Caracas Chronicles

The standard recipe for chavista taunting goes more or less like this:

1) Do or say something outrageous.

2) Watch the opposition commentariat go nuts.

3) Make sure the public image of the opposition gets tainted in a negative way thanks to their overreaction.

4) Rinse and repeat.

The latest from our bullies-in-chief came from Information Minister, and sister of Libertador Mayor, Delcy Rodríguez. (side note: what’s the correlation between having an Information Minister and being an actual democracy?)

In case you haven’t heard, Ms. Rodríguez published an error-filled list of opposition “figures” and the dates they left the country for their holidays, along with their intended destinations. Thanks to this list, we learn that Carlos Ocaríz apparently left for Miami on December 21st, and that Antonio Ledezma left for Lima on December 22nd. Delcy finds this appalling, and evil Mini-me Robert Serra went so far to say that it demonstrates the opposition “does not love their own country.”

Of course, the Twittersphere has gone nuts about this. Some have even gone so far as to say this violates human rights!

In normal democracies, politicians’ holiday plans, just like their private lives, are fair play. The public has a right to know where our public servants go on vacation, just like in the US, just like in Germany, just like in France. So in theory I don’t have a problem with Delcy’s list.

The problem with Delcy’s list is a) the use of privileged information; and b) the inclusion of private citizens such as Rocío San Miguel and Lorenzo Mendoza on this list. Then again, that’s a problem between them and the government. And ultimately, what problems has this list caused people like Henry Ramos Allup or Nelson Bocaranda?

This is just bullying, and the best thing to do with a bully is to ignore her. By making a big deal about the list, we give it the relevance it does not deserve.

But no, there is outrage, outrage about this. Fair enough, but this plays straight into the government’s hands. They can just sit back and say, “there … you see? The opposition is defending their right to vacation in Paris … that’s all they care about!”

On the left, you have the people. On the right, you have the opposition. Insert wedge.

Let it go, folks. Nobody named Delcy can be all that dangerous. Enjoy your holidays in Paris and let her say whatever she wants.