LA PIEDRITA - Pro-Chavez Lynch Mobs

La Piedrita Militants in front of a Pro-FARC banner (Click on picture for closer look)

Never can an authoritarian regime subsist without a lynch mob. In Panama it was the "Batallones de la Dignidad" directed by nowadays Panamanian Public Works Minister Benjamin Colamarco. (This link is a documentary by Al Jazeera, not CNN, not MSNBC, its Al Jazeera). In Zimbabwe for example, its just necessary to take a look at their last fake election to see how important they were for Robert Mugabe.

But Venezuela, yeah Venezuela's benevolent social revolution also has theirs. They are called La Piedrita, this is of course besides the regular bolivarian lynch mobs . By the way, take a look a the latest mob lynching by Pro Chavez supporters. The pictures shown is how was the city Hall of Caracas left after a grave defacing of the building's facade and interior of the offices. This happened the night before Antonio Ledezma, Caracas mayor-elect (opposed to Chavez) was to take posession. But this is just a visual lynching that is far more subtle to the real sabotage that happened institutionally by executive edict of Hugo Chavez, relieving the majorship of Caracas of its authority over the police force starting the day of Ledezma assumption of office. I will post more information on this regarding the far more serious situation at a gubernatorial level (Miranda's goverment property sabotage by loser Diosdallo Cabello was just unbelievable).

Lots of spray paint huh? well that's fine because it could be worse. La Piedrita, is up in arms against Mayor Ledezma, here is their latest death threat to him made public in the "23 de enero" municipality. This flier(see below) was also found outside the city hall. If you can't read spanish I can sum it up for you. They announce that they are assuming a military offensive against him and making the headquarters of globovision a military objective. "We assume a state of absolute war.." Globovision was recently attacked with Tear Gas by unknown militants, and the government did not condemn the attack until it became undeniable; When it happened it rather accused the opposition of making it up. On the other hand, the Committee to Protect Journalists - a group that is cited by New York City Chavista Radio Station Democracy Now - wrote a letter to Chavez condemning the incident - Check out the letter.

La Piedrita of course, doesn't only function at the level of the public space but also at an institutional level. Recently La Piedrita took over clerical positions at the national library under the auspice Library Director Fernando Baez. Articles in aporrea.org confirm the institutional presence of La Piedrita in the Library's activity. aporrea.org is a chavista website that among many authors they feature include Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez translated to spanish. The government of Venezuela website also confirms their institutional role in the National Library. Among the actitivities cited by aporrea.org are a children's day called "checkmate to imperialism" where children are illustrated on US invervention in Latin America and Venezuela. At the end of the day La Piedrita holds an "ideological talk about Chavez" and express their intent to be "an idelogical support in the revolutionary, guevarista, bolivarian message with the objective of them to become the trasmitters of this line of thought and ideological framers starting in the National Library."

To the left is another leaflet outside the National library by La Piedrita. Most of it is Chavista garbage, until the end where it reads: "... we would like to salute with rebellion the director Fernando Baez, our solidarity.." But this solidarity is of course necessary when you are being sanctioned by the government. In the picture published by opposition journalist Patricia Poleo shows a military truck outside the National Library with the inscription "Committee for the Revolutionary Defense, La Piedrita." Check the picture to the left underneath the militancy leaflet. La Piedrita members have been accussed for allegedly conducting a campaign of intimidation against other Librarians who do not share their beliefs. Below is also a picture of a series of boards outside the entrance of the National Library. Among the messages written are: "Guerrilla Zone: La Piedrita, 'Country or Death" '.. " "Here La Piedrita commands and the government follows" What would be the reaction by serious academics in the US if the New York Public Library was run by a bunch of radical christians holding Jesus day at the Library grounds and intimidating anybody who didn't like it? Can academic development make progress under ideological intimidation? We know the answers to these questions.. But hey we might get Chavez until 2021.

Military Truck painted with La Piedrita slogan and La Piedrita banners outside the Library (Click on picture for closer look)

Democracy Now is not reporting on Hugo Chavez bid for perpetuity

As of December 3 2008, Democracy Now's Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzales have not reported on Chavez bid for perpetuity despite a rejected referendum on the same question in december 2007. "There is no Chavismo without Chavez, there is no Chavista dissidence" "If god gives me health I'll stay in power until 2019, 2021."

Similarly Democracy Now did not reported when Chavez enacted the Patriot Act of Venezuela, which encouraged citizens to spy on each other, only until Chavez backed down on it. Never in the week it was enacted Democracy Now even acknowledged it.

Chavez latest defeat is the equivalent of a US election opponent win on the mayorship of New York City and the governorship of New York, California and Florida. These victories by the opposition ignited the worst fears in Chavez unleashing his inner-most absolutist demons. The victories where: the mayorship of Caracas, and the governorships of Zulia,Miranda, Carabobo, Tachira and Nueva Esparta. A big blow, was also the loss of the municipality of Petare, the worst Favela in Venezuela(Caracas is made out of 5 municipalities, 4 were won by the opposition).

On a parallel note in Colombia, Uribe's reelection in 2010 has been almost vanquished and the option to opt for a third term in 2014 is still alive. I can only hope, even if I wanted, that Uribe never gets reelected. Its time for a change in leadership, so the progress of Uribe's government is not dependent on his leadership only. In fact, if Chavez wants to help his archenemy Alvaro Uribe to get his reelection, then he's playing the right cards, because Hugo Chavez until 2021 would only embolden the Colombian electorate to remain with a proper counterweight such as Uribe. This is of course in context to Rafael Correa's recent landslide on a constitutional reform that would allow him to get reelected indefinitely, and the prospects of Ollanta Humala winning in Peru.

Good news is the prospect of Ricardo Lagos going back to the helm in Chile.. nobody can't forget Lagos avoiding Chavez attempt to hug him. check it...

Democracy now? or yesterday?