I sincerely doubt that the Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias that is flesh born of woman, necessarily thinks that he is the Messiah!

VHeadline editor & publisher Roy S. Carson writes: I don't really understand why VHeadline Venezuela News anchor John Sanchez felt the need to apologize profusely 'on air' yesterday for a Monday (September 8) rant that seems to have upset at least one Chavista listener who immediately emailed John (and our central editorial desk) to wail "Now Mr. Sanchez supports Tascon...? It looks like he supports anyone that turns against Chavez and the Bolivarian movement." The listener went on "Mr. Sanchez aren't you a PUDIMOS (we would off) militant? Shouldn't you be supporting the GOLPISTAS like Leopoldo Lopez and Manuel Rosales?" He then rounded off the volley saying "You are a traitor like Ismael Garcia , Tascon and all of the Pudimos people."

Okay, let's forget the fact that John's detractor couldn't spell the name of the previously pro-Chavez political party, PODEMOS (We can!) ... but the descent into ad hominens like "golpista" (coup-monger) and "traitor" seems to me to be off the wall! Especially concerning John!

Unfortunately it is rather typical of the blacker-than-black relegation of anyone who is NOT necessarily a totally blinkered born-again-Chavista in the nether world of Venezuela's current political-economic fragility. Quite simply, from the pro-Chavez perspective there is only a black hole to be found anywhere else other than in the celestial firmament in which his most fervent devotees have placed Hugo Chavez Frias as the coming of the longed-for Messiah!

I sincerely doubt that the Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias that is flesh born of woman, necessarily thinks that he is so -- nor that he has been baptized by a 21st century version of John the Baptist -- but he does share Jesus Christ's socialist instructions and example to his disciples, even if they do have a nasty habit of denying him thrice (and more!) times when the cock (adversity) crows!

If I know the man at all, John Sanchez' motives are undoubtedly honestly held! I don't necessarily agree with him on all things at all times, but that's the way it should be in any editorial relationship, otherwise there is a tendency to get stuck in a doctrinal morass that, frankly, seems to afflict both sides of the Venezuelan media panorama where objectivity is destined to the garbage in pursuit of factional interests, either political or economic. Sadly!

In an editorial published yesterday, John further revealed his destain for the corruption and malfeasance which has traditionally polluted Venezuelan politics ... his regret that the much-awaited promise of President Hugo Chavez Frias dealing resolutely with the plague under his 3-Rs policy of "Reform, Revision and Rectification" so disastrously out of kilter and with little prospect of anything more than verbal alphabet soup between now and local and regional elections at the end of November.

So ... he freely expressed his abject disappointment over unfulfilled political promises!

John Sanchez used his Constitutional right to voice his point-of-view, his opinion, about what has gone wrong and to suggest an alternative (admittedly non-Chavez) route towards national salvation even at the eleventh hour. Are only pro-Chavista opinions protected under the 1999 Constitution of the Republic of Venezuela?

Don't think so!

Nevertheless, John Sanchez can gain some satisfaction from an approving reader of his yesterday editorial who wrote that although he enjoyed reading the article he had had difficulty understanding why John had praised the patriotic virtues of currently-excluded (from the Chavista heavenly halls of grace!) National Assembly deputy-congressman Luis Tascon. The reader wrote (in Spanish) that Tascon's infamous list has ruined the lives of many Venezuelans and even today many thousands of people have been prohibited form getting jobs because of it, while at the same time Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and its sub-contractors and the country in general have a severe lack of qualified and experienced workers.

Of course that old red-herring is brought our of the cupboard like a proverbial skeleton without further explanation which is neither an excuse for or a damnation leveled against the so-called Tascon List other than it is "cause and effect" that is equally applied across the board, although scarcely any will admit to it being used the other way round ... that would be defeating the opposition political purpose.

In the run-up to an August 2004 referendum uniquely seeking the recall (dismissal) of democratically-elected President Hugo Chavez Frias, a requisite number of signatures were required to be lodged with the appropriate authorities to vindicate such a referendum. Yes, the very vocal opposition raised heaven and earth to pull in more than the requisite number even if they had (intentionally or through no fault of their own we will not arbitrate!) included quite a number of signatures from dead people in the process. And, yes, indeed they DID manage, after much huffing and puffing, to get in excess or the requisite number of legally valid signatures checked against the central Voter Register (REP) with all its imperfections. And, yes, in full accordance with the democratic process, the names included in the REP and the names included in the Recall Referendum petition were recorded in the public domain. To do otherwise would defeat all and any checks and balances necessary in the democratic performance of the eventual Referendum which went ahead as requested and returned a 59% majority in favor of the incumbent President, Chavez Frias.

The registers, therefore, being in the public domain are accessible by anyone and everyone! Something wrong with that?

That Luis Tascon did a little bit more, and put the already public domain register of petitioners in the public domain (again!), has unfortunately labeled him with The Tascon List -- but what does it change? Would it have been any different the other way round?

Accepting the fact that government agencies and similar employers must necessarily check the public records before taking someone onto the government payroll isn't it only natural that they will use every available public record at their disposal. And it being so that they;re public records, will not opposition employers also check the public record to ensure that those they employ are NOT pro-government "infiltrators" against whom they believe they have to guard themselves ... much in the same way as concerned luxury villa owners in Lagunita (Caracas) were strongly advised to guard their tongues in case the (suspected of being) 'Chavista' servants got to know about their (the opposition wealthy) seditious plans ahead of the April 2002 coup d'etat.

Should a signature on a petition asking for a Recall Referendum against a public official be public or should we let any nefarious or otherwise endowed interest group (economic or political) call a referendum simply on their own undisputed say-so?

Why then have a Constitutional requirement of so and so many signatures validated to call a referendum? Why indeed have a National Voters Register (REP)?

• Why, indeed, not simply have a top-secret ballot in which any Tom, Dick or Harry ... or Juan, Jorge or Jaime in a Venezuelan scenario ... can claim whatever and whomsoever s/he wants for whoever or whatever he wants and vote as many times as he wants, all day long if necessary ... uncontrolled!

Quite simply that's not the way that a transparency democracy is run!

And whatever its very eloquent faults, the Venezuelan electoral system is at least trying to achieve the necessary transparency that does not necessarily restrict itself to simply electing the President's brother to gubernatorial status in Florida just because Big Brother in Washington DC wants it that way, even on his own very tenuous residential status at the White House.

Roy S. Carson
vheadline@gmail.com

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Venezuela is facing the most difficult period of its history with honest reporters crippled by sectarianism on top of rampant corruption within the administration and beyond, aided and abetted by criminal forces in the US and Spanish governments which cannot accept the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people to decide over their own future.

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