Opposition in Venezuela: Pots & Pans and Dead Chavistas
Caridad
HAVANA TIMES – I’m in Venezuela, I have Venezuelan friends, my girlfriend is Venezuelan and I don’t want to see any of them beaten or killed.
And of course I hope nothing happens to me either. I’m Cuban and while not on a government Mission, if the shit hits the fan nobody is going to ask me what I’m doing in Venezuela.
Last night around 8 pm pots & pans started ringing.
In these last months, I’ve been living in a nice area, and like all the nice areas here most people do not agree with the leftist government. Near our rental lives Tibisay Lucena (president of the National Electoral Council), the woman who these days has been receiving threats and attacks by followers of Capriles, who accuse her of election fraud. So outside her home the pots and pans and treats were more intense.
Within minutes we were learning that the Cacerolazo was ceasing to be a simple sounding of pots and pans, advancing to attacking the homes of PSUV members, state property and the CDIs (integral health centers), which included fire, blows and gunfire in various states of Venezuela, with the dead included of course.
This has gone beyond a peaceful protest, we thought.
And we know that when protests are no longer peaceful and when people are encouraged to violence, anything can happen.
In any case, I said to myself, I have nothing to lose. So I joined my neighbors to go out, first to see the protesters go by. Later we looked for flags and photos and we passed among them to join another group that had slowly formed the other end of the street.
People in the Chapelli neighborhood not far from our place, hit the streets with flags and music also supporting the government.
Thank god no violence gripped either side. Though both freely expressed themselves, the noise did not exceed the pots and pans of the Capriles’ supporters and the Chavista music.
But in other parts of the country things got worse. More than 10 integral health centers have been attacked, or were under direct threat (one of them was burned and a group of doctors kidnapped, although this situation was resolved).
At least 7 people are dead (and not precisely the protestors), one of the more than 50 injured suffered burns as there was an attempt to burn him alive; several government basic food stores (mercals) were assaulted and burned, siege and assault took place at local state television stations, with journalists and artists working for VTV and Telesur – who support the government – attacked or threatened.
We know that if the other 50.66% that supports the government goes out, in the same spirit as the protesting opposition, beyond a civil war, it won’t be long until the UN troops arrive, and the “other forces ” I prefer not to mention.
There’s no other truth, beyond the perfection or imperfection of the rulers of Venezuela, there isn’t reason to unleash violence and death. In the end, the country will always lose.
The only opposition supporter on the National Electoral Council, Vicente Diaz, invited Henrique Capriles to formally lodge his protest against the election results. However thus far he hasn’t done it.
Kordanka-
I you separate what you saw vs what you “heard”…all you saw was a loud peaceful protest. What you “heard” is as likely propaganda as not.
Sorry to bother y’all again and hopefully Circles will post this as an article to view>>>
But Sabina Becker, someone I have have been conversing with for a couple years does have some info of importance. She is on the left and is most brilliant, speaks 5 languages and has been doing solidarity work with Venezuela long time.
Second part of the article deals with 2 million votes . Still find it hard to fathom but in this world anything is possible.
Cort
Understanding the Venezuelan election: Two vital perspectives
http://www.sabinabecker.com/2013/04/understanding-the-venezuelan-election-two-vital-perspectives.html
Understanding the Venezuelan election: Two vital perspectives
Now 8 Bolivarians are dead, Isaac Lozano was shot ,after attending a funeral of PSUV activist who had been shot dead earlier by opposition and now nearly a hundred wounded in all of this.
There`s a good article on Capriles strategies of destabilization to be found on Cubadebate. Worth wile reading it, I think. Makes sense tome what they say.
I have been asked to comment on the CNE (electoral commission) and the pro and con of a re-count.They have a centralized system unlike the the US where we have 5000 electoral commissions, lots of chances for fraud that way, just ask Florida or even Miami where it happens a lot.
Former president Jimmy Carter and the Carter Center, who I don’t always agree with on a political level and I have criticized before for their role in Venezuela.Has called the Venezuelan electoral system the most transparent in the world and on this point I would certainly agree.
There were international observers and delegations from Europe, UNASUR, OAS and other countries and none have said there was fraud and the all countries have recognized the results (except the US) that’s including the right wing governments of Spain, Mexico,Colombia and Chile.
For those who don’t know,everyone who votes is finger printed and it is scanned into a computer to make sure they are that voter, votes are tabulated by computer and there is also a paper back up and then then dip theirfinger in an ink to show they did voted and if they washed it off which is hard, the computer would already know they have voted.In all polling stations there were witnesses from Capriles, Maduro and the five other candidates for president campaigns.
54% of the ballot boxes have already been chosen randomly,they were opened & checked against electronic voting and no discrepancies were found and opposition candidate Capriles has not filed any of 3,200 alleged election irregularities with CNE.
Here is April 14 presidential election, breakdown of results by state info-graphic, sadly it does not have the other candidates votes but did not receive few votes.
http://noticiaaldia.com/2013/04/asi-se-pinto-el-mapa-politico-de-venezuela-este-14-a-infografia/
and an article on the so called fraud.
http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/8665
que vaina.
Pendejo, vete a Cuba al socialismo
Once Venezuela begins on that slippery slope of violent protests, followed by troop suppression, then more protests and so on, given the level of frustration, street weapons, and he taste for civil disobedience, the road to civil war is a short one. Maduro lacks the leadership to bring calm should the violence escalate which only invites a military takeover. No doubt, the military is chomping at the bit to take over anyway. UN military intervention is the least of Venezuela’s problems at this point.