OW:
Your post carries a very significant symolic message hidden withing its context that came to me the instant i finished reading your post and having viewed the picture.
In Miguel Octavios blog "Devils Excrement" he has a section aptly named "venezuelan beauties" to which he has posted pictures of young (perhaps too young in some cases) Venezuelan opposition females in thier prime. No doubt they are attractive and if one were not strong of will one might want have wanted to particiapte in such a rally if only to have the off chance that one might meet one of these Venezuelan Beauties. In the captions the photogrpaher and host makes no mistake that these pictures were taken at Venezuelan opposition rallies. Indeed the unwitting victims of his camera reticle are voluptuous and full of life.
http://blogs.salon.com/0001330/c...nezuelanBeauty/
(my personal favorite is "forceful" she has all the qualities, even without a shot of the booty to make a pulpo very happy for a long long time)
(CAUTION!!! viewing these photos may subject you to child pornography laws in some countries. I have already warned Octavio about this, that dirty dog)
Now OW, you present us with this. Good god where has the time gone. The profile of the lady with with the hat says it all. I dont mean to be cruel and I pass no judgement on these two indivuduals, only to cite the symbolic reference of the overall change within all that comprises the longevtiy of the Venezuelan opposition. Where once they were temptresses, sirens calling, now they have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.
My apologies to the two ladies shown in the photo for use of thier likeness to make a point - may they live a long and fruitful life.
Damn, I almost feel sorry for this lady. She don't see the irony of bring this poster to the "rally"?
Keep up with good pictures in the blog OW!
Hey, Pulpo--where did OW get the picture of Christina and Sydney at this weekend's rally?
I know, I know...a low-down and cruel comment.
Sour grapes? Sure--what else does one expect when one has been the recipient of crass abuse, selective invective, and blatant censorship?
Christina, you can comment here--I promise we will debate ideas and no one here will call for your head.
Sydnus, likewise.
No comment. 
Cute picture, OW. However, the real source of concern for Chávez & Co. should be the growing discontent within his own ranks, e.g.
http://www.venezuelaenvideos.com...com/
pt03v07.htm
http://www.aporrea.org/dameletra...php?
docid=14287
Is exile to Miami the way to deal with these compańeros too?
Miguel:
Yes, I had noticed those before. I wouldn't agree with the assesment that there is growing discontent within the ranks of Chavismo though. To the contrary, there was much more dicontent a couple of years ago which led many to abandon it and either become indifferent or even side with the opposition.
Having said that, in a movement of millions there will always be some who are not happy about this and that. And that is fine as there are indeed things to be unhappy about and that need to be rectified. One of the virtues of the MVR and its allies is that the airing of such feelings is openly encouraged so that problems are brought to light and resolutions can be found. We have seen that continiously for 6 years, there is nothing new about it.
As to the issue of corruption, certainly it does exist. When you are successfull politically there will always be many oppertunists that will show up to take advantage of the situation. Chavismo is no exception to that and being able to fully combat that is not easy. I actually intend to post something on that in a couple of days.
One last point on this. I think it is very telling that the opposition has so little idea how to pick itself up off the floor at this point that it really can't do anything except sit around and pine for 1) internal splits within Chavismo or 2) oil prices to collapse. They seem to have little in the way of ideas of their own so they are reduced to hoping misfortune befalls otheres. Not much of a game plan if you ask me.
OW, it really is striking the degree to which the opposition is incapable of engaging a viable poltical project.
This may be a bit of wishful thinking, but it seems that the comprador logic of neoliberal capitalism has run aground.
I remember when Fox was elected, one of this first proposals was to increase the length of the workday for the poor.
Yes, I am not joking. This lame proposal was supposed to encourage capitalists to invest in Mex. instead of China.
A classic race to the bottom exists where capital will invest in nations where there is super exploitation, as these 'free trade' areas are where the capitalists enjoy the greatest returns.
A huge problem for the opposition is that they continue to follow the lead of the US intelligensia and conflate the concepts of 'democracy' and what is known as 'capitalism'. Indeed, as abstracted concepts they are both very pourous and amporphus--very different from US style electoral politics and the idealized free markets expounded by Adam Smith.
There continues to be a class/racialized component to the dominant form of world politics that is submerged.
Look no further than Haiti to so how fully the contradictioins play out--"democracy" in that US supported vassel state entails imprisoning the leaders of the country's largest political party, Lavalas.
Until the opposition abandons the neoliberal model as the sine qua non of all economic and political models, they will remain defeated.
But OW--I believe that you are far too generous in your characterization of what many in the opposition hope for--there is a very strong element among the opposition Taliban that is waving its arms in the air, beseeching the corrupt, non-democratic US empire to do away with Chavez and the developing Bolivarian movement.
This sorry group has nothing but utter contempt for those that they have exploited for decades on end. Indeed, there is a very racist discourse/symbology that undergirds their political project. But this is constantly shunted aside and submerged as a functioning subtext to the overt political battles. Very much like the Republican party and the corporate elite here in the US--for whom barbaric racism is still very much alive and well.
White Supremecy is a central logic to the European and US global system of capitalist exploitation and imperialist attack and pillage.
Miguel-O-Matic--I don't necessarily want to see the opposition exiled to Miami.
But that element in the opposition that refuses to respect the democratic rights and aspirations of the majority of Venezuelans, those that pine for a US invasion and will promote economic destablization, coups, and sabatoge--what do you think this type of Venezuelan should be allowed?
Same as with the US. Though I despise the government, I would not dare give aid to extremist elements whose goal it is to attack the nation. That would be traitorous--I would leave the country before I attacked the core of the constitutional order. This is regardless to how bad I interpret the system to be at this point in time.
Venezuela, despite the extremist rhetoric by some, continues to allow ample freedom of expression and political participation.
IMO, the question of what to do with people engaged in criminal acts against the democratic institutions is separate and distinct from the question of how to deal with people engaged in other expressions of disagreement/dissent. The community organizers involved in the CONATEL incident can hardly be accused of falling in the former group. They got a taste of the arbitrary exercise of power from the top. And, understandably, they did not like it one bit. Don't take my word for it, watch the videos...
M-O-M: you know full well that I am refering to those in the opposition who have involved themselves in criminal activity, obfuscation, and destablization.
You will need to change your political strategies and discourse if you plan on participating in the political process.
But it is much easier to pray for an Uncle Sammie liberation.
Venezuela has changed dramatically. At least give the heretofore marginalized social classes enough respect to acknowledge that Miguel, and particpate respectfully in the democratic arena.
What is your poltical program? Who are your leaders? Where do you stand with respect to US militarism, neoliberalism, etc.?
These are issues you need to think deeply about.
Whining incessently is not going to make Venezuela a better country.
Jim R. I do not need a political program, a leader, or an ideology to help me decide when someone is being abused... As to who may be doing the whining in this particular exchange, I will let the reader decide... Adiós.
Commenting by HaloScan
