We got 5 states out of 22. That is less than we wanted but far more than what Chavismo had said we would get (1).
I should have followed my gut feeling and just had dropped the Llanero states I had - with a lot of doubt, as I wrote - put on the side of the opposition: Barinas, Guárico and Cojedes. I will go back to what happened there later. The cool thing is we got Miranda back and the Alcaldía Mayor. The opposition is now in charge of the state governments of a little bit over 40% of the population.
I want you to listen to this from The Guardian's excellent journalist Rory Carroll. He talks specially about Petare, Venezuela's biggest slum, now anti-Chavez. Now on the background, very low, at the end, you can listen to a lady who still supports Chavez to the end. It is a poor woman from that slum as well and what you hear is "three mattresses, a washing machine". Those are the things she got from the government to secure her vote. I can understand her in her conditions even though I know what she loses is more: to have a country where tolerance and transparency, sustainable development and better education are the norm.
Expect Chavez to start closing the money tap to those regions from now on, as he already have threatened. Expect that to be much more than when El Pollo (opposition) was governor in Carabobo in 2000-2004. More so now that the oil barrel is below $50
Oops...I did not hear well the clip. The woman got also a kitchen equipment and a refrigerator to vote for Chavez.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Kep. Nice of Rory Carroll to point out the significance of Petare.
ReplyDeleteJM,
ReplyDeleteNo, they are from the wonderful Wikipedia.
Juan,
Thanks. Did you check out how what Rory said in the US report on Chavez?
I specially liked his astonished look during the Alo Presidente shooting (Tu eres de Gran Bretana? Ah, sí, Europa...)
I think now the oppo needs to be very proactive regarding financial resources for the conquered regions. It won't be easy for basically two reasons: Chavez, oil prices.