Sunday, September 25, 2005

La Marqueseña owner sticks to his principles, defending his farm You have to admire Carlos Azpurua. The military has surrounded his farm La Marqueseña. Chavez himself went there today to hold his program and almost announced some form of agreement with Azpurua. But nothing doing according to Azpurua late today, who is sticking to his guns and remianing in his farm. Azpurua thanked Chavez for his words, but reiterated that his farm is private property. He said he would study the President's proposal and sort of sent Chavez a challenge when he said that he believed the President when he said that he would no run over anyone. He also said any agreement would need to pay him and his partners, of which there are six, to receive compensation first. Venezuela needs more fighting men of principles like Carlos Azpurua. Others would shut up, hide or run (In fact, many do everyday, preferring to make a buck quietly!). He is standing by his principles and ethics and his own well being is at stake. I hope, but doubt, that Chavez will stick to his words. I fear there will be blood in La Marqueseña. 8:25:02 PM    comment []

Hugo sows fears by Teodoro Petkoff Typically Teodoro Petkoff does not write his Editorial on Fridays unless something important requires it. This Friday he did, here it is. Hugo sows fears by Teodoro Petkoff in Tal Cual “To those that we expropriate the land from, maybe I will give them a paper: In 2030 collect from Chávez”. Perhaps the President intended to make a (bad) joke with this idea, but there is no doubt that his subconscious gave him away letting out a repressed wish. Deep inside, one may believe he wants to confiscate and not expropriate. In fact, when he refers to the payment for the properties to be expropriated he let out, almost inadvertently, that they will be paid when they can and as they can. Chavez has no clue of the wasp’s nest that he is stirring. Among the strongest feelings that move human beings is that of ownership. It is as much or even more powerful than love. That is why everything that has to with it has to be handled with extreme care, in particular by Governments. When Chavez leaves doubts as to whether there will be or not indemnization for the owners of lands or factories, that is, that they can be confiscated, snatched from their owners, and in second place he is clearly violating the Constitution and the laws, where confiscation is expressly prohibited. Thus the fears that today permeate down to the most humble of the inhabitants of the popular barrios, to say nothing of the middle class. The application of the Land Bill, with the unnecessary military deployment and with prepotent and aggressive language, given the impression that they are acting outside of the law itself, has done nothing but generate in the country and atmosphere of fear about the future of property in general. To make matters worse, the last statements by the President about the “empty lots” in the cities, of which they “have to be watchful” in order to “expropriate them” supposedly to build housing, are increasing the sense of anxiety in all sector of society. Chávez, with that ultraleftist infantilism, is promoting even more uncertainty that, among other things, conspires openly against job creation and the fight against poverty. In a country where nobody knows what to expect in the future and where even coop members are asked to forget about making money, it is impossible to create new jobs because nobody is going to invest a cent if they don’t know what may happen to their investment. The result will be more poverty. What there is pertinent in the elimination of large farm estates or the creation of new form of economic and social organization, advanced however, setting aside the search for possible agreements, produces a trauma which is more psychological than political and will stumble with resistance from those that have little, who only owning a small home property, may feel however, that “the Government” may take it away from them. Some may think that he is just putting the rich in their rightful place, but others may believe that things will just not stop there and you start by militarily intervening Polar and you may end confiscating and nationalizing kiosks where newspaper are sold. In social and political life, reality matters much less than what people perceive of it. That is why so many revolutionary intentions have utterly failed. 4:00:25 PM    comment []

The emotional link between Chavez and the La Marqueseña farm Chavez’ attack on the La Marqueseña farm is not simply a coincidence. Whenyou compare that farm to many of the larger properties, it is a fairly active farm which does not reach the 10,000 hectares that the Government had targeted for expropriation and had all of the certifications required as an active farm. But you see, Chavez is emotionally linked to the La Marqueseña farm through his great grandfather Pedro Perez Delgado “Maisanta”. I was going to write about it today and some of the details were published by Agustin Blanco Muñoz in today’s El Universal and I will add others. Maisanta was a farm hand at La Marqueseña and became the second in command of guerilla leader Jose de Jesus Gonzalez “El Agachado”, who was one of the followers of Ezequiel Zamora, another Chavez idol. The other well known follower of El Agachado was Joaquin Crespo, who helps open the way for Cipriano Castro’s election as President. It is Castro who names Maisanta as Military and Civil Chief of Chavez’ home town of Sabaneta and gives him right to the farm where he used to work, La Marqueseña. Thus, Chavez great grandfather was the supposed owner of that farm early in this century. When Cipriano Castro is overthrown by Gomez, Maisanta quickly changes sides and becomes part of Gomez’ military. But in 1914 Maisanta joins a coup attempt against Gomez and joins the guerrilla. Gomez expropriated La Marqueseña from Maisanta at that time. Maisanta spent years in the guerrillas until he was captured and died in jail. Supposedly he was one of those that died because they were unwittingly fed ground glass daily in their food. According to Chavez long time girlfriend Herma Marksman, who was with Chavez until a year and a half after the 1992 coup attempt, Chávez always talked about getting back the La Marqueseña farm, “because those lands belonged to his great grandfather”. Chavez also talked about “rescuing” the image of his grandfather who appears in the history books as a cattle robber, bloody guerrilla leader who would change sides whenever necessary. Marksman says that Chavez believed that Maisanta was a fighter for the weak and not the mean and bloody character that historians says he was. Now, the owners of La Marqueseña claim they purchased the farm from the Government after that date and Chavez has suggested that his great grandfather owned the land. But the truth is that since 1821, when all lands were expropriated by the Venezuelan Government, there is no transfer of the land until the Azpurua family bought it from the Government. Maisanta’s ownership was characteristic of the time, Castro just “gave” it to him without any transfer of property. Thus, I write this as Chavez is broadcasting his Sunday program from la Marqueseña telling people not to allow hate to be brought into their lives, when the only one that is full of hate and hang ups is the President himself, who clings to a past for this country and himself that will never return. Venezuela is no longer the rural country of Maisanta or Chavez' childhood and few of the 87% of its inhabitants who live in cities have no interest in returning to the land. 3:17:35 PM    comment []