Caracas Chronicles

Sabotaging the hallaca season

They say that -get this- they’ve been at the dialogue table since 2014, and the Government has yet to implement the first of this proposal. Red flag, anyone?

Alimentos Polar announced via Twitter that their three corn flour plants are stopped due to lack of materials. Director Manuel Larrazabal also pointed out that the proposals introduced by them and other producers await Government response, and he denounced the fact that Polar has been discriminated against in the assigning of government divisas. In a normal economy, Polar would be the only one responsible for acquiring their own materia prima. In “Socialist” Venezuela, it seems you even have to jalar bola to feed the starving people. But this is definitely not fascism.

Since the only things in abundance lately are communiqués, CONINDUSTRIA issued one of their own yesterday, saying that they too agree that there’s boycott and sabotage of the Venezuelan Economy, but it’s a public policy issue for which the Government is the sole culprit. They say that -get this- they’ve been at the dialogue table since 2014, and the Government has yet to implement the first of this proposal. Red flag, anyone?

On the boycotting note, yesterday was supposed to be marked by a large transport protest demanding higher prices and proper response to the student ticket drama. However, the protest was reportedly only partial. What could have stopped bus drivers from demanding their rights? Armed colectivos, of course. Now I’m not an expert on social capital, but when you have to violently dissuade a group historically comprised of some of your closest supporters not to protest against you, isn’t that somewhat of a big deal?

Dialogue responses, episode 1000

the way you call things is important in the practice of Law, and even more so in politics

National Assembly Speaker Henry Ramos Allup said yesterday that they’ll continue in contempt of all anti-constitutional measures taken by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, their “Inconstitutional Chamber” (clever, Henry), and any other Government body. This in response to Head Nefasto Tarek El Aissami’s demands that the deputies from Amazones be withdrawn from Parliament.

Also, Carlos Ocariz admitted yesterday that calling political prisoners detainees was a mistake (NO SHIT, SHERLOCK). He went on to state a strand of nonsense that made me genuinely wish Miguel Pizarro has Coup D’Etat intentions. A note on this: the way you call things is important in the practice of Law, and even more so in politics. OK there, MUD?

However, it seems as though whatever’s said about the dialogue may amount to nothing because, as El Pitazo reports, people don’t know about the agreements anyways.

But of course, the main event yesterday was former President of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Oscar Arias calling our government a narco-State, and saying that they have no interest in dialogue, as leaving government would mean a grim future for them, Bravo, Oscar. Bravo.

1000 days

Yesterday was the one-thousand-day milestone of Leopoldo López’s absurd, unfounded incarceration. Lilian Tintori of course made a point of letting everyone know, but I think perhaps the most crushing fact is López’s lawyer Juan Carlos Gutiérrez’s statement that, of those 1000 days, Leopoldo has spent 548 in isolation.

You may not agree with him on many things (as I in fact don’t). But far beyond that, no human deserves that treatment. On this awful anniversary, Leopoldo, our thoughts go to you.

Crime watch

Back in the day-to-day business of murder and theft, a Bipolar-Capybara-worthy sign was put up in the Civil Registration office in Maracay, where they won’t be serving the public until new notice, as all their equipment was stolen. Lastly, Caucagua Mayor’s Director of Estate, Alejandro Gámez, was shot to death yesterday. Sad morning for public employees.

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It never ceases to amaze me just how tragedy-packed a simple morning briefing in Venezuela can be. But hey, resiliency is built through practice. And we don’t have to worry about the weather, so there’s that.