Caracas Chronicles

2:45AM. They finally talked. First it was Ernesto Samper, nothing relevant. Then the Papal Nuncio Celli read the communiqué which sums up the consensus between both parties, starting with the creation of four worktables -each one with a mediator- on the following topics:

• Peace, Rule of Law, and Sovereignty, with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
• Truth, Justice, Human Rights, reparations to victims, and reconciliation, with the Vatican’s coordinator.
• Economics and social, with Leonel Fernández.
• Trustbuilding and Electoral Schedule, with Martín Torrijos.

They’re riding this donkey now, and they’re going to have to steer it.

Of those topics, they’ll work on the joint commitment for keeping peace, revision of political prisoners (wrongly called detainees by the Government), the case of Amazonas deputies, schedule and institutionality of the CNE, elections as stated by the Constitution, functioning and autonomy of the branches of power (impossible with the PSUV in power), improving the conditions of food supply and the joint effort of the State’s mechanisms to improve the Economy (ibidem, it’s not about organization, it’s a problem with the model).

Celli said both parts commit to reducing agressiveness in their speeches and immediately installing the worktables, which will have periodic reviews. The next meeting will be held November 11th. The question we’re all asking: until then, what? So far, it’s an expression of good will.

So, Jorge

The Government’s spokesman was the signature verifier, responsible for the whole 1% sham. A message in itself. Jorge Rodríguez resumed his psycopathic smile, only this time it was supposed to stem from the joy the triumph of peace sparks in him. He dared describe it “as an epiphany, as if Christmas had come early”.

The same spokesman who committed to dialing down agressiveness took seconds to start talking about his adversary’s hate campaigns and those who weren’t at the dialogue. It was a profoundly contradicting message, as were his gestures and those of his companions, which included an Elías Jaua who I’m not sure was awake. When he said: “this is a certain possibility for peace to be imposed”, he summed up PSUV’s perspective for life: imposition.

Chúo on VTV

I admit I laughed when I saw Chúo Torrealba on VTV. The station’s anchors must have had, at least, a fit of itching. Marginally, it was a more structured message which responded to all flanks of the issue as seen on Twitter. They were there to answer the Vatican’s invitation, a mediator for which they asked, amd to ensure Venezuelans can survive this crisis peacefully.

They made concrete demands for peace: liberation of political prisoners, normalizing the situation of the Amazonas deputies -key to exercising parliamentary majority-, reactivation of elections: “either the recall or early elections” (…)

They made concrete demands for peace: liberation of political prisoners, normalizing the situation of the Amazonas deputies -key to exercising parliamentary majority-, reactivation of elections: “either the recall or early elections” (…) We stated the need to reform the CNE to have an organ that, instead of blocking, organizes elections. Chúo reaffirmed the parliamentary agenda -juicio político-, and that the street protests will continue, although they’ll “reformulate” some things -obviously the “pa’ Miraflores” of 3N-. In any case, the Government shouldn’t march towards the National Assembly, if they want the mediators to believe anything they say.

And now?

There’s now a negotiation table. The width of the topics makes it hard to focus on what’s important: regaining political institutions through votes. This is the fourth table’s topic and they better answer fast.

Dialogue with these thugs will be hard.

The second axis for expressing political good will is the liberation of political prisoners. This will be painful for many Chavistas, so they need to do it gradually. They have the “not marching to Miraflores” chip in their hands, regardless of how much Nicolás uses it in his favour. For now, he’ll have to cut back on the homophobic comments and his obsession with Capriles and Ramos Allup.

They’re riding this donkey now, and they’ll have to steer it. Dialogue with these thugs will be hard. The country’s impatient for concrete results, as this process clearly suspends the Democratic Charter activation, as well as accusations against the International Criminal Court.

On it goes.