Friday, May 27, 2005
Talk about having the cart before the horse
I ran across a rather amusing article on an opposition website . Such articles are a dime a dozen. However, there were a couple points that caught my attention. First, there was this:
An apologist for the opposition admits the opposition screwing the country by shutting down the oil industry was a mistake?!?!? Will miracles never cease? Too bad for the opposition, for Venezuela, for everyone that this rocket scientist wasn’t around in December 02. Oh well, I guess this kind of sums up the oppositions problems, they have no leaders, only Monday morning quarterbacks.
But here is the real howler:
So they want a “people power” movement like in the Ukraine or Lebanon. Errrh, I think that might be a little difficult. See, I think to have a successful “people power” movement you actually need to have the people on your side. Mind you, I’m not positive about that but I think that is the general idea behind it – you know, having the majority on your side. I think when you’re at 10% in the polls and the person you’re trying to overthrow is over 70% you might have to go a different route – like maybe a coup? Now, I don’t mean to encourage coup attempts – far from it. Its just that I would hate to see my opposition friends get their hopes all worked up about “people power” only to have them dashed when no one shows up.
So to any anti-Chavez people reading this remember: first the horse, then the cart; first the horse, then the cart;….
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The street mobilizations of late 2002 and early 2003 was the second attempt. Unfortunately, a segment of the movement used PDVSA as a weapon against Chavez. When PDVSA workers shut down oil production all Venezuelans suffered, and those with a financial cushion were best able to withstand the assault. The opposition lost potential sympathizers as a consequence. It took many months before the opposition was able to rebuild.
An apologist for the opposition admits the opposition screwing the country by shutting down the oil industry was a mistake?!?!? Will miracles never cease? Too bad for the opposition, for Venezuela, for everyone that this rocket scientist wasn’t around in December 02. Oh well, I guess this kind of sums up the oppositions problems, they have no leaders, only Monday morning quarterbacks.
But here is the real howler:
Over the past few years Venezuelans have demonstrated an incredible ability to mobilize peacefully against authoritarianism. With no hopes for a fair election in 2006 [read: with the opposition not having a snowballs chance in hell of winning an election no matter how fair - ow], any realistic opposition strategy will almost certainly include a massive people power movement. While Venezuelan citizens are not likely to get much support from most OAS members, it is clear that the United States has finally come to grips with the dangers of Chavez's authoritarianism. In its next battle for democracy Venezuela's people power movement will surely have an ally.
So they want a “people power” movement like in the Ukraine or Lebanon. Errrh, I think that might be a little difficult. See, I think to have a successful “people power” movement you actually need to have the people on your side. Mind you, I’m not positive about that but I think that is the general idea behind it – you know, having the majority on your side. I think when you’re at 10% in the polls and the person you’re trying to overthrow is over 70% you might have to go a different route – like maybe a coup? Now, I don’t mean to encourage coup attempts – far from it. Its just that I would hate to see my opposition friends get their hopes all worked up about “people power” only to have them dashed when no one shows up.
So to any anti-Chavez people reading this remember: first the horse, then the cart; first the horse, then the cart;….
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