student unrest

A quick post and a change in subject from the Venezuelan elections or non-elections for Sunday Dec. 4th.

The past few days the university students in Merida have been protesting (violently) againt the lack of security in the area, among other things. Yesterday apparently a student was killed by the police and this has caused student unrest to spread to other major cities in Venezuela including: Merida, Maracay, Trujillo, and Tachira. There are rumors that in Zulia there are some as well. One can add the unrest in the state of Anzoategui by the PDVSA workers and unrest in Puerto Ordaz in Bolivar.

Hummer for me "El Camello" for you

This picture is circulating the Venezuelan blog sphere (curtesy of simia). If you look at the license plate it clearly says Cuba on it, presumebly it belongs to the Cuban embassy. During the past 7 revolutionary years we have seen how people of humble backgrounds now have the money to purchase $50,000 vehicles (like this one) and buy homes in the most oligarch areas in Caracas including Alto Prado, Prados del Este, and La Lagunita, while also buying homes in Miami. Mind you these are the same people that preach that being rich is bad and capitalism results in poverty. But like most things in the revolution they are lies, people are poor because of corruption and government officials stealing the money destined to the poor. Maybe if the Cuban and Venezuelan governemnt wouldn't spend so much on expensive toys like Hummers they could actually provide their citizens with decent public transportation, instead Cubans get to use the latest mode of transportation "El Camello" or the camel.

Venezuelan Forcast

Nov 10th 2005 | From the Economist Intelligence Unit

The president, Hugo Chavez Frias, appears unassailable, having emerged strengthened from the failure of recent opposition attempts to remove him from office. The Economist Intelligence Unit expects pro-Chavez forces to win a strong majority in congressional elections in December, and we expect Mr Chavez to win the presidential election at the end of 2006. In the longer term, emerging strategic and ideological divisions within the government have the potential to affect governability and to erode government support. Fiscal profligacy will keep the public finances in deficit, despite high oil prices. Fiscal oil revenue will decline modestly in 2006 as prices begin to fall, but, in light of electoral pressure, we do not expect any fiscal retrenchment to take place until at least 2007. Inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) to exploit Venezuela's abundant energy reserves should be maintained, even in the face of increasingly difficult operating conditions. Most non-oil investment will continue to be put off by the uncertain legal and regulatory regimes and by price and exchange controls, which will be maintained throughout the outlook period. Fiscal spending will help to underpin economic activity, but growth will soften from 2006 as oil prices begin to fall and political uncertainty rises.

Key changes from last month

Political outlook
The opposition parties have managed to present unity candidates for the congressional elections on December 4th, but have not yet elaborated on a coherent policy platform. We continue to forecast that, with the benefits of incumbency, the ruling coalition will garner a large majority in the December polls.


Economic policy outlook
The transfer of an initial US$6bn of net international reserves to a government development fund has begun. The methodology for transfers of “excess” reserves to the fund in 2006 has not yet been established, but, in the short term at least, creditworthiness should not be an issue, with reserves levels expected to continue to represent more than 10 months' import cover.


Economic forecast
There have been no substantive changes to our forecast for 2006-07 in the past month.

Centralized Media: It's just more efficient

In part I'm not sure why I am posting this since it is nothing surprising or really news worthy. However, every now and again I become amused by the hypocrisy from the Venezuelan govt. supporters about how the major news networks feed lies and are lackeys of the American govt. Well lets see who the lackeys are to the Chavez government.

This week the Marxists Australian news paper released a statement that they will be opening a new Caracas news bureau, but guess where. Well they will be "sharing an office with the web news service Venezuelanalysis.com, in the administrative division of TELESUR", but guess where those offices are? yup, in the Venezuelan government TV station VTV (aka. Venezolana de Television or Channal 8). One can also add the "web news" service VHeadline.com to the "independent" news agencies, that have shown how unbiased and independent they are.

If one does a google news search for Venezuela the search immediately results in almost a full page of one or multiple stories from one of the following "news agencies" this is in addition Prensa Latina with headquarters in Cuba, another source of independent news. We can also add the campaign movements Venezuela Solidarity and Hands Off Venezuela to the mix of Venezuelan government financed movements.

I guess all these "news agencies" feel it is easier to distribute all there propaganda from under one roof. Who can blame them, it's just more efficient this way.


I found these two pictures on Noticiero Digital. Take a close look at the guys hat (clicking on it makes it bigger), am I seeing things or does it say "Green Left Weekly"? At least we know they aren't biased. Thanks King: Alan B. O.