Chavez and baseball

Sorry for not posting anything in a while but I have been busy with school and my research, obviously these have priority and I have fallen behind on my work.

While my family and I were visiting Venezuela over Christmas, my father ran into one of his childhood friends. Both he and my father used to play in los criollitos de Caracas, for those of you who don't know it is one of the first childrens baseball leagues in Venezuela. During the conversation they of course talked about the memories they had while playing against various teams and how the league has changed over the years. One team my father and the other criollitos played, which came up in the conversation, was a Barinas team, and guess who was on that Barinas team? Yes, you guessed right Hugo Chavez! Of course my father couldn't believe it, but my fathers friend knows the history of the criollitos beter than anyone else, so we of course took his word for it. I find it so funny that my father and Chavez crossed pathes once, Chavez played first base (if I remember the conversation correctly) and my father was the pitcher for the criollitos. BTW I think Barinas lost that game if I remember the conversation correctly, so I wonder if Chavez is still pissed about it. I just thought I would share this story that I found rather interesting.

I will try to post something this weekend but I'm rather busy this next week.

Marxism "Hands off Venezuela"!

Please feel free to read this article. I will not comment on it since I think it speaks for itself and where Venezuela is heading, or at the very least where the Venezuelan governemnt is getting its support form and where it it spending its money.

BTW the "Hands off Venezuela" organization has a link (sponsors?) the Marxist web site, please see article. And who said Chavez isn't a maxist or a communist?

Politics in Venezuela

The referendum on the sale of Citgo, apparently did not receive enough votes in the National Assembly from either the opposition or the Chavez supporters. The lack of votes from the pro-Chavez assemblyman is obvious, but could someone explain to me why many in opposition did not vote in favor of this? Again I think this is a great disgrace what they are doing to the Venezuela, again proving why Venezuela deserves in some respect Chavez and why Venezuela will continue to have Chavez. It is not because Chavez is popular (among the majority) or that he is capable to doing good, but it is due in large part with the incompetence of the opposition political parities. While the some of us, Venezuelan citizens and NGO's work hard to expose the truth about Chavez, the truth about the suffering that is taking place by most Venezuelans, and work for a better Venezuela. We have many politicians that are so worried about how to keep their jobs, get more money, more power, and figuring out how to screw everyone around them whether it be other opposition politicians or Chavez himself.
The true incompetence of the opposition is shown when new opposition political parties are created, like the recently announced Polo Democratico (PD). Can someone please explain how this will magically solve our problems? Do we not have enough political parties? Note to the Venezuelan politicians "We don't need more parties, what we need is more unity and fewer parties!" Again these people are so caught up in there own self-righteousness and arrogance that they can't see past there own well being. All the while the Venezuelan people (in particular the poor) are struggling to survive. For anyone to think that Chavez is any different from the previous governments, well you are you wrong it is the same but worse! However, the Venezuelan citizens (as a whole) also share a lot of the blame as well. We want everything but not want to work for it, we complain but don't want to do anything to fix it. While I would admit that the opposition has made strides in political awareness it has failed so much in getting the citizens involved in the political process. In my recent trip to Venezuela (after 4 years being gone) most people I spoke to said "but we went to all the marches". I wanted to say "so what! what have you done to get involved in the political process?" of course the reply would be nothing. Then you have the other people who say "but politics is so dirty", well yes it is but stop complaining and do something about it. As a society Venezuela has a lot to learn about democracy and political process, so this blogger will do what he can to bring about a change. I just hope that the politicians will work with society instead of fighting against us to bring about this change.

Chavista in Boston and (Chicago?)

I have not recieved or found more information on a possible event in Chicago. Therefore I am not sure its status

However, there is an event in Boston tomorrow (17th) and Friday (18th), if possible I would suggest for as many people to go and hand out information, ask questions, and raise the issue on the anti-democratic stance of the Venezuelan govt.

For more in on the event in Boston you can find it here where it says "Venezuela turns the lights on in Boston" and here feel free to give them some feedback to!


I have recently been informed that Juan Barreto, the mayor of Caracas, will be visiting Chicago to collect funds so he can buy a new house, Ooops, I mean for those affected by the floods in Jan/Feb.

Days: Sat 19th and Sun 20th
Where: Chicago
La Decima Musa restaurant 1901 S. Loomis, Chicago
Heartland Cafe

So what happened with the previous US $1.5 billion, destined for Vargas in 2000?

For those of you that might be in Chicago I think it would be great to go and bing up the issue of what happened with the previous money and donations? Make sure to take photos and facts to show everyone how the previous donations were misused and did not reach those in need. I would advise that you tell people that if they are interested in helping the people of Venezuela they should donate money to the Venezuelan Red Cross, or they should contact there local American Red Cross to donate or to ask how they can help.

The Venezuelan Red Cross has an account with Banesco to help the Venezuelan flood victims (it is the one at the top of the page in the red box).

