Will these two allow the referendum?
By Aleksander Boyd
Apparently Hugo Chavez was getting some last minute orders from his mentor. The Cuban media informed about the presence of the Venezuelan president in Cuba, however news networks in Venezuela only found out today. The purpose of Chavez' visit was to revise the "economic agreement" between the two countries and also to meet with patients and "social workers" from Venezuela who are enjoying the very advanced medicine and the progressive education methods of a communist regime.
Let's face it folks the situation merits such extemporary visit. It is so grave
that Chavez suspended his favourite pastime, the dominical "Alo Presidente".
The referendum has cornered the president. When hell broke loose said process
was only a faint and unassailable shadow in the horizon. Things have changed
though and the government seems to be running out of pretexts to curb the celebration
of the referendum, which ultimately will cost Chavez the presidency.
At stake are not only the permanence in power of Chavez but also other more sinister interests. Castro will be the most affected if the opposition wins the referendum. Taking into account that PDVSA (once a well run state oil company that has been turned into a charity for undemocratic movements) gives 55.000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba, Chavez departure from the presidency will cost Castro 34.650.000 dollars per month (calculating 55.000 barrels x 21 dollars/barrel). Whatever the figure is, the Cuban dictator will do his utmost to help prevent the fall of his Venezuelan protégé.
The Colombian guerrillas will also be affected. For them it will signify the loss of a lenient president who has granted them extensive areas, which represent a safe haven for the furtherance to their activities. A strong military presence in both sides of the Venezuela-Colombia border will decimate them for president Uribe is totally committed to eradicate the guerrillas once and for all. Drug dealers will suffer too. President Chavez has expressed in numerous occasions that DEA aircrafts cannot make use of Venezuelan air space to chase trafficking activities. Moreover, should we consider that 80% of the Colombian narcotic produce finds its way to international market via Venezuela; the drug barons are in for a complete strategy overhaul.
Terrorist will get their share as well. Venezuela is in such a critical state that terrorist can wander around with total impunity. More important issues are affecting the country at the moment, namely politics. Therefore investigative police forces are employed on a fulltime basis on tracking political adversaries of the government rather that fighting organized crime. Should the political climate change; hopefully PTJ and other forces will start doing what they are supposed to do.
How about dirty American republicans acting as intermediaries in oil trading? Can Mr Kemp and his party afford to loose 1 billion dollars over the next years? I think not, certainly Free Market Petroleum could make good use of the money, perhaps to get an office in London W1…
Last but not least we have of course the left and all the propaganda mouthpieces that have echoed Hugo Chavez' nonsense for the past four years. Will they miss such a generous benefactor and those invitations to the country with all expenses paid? Will Gott, Ramonet, Weisbrot, Danielle Mitterand and the rest of the well off leftist crew visit again Venezuela? I am certainly dying to see how the international press will spin the truth after Chavez' departure.
Hugo Chavez' days are numbered, to add insult to injury once stripped off of his presidential immunity the International Criminal Court may lay its hands on him, lest he seeks refuge in Cuba. There was never such a transcendent democratic event in our history. The survival of Chavism* and Castro-communism in the whole hemisphere is hanging by a democratic thread, will the Venezuelan referendum be the terminator of these unhappy and sad moments?
Chavism*: political movement of Hugo Chavez.
send this article to a friend >>