Monthly Archives: January 2008

Quico says: So there’s this kid, Amar Bakshi, who somehow managed to persuade the Washington Post to send him all over the place to find out “how the world sees America.” (Rest assured, I’ve already fired off the inevitable email … Continue reading →

Quico says: So there’s this kid, Amar Bakshi, who somehow managed to persuade the Washington Post to send him all over the place to find out “how the world sees America.” (Rest assured, I’ve already fired off the inevitable email … Continue reading →

Quico says: So there’s this kid, Amar Bakshi, who somehow managed to persuade the Washington Post to send him all over the place to find out “how the world sees America.” (Rest assured, I’ve already fired off the inevitable email … Continue reading →

Quico says: In yesterday’s FT, Benedict Mander took a stab at explaining the weird tangle of distortions exchange controls have created. Killer fact: According to Cadivi, from January to November last year, Venezuelans spent more than $4bn on credit cards … Continue reading →

Quico says: Don’t miss this eye-popping profile of Banco Occidental de Descuento head honcho and all around rancid oligarch Victor Vargas. It’s out today in what is probably the most coveted bit of journalistic real estate in the United States: … Continue reading →

Quico says: Don’t miss this eye-popping profile of Banco Occidental de Descuento head honcho and all around rancid oligarch Victor Vargas. It’s out today in what is probably the most coveted bit of journalistic real estate in the United States: … Continue reading →

Quico says: Just recently, Javier Marías wrote this thought-provokingly quasi-reactionary little screed in The New Republic presenting a “defense” of democracy startling for its frank avowal of its shortcomings: Few people would deny that, however imperfect, democracy is still the … Continue reading →

Quico says: Just recently, Javier Marías wrote this thought-provokingly quasi-reactionary little screed in The New Republic presenting a “defense” of democracy startling for its frank avowal of its shortcomings: Few people would deny that, however imperfect, democracy is still the … Continue reading →

Katy says: It’s always a challenge to write about Venezuela from abroad. Much of what happens in the country depends on moods: the mood of the government, the press, the opposition, the voters, and obviously tapping into them is more … Continue reading →

Katy says: It’s always a challenge to write about Venezuela from abroad. Much of what happens in the country depends on moods: the mood of the government, the press, the opposition, the voters, and obviously tapping into them is more … Continue reading →

Katy says: Today the opposition to Chavez signed an agreement on 10 points for the future of the country. The 10 points they committed to are: 1. Rescuing public institutions and respecting their autonomy2. Respect for ideological plurality3. Descentralization4. Security, … Continue reading →

Quico says: How big a hit did Chávez’s popularity take after his referendum defeat last year? According to Datos, by the third week in December just 30% of Venezuelans were expressing confidence in Chávez personally, and a paltry 21% still … Continue reading →

Quico says: I’m on record complaining bitterly about the fragmentation of Venezuela’s opposition into more and more tiny and ineffective parties. But recently, I’ve been wondering how new this structure really is…and to what extent can we think of these … Continue reading →

Quico says: I’m on record complaining bitterly about the fragmentation of Venezuela’s opposition into more and more tiny and ineffective parties. But recently, I’ve been wondering how new this structure really is…and to what extent can we think of these … Continue reading →

[Quico warns: I don't usually allow this blog to stray too far from its core subject - Venezuelan politics - but every so often I do indulge one of my subsidiary obsessions. Today, it's Japanese study. If your computer doesn't … Continue reading →