These photos were taken in Dec 2004

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Citgo and Chavez

Earlier this week a member in the Venezuelan National Assembly (NA) announced a proposal of a referendum to be held prior to any decision being made to sell Citgo. Some time ago I mentioned this same thing on various blogs and chat rooms, now I'm not suggesting that someone read what I wrote or that my idea was something so novel that someone else couldn't think of it too. Never the less it is a gratifying to know that something you thought about, and think is a good idea, someone actually brought up in the NA and is proposing.
I hope that this idea is seriously considered and made into a big deal, one because I think Citgo is vital to PDVSA and Venezuela, two because I think it is a win-win situation. It is a win-win situation because we are using the same strategy that Chavez so admires, elections and the popular vote and regardless of the outcome I think Chavez will lose one way or another, here are some scenarios:

1. CNE cheats (Citgo is sold) - (Likely) further increase the resentment for Chavez and Chavismo, in the short and long term, may spark riots, protests etc..
2. Clean elections (Citgo is sold) - (very possible) well what can I say, it is a loss for Venezuela, but at least the people decided (ok, this one might be more of a loss than a win)
3. clean elections (Citgo NOT sold) - (Unlikely) This would be a win for the people, Venezuela, and the opposition. Plus just think how pissed Chavez would be.
4. CNE cheat (Citgo NOT sold) - (Not likely to happen) this would be very strange and would create further internal divisions in Chavismo or it would be because Chavez decided it wasn't worth selling Citgo (at this time).

I seriously doubt that Chavez will allow a referendum on the sale of Citgo but at least one can hope.

The friends of Chavez

While putting together my presentation on the impact of Hugo Chavez on regional security download here it became so obvious, to me, the links between Chavez and so many destabilizing events throughout Latin America and his links to terrorist groups. For simplicity I will discuss each one individually.

Peru: After the November 27, 1992 coup (the second one that year) against Carlos Andres Perez, some of the rebels escaped to Peru and at the time Alberto Fujimori was "president". When Fujimori was ousted Vladimiro Montesinos (head of state security) was discovered in Caracas. It was only after a newspaper reporter exposed his presence that he was handed over to Peruvian authorities. It has been highly suggested that Montesinos was being actively protected by the Chavez govt. Most recently after the attempted coup this past year, the rebels professed loyalty to the Bolivariano movement (the Chavez revolution).

Bolivia: It is no secret that Chavez has had significant influence on that countries internal affairs. In particular he has actively supported the coca farmer Evo Morales politically and financially, admitted by Evo himself. Evo Morales has been responsible for the ousting of the past two presidents, by leading strikes and violence.

Cuba: I think we are all aware of the vast influence of Fidel on Chavez

Colombia: Chavez recognizes the FARC (terrorist gorup) as a political group, it has been widely speculated that he actively protects the FARC.

The FARC: Rodrigo Granda was captured in Caracas, he was nationalized, and was living near Caracas. His daughter was working in the International relation Dept. his wife entered Venezuela with a courtesy visa from the Venezuelan embassy in Cuba. Granda was attending the II Congreso Bolivariano, a Venezuelan Government organized forum (Evo Morales was also present was well has many other socialists and communists and a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization). The FARC have expressed support for the Chavez Revolution (movimiento Bolivariano) and have asked that Chavez respect the presence of FARC members in Venezuela especially when they are invited by the govt. The FARC even have a link on their main page titled "Movimiento Bolivariano" although it takes you back to the main page (perhaps they will link it to Venezuelan govt. page in the near future).

Carlos the Jackal - One of the worlds worst terrorists (a Marxist). I will leave you with a couple quotes and let you judge: President Chavez addressed Carlos as "Dear compatriot" and signed the letter "with profound faith in the cause and the mission, now and forever". Vice president Jose Vicente Rangel said "he [Carlos] would not be detained in Venezuela, because he committed no crime here"

Chavez has been quoted as saying that he saw himself as a Maoist and admired Lenin for his human rights.

What good friends Chavez has.

Things don't look so good

I don't like to spread rumors and get people worried, but things in Venezuela don't look to well.

Apparently there are some small riots with possibly one person (student) dead in La Victoria, Aragua state (Monday night). It looks like they are protesting an increase in bus fares. Also in Valles del Tuy people have been protesting the past couple of days for the same reason, the increase in fares.

Also last week there were military movements in Venezuela, rumored to be an aborted coup, but again who knows

For Sunday La Asociación Civil Bolivariana Defensores del bolívar (Governement supporters) have called to protest at the state television station, due to the devaluation.

Carlos Ortega

So last night Carlos Ortega was captured in Caracas, apparently leaving an up scale Bingo hall. I must say that of all the leaders the opposition had Ortega I admired him, because he moved the people (more than any other person in the opposition), he knew how to handle the government, wasn't afraid to fight fire with fire, but also because when Carmona came to power, for better or for worse, he distanced himself because he knew Carmona was making bad decisions. Now I must say that being captured outside of a bingo hall is just plain stupid. How can you let yourself be such an easy target. He knows the govt is after him, so why risk being in public at all, plus I assume he was gambling so I can really see he was busy planing an opposition movement to get rid of Chavez. So all I have to say is: Bien hecho, por pendejo te agarraron!

This is one of the biggest problems in the opposition, most people treat this as a joke and a party.

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