On the chances of dialogue in Venezuela: an open letter to Daniel Duquenal
By Aleksander Boyd
London 21.04.07 | This letter refers to Daniel's latest post entitled "Nuremberg at El Poliedro: how can dialogue be possible in Venezuela?" Although it's directed to Daniel Duquenal, it also applies to other fellow bloggers, whose hopes on civilised norms, widely accepted codes of conduct and diplomatic behaviour when dealing with Chavez types and assorted apologists, stand in the way of objectively appraising reality.
Ah Daniel, you're too civilised, too educated, too refined for your own good, considering the country where you live. Give your vote to Nico and move to France, the quicker the better.
A few comments about your post. I didn't see the whole video. Only a couple of minutes of it had me rolling in laughter, beginning with the 3 times repetition of "su atencion por favor" by the caudillo, meaning that in the not too distant future expressing choreographed 'revolutionary emotions' out of synch may have dire consequences, for "cuando el lider supremo habla..."
I also loved the intonation of the speaker. Mind you the guy truly believes that he's spearheading a "gesta liberadora" of global dimensions. My wife, sitting right next to me, said "you never got to write an editorial equating the Bolivarian revolution with the Lion King. As in the movie the hyenas will have Chavez for breakfast one of these days." She, of course, is kinder than me, for calling chavistas hyenas is insulting to the hyenas.
Then your comments about Luigino reflect that, still, you haven't lost all hope on reason hitting chavistas. I hate to break this to you mate but no rational, self respecting human being would venture into declaring, either tacitly or implicitly, allegiance to a thuggish militaristic caudillo, whose behaviour is characterised by an outright intolerance to reason, criticism and intellectual independence. Ergo your choice of words to describe Wilpert for instance is way, way off the mark, for he's nothing but a propagandist on the regime's payroll. Same applies to Golinger, who, at last, was referred to in the appropriate light by none other than the Beeb, therefore her fate is sealed. Golinger and Wilpert share more than the same address in Alta Florida, they're but tools, disposable pawns, riding and milking the revolutionary wave for all it's worth. Their "Ramon Martinez" moment will also arrive.
As to the question of whether there's any hope for dialogue left in Venezuela, I know that you know that dialogue is something that necessitates the proactive approach of, at least, two parties. There must be a token of willingness to engage in dialogue. Now after having seen the spectacle since the beginning of this year, can you, or anyone, conclude that dialogue is an alternative Chavez considers worth engaging in with his loathed enemies? Mind you even 'alleged intellectuals' on orders to advance the premise that there's lively dissent within chavismo have no qualms in boasting publicly about radical credentials, which goes to show than anything other than the leader's diktat is unworthy.
I said this a while ago and it brought me no small level of criticism from all quarters. Time has passed, I have been proved right -again and again- and since I am in nobody's payroll I shall say it again: the only way of dealing with deranged galloping megalomaniacs is to respond in kind. Violence; of the verbal, financial, psychological and physical sort, can not be countered by teeth less gentlemanly approaches. With you I can dialogue, with the thug breaking into my house and harming my loved ones I simply can't.
send this article to a friend >>