Caracas Chronicles

Here is Chávez’s latest campaign ad: un-singable jingle full of tired old clichés, worn-out rythms, and hysterical imagery.

It’s too bad for them, because the video starts off well, with images of Venezuelans of diverse background getting up in the morning. When you start noticing the large amount of words and the confusing rythms (is it a bachata? a reggaeton?), you being to wonder where this is going.

Then, Chávez appears on screen from his June 11th truck, with his bloated face, to the rythm of “Uh… Ah… Chávez no se va,” as the chorus of male singers confess their undying love to the Comandante.

Troubadors pledging their unending passion for a corpse. It’s all just so … weird. I can picture the meetings where this was decided: “let’s base the ad on Uh, Ah, Chavez no se va! It worked so well for us ten years ago…”

The ad is as old, bloated, and worn-out as the candidate it promotes. But, for all I know, it may well work. (HT: Lucía)