Venezuela and the Chavez Legacy

Damn, you remind me of my country, except my area is a lot richer with industry that's more diverse so it's harder for the leader to screw it up.

Hm... What would that country be? You made me curious.

Canada :)

I'm just joking though. But...

The neoconservatives in power rave about lowering taxes, privatising everything and so on for some populist vote. In reality, they're running the largest deficit in history and broke long standing parliamentary traditions on democracy to push through legislation. Most of the public doesn't care and probably wouldn't even bother to learn anything about Canadian history to know about it anyway. They silence all government agencies from talking to the public and are trying to cut funding to the state media because they think it's a big liberal conspiracy.

I'm sure there'll be plenty of people who disagree with my assessment. They'll typically say that's liberal whining (though I'd like to point out, I didn't even vote for the liberals).

And we have to wonder if Capriles Radonki is going to win the elections. I actually like Chavez... in a way. he is very charismatic. So was Hitler

Its my first time going to vote, so only 10 days more and maybe we get a change...

or we can get six year of the same "yo quiero mas"

edited 29th Sep '12 2:30:00 AM by Tomodachi

I will have to admit there is one thing that other countries are copying from Venezuela: El Sistema*

I don't pretend to know very much about the region, but from what I can tell I'd say that many of Venezuela's problems are very similar to those found in several countries in South America. Dodgy politicians and fairly high levels of poverty exist all over the shop down there.

Here's some questions. If Chavez loses what do you think are the odds of his declaring it invalid and staying on anyway. What do you think will happen if he does? And if he does win will he do it through blatant theft and what will the opposition's reaction be?

I for one, have absolutely no idea. I've heard that there is going to be a very strong Opposition presence on the voting centers to make sure everything goes as it should.

But aside from that... Well Chavez did say, to paraphrase, that the Bourgeoisie had the most to lose from a Civil War so that they should better vote for him. He later retracted that statement but...

Well, a lot of people are stocking up on water and non perishable food. Better safe than sorry.

I can imagine all sorts of chicanery and legerdemain that could be carried out with the vote counts without anything appearing amiss at the voting centers.

Then again, I originally hail from Cook County, Illinois, so I have more than a passing familiarity with the Chicago Way.

edited 29th Sep '12 4:54:52 PM by Nohbody

The CNE has declared Chavez as winner of the latest elections.

Just saw the news. Chavez had more than 54 percent of the vote, and Capriles had 45 percent,

and now guess the popular trends in Venezuela? Fraud. Its seems 2 millions votes are missing, or something like that.

https://twitter.com/AntiPerras/status/255201254937092097/photo/1 (spanish)

At least Capriles accept that he lost the battle like a Man, unlike Manuel Rosales.

My mother doesn't like Chavez, because she thinks he's a bully. I think he was engaged in some ballot stuffing. The votes being missing looks suspicious.

edited 8th Oct '12 3:19:59 AM by MorwenEdhelwen

... Wasn't there some new computer system to go with the physical ballots that was supposed to make fraud this time around nearly impossible?

^ Computers are only as honest as the people programming their software.

(Yeah, I have that problem with US electronic voting, too. That, however, is another thread.)

Capriles may have accepted defeat like a man, but if the oppossition does nothing, we're looking at more Chavez 'till 2019.

Basically, yes, the polls said that we were in the lead, at 54% or something. Then comes the statement saying we have 44% of the votes. Not to mention that Chavez won in Zulia and Carabobo, among other blatant pro Capriles states.

The whole thing reeks of fraud.

That does smell funny.

Days will tell what really happen. Maybe it was a fraud, maibe it wasn´t

... On the other hand, i would like to know what Tropes Chavez provides examples, you know? Maibe a bit controversial.

I just hope It was really a fraud.

edited 8th Oct '12 1:20:57 PM by Tomodachi

For sure, he's been the target of Shut Up, Hannibal!.

Those who speak of fraud are calling on about more than 2 million votes who seem to be unaccounted for in the first official proclamation given the math involved.

There are also a couple of photo's circulating about a mobilization of tanks and soldiers two hours before the results were declared. They were later recalled and then Chavez was announced as the winner. Or so go the rumors.

Well, i tried adding some more tropes to this guy.

Arch-Enemy: Imperialism.

Berserk Button: Imperialism and Venezuela Fourth Republic. Also, never call his public workers "jalabolas" (misblamed case also).

The Rival: Henrique Capriles was his rival in the 2012 elections. Manuel Rosales... not so much...

Colonel Badass: he is called "Comandante" by his followers for a reason.

The Generalissimo: possibly

Refugein Vulgarity

A father to His people/One of them: Why would you think this guy has won three elections? because of frauds?... lets not talk about it.

Mister Danger: The term gained notoriety when he used it to describe George W. Bush.

Bald of... Whatever: He had cancer for a while, leaving him bald.

Catchphrase: "¡Patria, socialismo o Muerte! ¡Venceremos!" (Patriotism, socialism, or death! We will defeat! ... they take the Death part a while ago.

History Repeats: He try to avoid this trope. Read Berserk Button.

Its seems now Hugo Chavez has won whit 8 millons votes... interesting, it was 7 a while ago.

edited 8th Oct '12 8:11:10 PM by Tomodachi

The funny thing, being that Chavez himself has been accussed of causing the History Repeats trope. Also, the Badass part is debatable. People call him Comandante as more "loving, friendly, loyal" kind of way.

Really, how can he be badass? Apealing, sure, if you get into a really twisted mindset, but badass...

Moving on, I don't see any major reactions here, but I'm kinda isolated, we'll see what happens tomorrow.

FINAL RANT OF TODAY: Really, no reactions so far. This is the guy who said after the Oil Refinery exploded "Well shucks, the show must go on!" as an excuse. Bush gets flak for Katrina and this murdering asshole gets away scott-free. People say fraud, and yet we do nothing about it. This country actually likes suffering.

Venezuela is a masochist country. No wonder about the Fourth Republic being horrible.

Yeah, the badass part is debatable, im only following the trope name. Well, six years more of "yo quiero mas" violence and Sick Patriotism...

Bummer.

Don't worry, after these six years, it'll turn out teh ebul imperialist capatilists!!1 are still after Venezuela, so he'll selflessly stand up to the task.