Sunday, June 17, 2007

Watching the Soviet movie backwards I have not been able to use the Internet much since I left, so that I only know superficial facts about events since my departure. Interesting that after not allowing the students to march a couple of times before their appearance in front of the National Assembly because of “law and order”, the authorities allowed pro-Chavez supporters not only to surround the Capitol building, but many of them happened to be heavily armed, in another display of how there is a double standard today and two class of citizens in Venezuela and how the students calling for everyone to be treated the same is so valid. But since I have not kept up with events in Venezuela in the last eight or nine days, it would be difficult for me to write about my own country. However, having visited a couple of former communist countries in the last few days, I can’t help but see the dozens of analogies that I have witnessed in the last week to the so called Chavista revolution, except that I get this feeling that I am watching the same movie backwards in the countries of the former Soviet Union, where I am. The similarities are uncanny, even if the Chavez revolution is unfolding in slow motion, compared to the speed that transformed these countries into Communism. And somehow, while the Soviet regime failed, it was able to show more successful experiences than our tropical Dictator, despite the fact that he has had extraordinary resources, but has very little to show for it in terms of the well being of the people he claims to care so much for. But the stories I heard this week are quite similar. State planning that simply stifled private initiative, producing shortages and making everyone equally poor. The rise of a new rich oligarchy closely associated not only to power, but also to the alliance between the military and the politicians. The use of State resources to support party activities without checks and balances. Nepotism all over the place. The exaltation of personalities. The leader who cannot be questioned. Control of the media. Expropriation of property and facilities which then proceed to deteriorate very fast. Allowance of “dissent” to show that there were liberties, but mayor “dissenters” were jailed or sometimes worse. Rotation of Government officials from one position to the other, independent of competence in the area. Of course, things got much worse at times than what we have witnessed so far, but we should not forget the Chavez story is still unfolding. I met nobody who expressed nostalgia for the Soviets, even if not everything is fine in these Republics these days. But they are still some around, those that benefited from state populism and who did little and long for those days. But in general, there is this thriving new economy, where people are happy, not only because they have private property rights, but also because they have freedom to do and say what they want. The young have particularly embraced these values the strongest. Despite decades of communism, there is a religious revival. Someone told me that Putin’s popularity arises in part from the fact that he is the first President they have had who goes to church and is a practicing orthodox. But the biggest changes are in the economy even if they have yet to be all ironed out. Traffic is a mess, but gas is not cheap like in Venezuela, as more and more people can afford cars. There is more construction and dock activity that I have seen anywhere in recent years, including other European ports and Singapore. In fact, the main gripe I heard is not about poverty or availability of goods, but surprisingly, illegal immigration and how it is straining state resources as immigrants from other former republics and Asia are coming in droves to benefit form the economic resurgence. You still see the remnants for the Soviet era in many attitudes. You see many state employees that do nothing, or the use of authority to deny something. I saw a tour guide back down when she was told she could not do something, but I saw another one get away with what she wanted just by being more forceful than the other person. I could write lots more, but being here these last few days makes me wonder how anyone can think that these autocratic, authoritarian regimes with planed economies can survive, least of all in our countries, where disorganization, corruption and inefficiency are the norm. History should teach people a lesson, but there are still people who refuse to understand such economic realities. All in all, a very clear reminder of why Venezuela has taken the wrong path and why I felt I was sort of watching the same movie, but backwards. Venezuela does indeed seem to be the country where downside is up, and logic has given the way to idiotic ideology. 10:46:09 AM    comment []

The Peace of Democracy The Peace of Democracy by Yon Goicoechea Originally published here: http://buscador.eluniversal.com/2007/06/01/opi_45239_art_la-paz-de-la-democra_301865.shtml We are standing up, not to defend obscure interests, but for the principles that should reign in a country that is constitutionally declared democratic. We demand to the Power to allow us exist in liberty. We demand to the Power to recognize the legitimacy and the strength of the student movement and ask them to abstain from intimidating acts or manifestations that violate our rights. We ask the police and the military authorities to abstain from the use of fire arms and toxic substances to control the protests. We say that there is no foundation on the criticism of high ranking civil servants that, using their position, reiterate that our protests are political and are part of a destabilizing plan from the CIA. We are not puppets of any empire, except of one: the empire of democratic values. We believe in Peace, in Concord, in Dialogue. Many years ago, when most of us had not been born yet, a hairy man raised his voice of protest with a sentence that, in its time, was the flag of those that are attacking us now: "All we are saying, is give Peace a chance". He was John Lennon, who later died in the hands of a fanatic. Many years later, a chinese student confronted a tank in Tianamen square, in China. The tank could do nothing against the strength of the ideas. Fanatism destroys. A goverment that does not respect the values of democracy, the right of freedom of expresion and the right of protest, a Goverment that takes the path of imposition of violence, will always find us standing up, in peace, but standing up. It is irresponsible the calling of radical groups to confront us. It is unworthy that something like that would happen in a Republic that is founded on Bolivar's values. We do not call for a strike, because we do not believe in strikes, we believe in work and progress. Our call is for Peace. For Peace and respect of Democracy. Member of the Student Center of UCAB. Translated by Jorge Arena, Distinguished Ghost. ----------------------------------------- 12:15:28 AM    comment []