Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Trade with Evil Empire hits all time high for both exports and imports Meanwhile today's El Nacional (via Venancham) shows how well the revolution has done in becoming independent of the "Evil-Empire" (a.k.a. the US) in contrast to its Latin neighbors and why it does not want cheap neo-liberal products to get into Venezuela, via the free trade treaty ALCA that Colombia and Peru want to sign with the US. As the graph shows, last year Venezuela "only" exported US$ 33.9 billion, a record, to the US, while imports from that country hit US$ 6.4 billion, also an all time re cord and another truly revolutionary and sovereign accomplishment. How we hate those gringoes and their US$ and products! I bet Mr. Danger is worried (anyone of these two) 11:45:58 PM    comment []

Another day of desintegration at the OAS and Latin America It was a vertitable circus today at the OAS meeting, as both Peru and Nicaragua complained about the intromission of Hugo Chavez in the internal affairs of their respective countries. The Venezuelan Ambassador defended Chavez saying that he had been insulted by Alan Garcia, but the truth was that Garcia was responding to Chavez' threat that he would break relations with Peru pif that hood, thief and corrupt politician reched the Peruvian Presidency. The Peruvian Ambassador was also incensed becaued he had asked for a video of Chavez' statements bee shown, but was denied he possibility by the President, the Ambassador from St. Vincent and the Granadines. The Ambassador said that he it had been agreed prior to the meeting that he woudl show the video, which in his own words, had nothing obscene or vulgar in it, but the clear intromission by Chavez in Peru's electoon by threatening the Peruvian citizens if they elected  Alan Garcia.Meanwhile, the Peruvian Electoral Board withdrew its invitation (by subscription) of the two pro-Chavez observers that had been invited to the election, one of which was none other than the jnfamous ex-President of the Electoral Board Jorge Rodriguez. Nicaragua meanwhile was accusing Chavez of trying to buy with his oil money the victory Daniel Ortega has been unable to achieve via the ballot box. While the Venezuelan Ambassador said that Chavez was just expressing his solidarity, something which has little credibility, given that Chavez is only giving oil to Sandinista Mayors. Meanwhile Uruguayan President Tabare Vasquez was very clear that he did not say anything of the many things he said in the last few days, now saying that his country will not leave Mercosur, but will join ALCA, while becoming an "associate" member of Mercosur, demosntarting that only politicians are capable of contradicting themselves and claim they are being consistent. Meanwhile in Brazil, President Lula was trying to put his best face on Evo Morales' decision to nationalize Bolivia's gas operations, while his commercial arm Petrobras, was speaking from Lual's pocketbook, saying that it was cancelling its investments in Bolivia and that declaring the increase in the price of Bolivian gas "unacceptable". Thus, it was another day for desintegration in Latin America as conflicting signals were being sent all over, while it appeared increasingly likely that Lula may be leaning  closer to ALCA and its rule of law, now that his freindly "partners" in Latin America have acted in unfriendly and unexpected ways. 9:59:32 PM    comment []

With a little help from his friends Besides throwing money right and left abroad, now most Venezuelans have become second class cirtizens as Hugo Chavez yields under pressure from the Government of Zapatero. Why very few of the Venezuelans who have had their farms taken over by the National Land Institute (INTI) have received payment in compensation, the twelve Venezuelan farmers of Spanish ancestry whose land was taken over will reportedly receive payment within twenty days, under political pressure from both the Spanish Government and that country's Parliament  forced the Venezuelan Government into action to quelch the interntional noise on the issue. What makes the issue even worse is that Venezuelan law is quite clear, the Government or INTI may take over the land only after a judge has approved it and adequate compensation has been paid to the owners. But the law is basically nirrelevant for the revolution as the autocrat bully continues to manage the country as his own personal fiefdom. In the end, it is the Venezuelan "people" who end up being discriminated against or fail to benefit form the oil bonanza as Chavez disposes, decomposes and composes at will. Thus, the only way to benefit is by being the autocrat's friend or receiving some help from his friends. Ask Evo or Fidel or these group of Venezuelan farmers of Spanish origin. Some revolution! 8:50:27 PM    comment []