Caracas Chronicles

Katy says: Quico is off on vacation, but I’m sure if he were online he would have translated Petkoff’s entire speech tonight announcing his run for the Presidency. So being the good baby-sitter that I am, and in spite of being pro-Borges, I am translating it: (besides, it helps turn the page on the awful comments thread from the previous post – you should all be ashamed of yourselves)

“Cordial greetings. My name is Teodoro Petkoff and I will only take a minute of your time. I have decided to run for President. This cannot go on. The anguish, the division and the fear cannot go on. We cannot go on living in a permanent state of conflict. We cannot have progress and move forward if part of our population is discriminated against thanks to the Tascón and Maisanta lists. Who gave them the right to deny people their work and their bread, solely for political reasons? In spite of the loads of money the government spends, people are not moving up, jobs are not being created and no one is safe, whether it be in the streets or in their own homes.

I invite you to help build a country where we can all live in peace, personal safety and with good jobs. Where our differences are solved without violence. I demand clean elections, so they can give us an honest and capable government that represents everyone, including those who oppose it. We Venezuelans deserve to live better. I invite you to help me build a Venezuela that knows no fear. Thank you very much.”