airs!! And look where it’s led them! Not only banging tables and behaving bad after losing elections – but loudly playing soca music!!
What next?? Bangalee Babu??
…cultural oblivion?
So, why’d the authorities launch a Literary Festival – around the Guyana Prize awards – but no one was told about it via the mass media?? Was that meant to keep out the unwashed hoi polloi – and create a new GENTEEL stratum?
