Monthly Archives: February 2010

As we reach the final of February’s three unavoidable political aniversaries, here’s a question you seldom hear raised: what was Venezuela like on February 26th, 1989? Well, lets see. We had an economy that had stagnated for years, reversing most … Continue reading →

 … to focus your attention on the strength of Colombia’s, where the Constitutional Court is set to reject a referendum on allowing Alvaro Uribe to run for a third consecutive term. The Court’s decision has not been announced, but it … Continue reading →

The more I look at it, the more I’m convinced that what’s truly important about IACHR’s report on Democracy and Human Rights in Venezuela is its heavy emphasis on political meddling in the Judiciary. Deplorable as the abuses detailed in the … Continue reading →

Non-news doesn’t get any more non-newsy than Chávez’s blanket dismissal of OAS’s extensively researched, carefully drafted 300-page report on Democracy and Human Rights in Venezuela as "pure excrement." This kind of non-response response, which olympically skips over the whole sordid … Continue reading →

Whopper of the day: "The Fourth Republic (Translation: the governments prior to Chavez) did not carry out the necessary investments to solve the country’s electricity crisis."  Vice-President Elías Jaua at the National Assembly today. Whatever happened to El Niño being the … Continue reading →

I can see it now. Foreign journalists in Venezuela beginning to board the Henry Falcón bandwagon, naming him Chávez’s strongest rival, clapping away at their keyboards discussing "chavismo sin Chávez." I can practically hear the chitchat in the bakeries of … Continue reading →

While a handful of high profile cases of political interference in the courts monopolize our attention, the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights‘s 2009 report on Democracy and Human Rights in Venezuela shows just how widespread these kinds of practices have become. … Continue reading →

This latest PR stunt by Colombia’s FARC guerrilla group would be funny … if it wasn’t so creepy. (Hat tip: JR) Update: TalCual has the backstory. Complete with Reyes laptop emails and high-dollar payments – it’s almost as bizarre as the … Continue reading →

So is it really, really pathetic that I’m so looking forward to the première of Isla Presidencial? If you haven’t heard, this is the Bipolar Capybara’s new animated webcast where, we’re told, "power, envy and lots of presidents wearing shorts all … Continue reading →

The obscenity-laden "chou" that Hugo Chávez and Alvaro Uribe put on in Mexico made its way to CNN’s main page. You know you’ve hit rock bottom when the Cuban President ends up playing peacemaker. The only thing missing in this … Continue reading →

  Austin, Texas, USA. 9:30 AM, one foggy day. CaracasChronicles.com has a true worldwide audience – help us prove it! Send us the View from Your Window: caracaschronicles at fastmail dot fm, or nageljuan at gmail dot com. Please ensure … Continue reading →

My sense is that the opposition’s neargasm at the news that Lara State’s wildly popular governor, Henry Falcón, is leaving Chávez’s party, is somewhat misplaced. Don’t get me wrong, Henry Falcón is the most interesting politician in Venezuela today. An … Continue reading →

El Recreo, Caracas, Venezuela: 10:00 a.m. – Extra points for the Rómulo Ass-peek  CaracasChronicles.com has a true worldwide audience – help us prove it! Send us the View from Your Window: caracaschronicles at fastmail dot fm, or nageljuan at gmail … Continue reading →

Chávez’s announcement the other day that we may end up buying energy from Colombia after all reminded me of my grandmother, who passed away back in 2003 after a long, losing battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. It’s a cruel one, Alzheimer’s, … Continue reading →

A Stockholm Suburb, Sweden: 11 a.m. CaracasChronicles.com has a true worldwide audience – help us prove it! Send us the View from Your Window: caracaschronicles at fastmail dot fm, or nageljuan at gmail dot com. Please ensure the window frame … Continue reading →