Looking back & looking ahead…
Posted by ddelaney on November 18, 2008
This post is playing a bit of catch-up. I’ve been MIA due to a number of converging events and commitments. Work suddenly became very busy just as I was asked to take on teaching a level 12 English class at night for this 4-week period of classes. Then, of course, the feria (fair) for la Chinita de Chiquinquira has now come and gone, technically. There will still be a lot of fuss at the basilica and Christmas really feels like it’s on its way now. More on the feria later though…Let’s get to some other things I want to share n
Chavez, etc.
Chavez made yet another appearance here in Zulia. He called the governor of Zulia state, yet again, a “ladron” (thief) and a “fascista” (fascist). Then the governor, who is running to be the mayor of Maracaibo, warned that Chavez has a terrorist plan to bring out military tanks and mobilizing troops to create fear for the elections. It is hard to know what to think. I can’t help but recall when, during the third U.S. presidential debate this year, both Obama and McCain talked about how the campaign was “tough”—merely a nicer word for nasty in terms of their campaign television ads. If you think that is “tough,” campaigns can not even compare.
I’ve been reading a lot about the elections. Or rather, I read newspapers and online news pretty regularly so that means I’m reading about the elections or nothing at all. Chavez seems to want his party to win Zulia state at any cost. It is predicted that the opposition will win between four and eight states. The family I live with mentioned taking me with them to vote this Sunday so that I can see what it’s like, etc. I was able to do this in La Paz, Bolivia, as well back in 2006 when there was a referendum vote and it was quite interesting.
In other news, the state news agency announced that Venezuela and Iran are creating the “Universidad de las Civilizaciones” (University of Civilizations) in Caracas to teach the principles of the Bolivarian revolution and “21st Century socialism.” Hm. Then I heard about the documentary, “The Hugo Chavez Show,” made in the U.S. about Chavez that defines him as charismatic and buffoonish. Apparently, it will be airing on Frontline, PBS, in the U.S. and is available online starting tomorrow. I’m very curious to see it. Another foreigner here who has lived in Maracaibo for a few years, who is not even a fan of Chavez, admitted that she would love to meet him. Just shake his hand and exchange greetings. Whatever comes of him, it would make a story.
Racism
A fellow Fulbrighter, Rachel, recently had an article published at her alma mater about the Venezuelan perspective on the U.S. presidential election from her post in Maturin, Venezuela. Check it out with the link below.
I find it interesting because it raises the issue of race. Rachel is very right in that Venezuelans truly perceive race relations in the U.S. to be in pretty bad shape. This came up in my classroom Friday evening. I was surprised when two whole class periods went by without them asking me about U.S. politics, my vote in the recent elections, etc. I usually get that after meeting someone here. After a mini lesson on the Democratic and Republican parties and U.S. electoral system, I was asked about race relations in the U.S. It was obvious that my students thought it miraculous that we have a black president though someone was quick to point out that he has a white mother and another said he’s just mulatto anyway. “Not black enough,” as it was often phrased in American media. I could not help but ask about race in Venezuela. I have heard people refer to him as an indio, or indigenous person, and even black to some extent. Indio is not necessarily a derogatory term but the tone with which it is used usually makes it so. We see this in Bolivia as well where a full indigenous man, Evo Morales, is president (the first indigenous president in Bolivian history). What about comments like that, I asked. No, teacher, that’s just because people don’t like him. They say bad things. As if the fact that the “bad things” that you say about someone take on a racial element is not indicative of some kind of racial tension or issue. Every student in the class agreed that there really isn’t racism in Venezuela. Whoever you are, you can do what you want, they assure me. I want to believe them but I’m not that naïve. Indeed, I am more suspicious of a society that tries to say that it is not racist. I have yet to see it. I didn’t push the issue, for the sake of class time.
ReVista!
Finally, I’d like to encourage anyone who would like to learn more about Venezuela to follow this link to the website for ReVista, the Harvard Review of Latin America published three times a year. The last year is all about Venezuela. I am just reading it now myself and it is proving most interesting. It has also had a pretty intense reaction where I work. Many anti-chavistas were not thrilled with the cover photo. Whatever you think you know about Venezuela, check out the magazine-length publication.
http://www.drclas.harvard.edu/revista/issues/view/550
