RantsCounterRants:  Venezuela – what about it???

It’s urgent; the situation is reaching some sort of a crescendo.  Miguel Octavio’s e-mail to me says,

“…unfortunately things look ugly even if the marches were peaceful today.  This is the final confrontation one way or the other.”

There is no mention of the current crisis at CNN’s site today; only a bottom-right link to an article at MSNBC (as of noon 08-DEC).  Yet Miguel and MSNBC both say the Venezuelan oil industry is at a standstill.  Three people were shot and killed at an opposition rally on Friday, Chavez supporters march on Saturday, and now little or no news on Sunday?  Does that not seem odd?

Is no one at all concerned about a neighboring country, closer to us (only a short-ish flight from Florida) than the distance I fly from Detroit to Florida on vacation, a country on which we rely as an alternative petroleum supplier?  You know, the fifth largest petroleum producer, supplying 15% of the U.S.’ petroleum?  Hello?  Anyone there?

Does the press not bring up the Venezuelan crisis in order not to lose sight of the Iraqi situation?  Or does Chavez somehow has the blessing of the current U.S. leadership, manifested in the press – in spite of Chavez’ blowing off a requested referendum in a democratic country, a referendum which could end his own leadership?

Does no one wonder at all why al Qaeda found a new place to meet in South America?  Perhaps it’s because we’ve turned a blind eye to our neighbors for too long?