“El sí ganó.”

I’ve witnessed quite a few consequential political moments in my months here in Venezuela—from the November 23^rd elections here to the election of President Obama at home—and today I am the bystander of another one. Today, “yes won.” That is to say, the referendum to lift term limits has been passed. Chavez can run for re-election in 2012. 2012? Yes, in February of 2009, Hugo Chavez Frias is seeking to secure power for many years to come. And he’s still three years from those elections.

For weeks, they have been predicting an extremely tight vote. Most polls showed the “no” winning, in some cases, by six or so percentage points. I was and was not surprised to see on the news here at about 9:30pm that Chavez won. That is to say, I was surprised by the hour, not that he won. “El sí ganó.” Considering that it took many more hours for the results of November’s elections to come out, I thought I wouldn’t know until morning. And yet, I read and watch the news to find that the initial count put a supposed 80% of voters with “yes” while a mere 20% with “no.” The numbers have since been adjusted to say that 54% or so voted yes. I write this while watching the crowds at the president’s Miraflores palace in Caracas chant, “Uh ah Chavez no se va.” A man in the audience thrusts up above the crowd a small boy dressed up like Chavez; he even bears a slight resemblance, especially with the red beret. Fireworks are going off here in Maracaibo. I write this with a tone of skeptism, too.  Some here will question if the numbers reflect the real vote at all. I don’t think we’ll ever know.

I write this as my heart sinks a little for Venezuela. I have not emerged as a chavista nor necessarily a staunch supporter of the opposition. I don’t really believe it to be my place to do so. However, political persuasions aside, I do not believe that lifting term limits is a wise move in this country, now or ever. I am disappointed. But, to be honest, a part of me is slightly relieved. Just last week or so, he said publicly that the constitution would allow him to hold multiple referendum votes in the future if this did not pass today. Therefore, if “no” had won, I foresaw more votes. In an increasingly polarized country, which was perhaps never clearer than in the campaigns leading up to this vote, I feared future votes.

Then again, when pushed to make a prediction, I thought he would win. I cannot imagine why he would push through a referendum essentially for the second time, if he didn’t think he would win. He didn’t take the first defeat well in 2007. I also could not imagine him taking a defeat well today, either. And after not being fully convinced that voting here is a clean process, I figured he would win, one way or another. For now, I’ll leave you all with this, and wait for the flurry of commentary and such that will emerge tomorrow.

Strangely enough, I will be traveling to Chavez’s birthplace, Barinas, this Thursday evening. I’m off on a trip to los llanos, the plains, here with some other Fulbighters. From Barinas, we will arrive at a ranch-like family-run wildlife safari cottage. Should be interesting!

Pictures-community visit 11 Feb. 2009

Mural painted on Consejo Comunal

“Thanks to Chavez, I have learned to paint.”

Mural painted on Consejo Comunal

Today ACNUR teamed up with Caritas Maracaibo, an organization of the Catholic church, to carry out a series of community visits. Both agencies follow up on asylum seekers and ACNUR is looking for areas where it feels it can carry out projects this year. I get to accompany them on such visits and then later on when the projects are up and running. The day before, I participated in a Participatory Assessment, which is an open meeting for refugees at Caritas facilitated by ACNUR. I can now say that I have talked to Colombian refugees here in Maracaibo. While I have many stories to tell, I would like to focus on the political aspect of things today. Given that the “yes/no” vote (to decide whether or not a constitutional amendment is made to allow unlimited terms for the presidency and other offices) is Sunday, the political campaigning in these barrios was intense and is worth noting. In addition, the photos attached to this post are all from our visit to barrios here in Maracaibo today (Mis Delicias, 4 de abril, and others).

We had a comical start to the day when the Caritas jeep-like vehicle started to turn the corner at a busy intersection in the city and the six passengers inside practically hit the ceiling. We were stuck in a REALLY deep hole. It was impossible to see, given that there was nothing marking it and the traffic was bumper-to-bumper. The entire tire was in the ground. At first, two guys on motorcycles stopped to try to help but couldn’t. I took a few photos and the next thing we knew, eight guys appear to push while our driver Jesus gave it the gas and it came out! The guys just went on their merry way. Jesus, a deacon, yelled “Thanks and God bless you!” and that was that.

Back in the vehicle, we were all so glad for the help. Then Jesus said, “ You know what, they saw Denise and came running!” So the joke became that thanks to me, our morning was not wasted waiting for help to get the jeep.

As we made our way again to the barrios we hoped to reach, we passed by another sector called San Jacinto where there were huge crowds of people. As we passed, it became obvious what was going on. It looked like a fair. It was a campaign event for Chavez’s party. Massive lines of people waited for free food as music blasted from loudspeakers (mind you, it was not yet 9am) and huge inflated plastic Chavez doll swayed in the breeze. It was just a taste of the propaganda we would see this morning.

We came upon what I thought must be chavista campaign headquarters, but in fact it was a school, “Colegio 4 de febrero.” Everything was red. The fencing in the front, the floors, most of the walls, the tables and chairs in the cafeteria, etc. The men finishing the construction were also in red Chavez shirts. In barrio Mil Delicias we encountered a similarly red building, a Consejo Comunal, or community council. One of the outer walls was being painted with a simple white and red portrait of Chavez and his name in huge lettering. I asked the three young painters—a teenage boy and two girls, one of whom was wearing a t-shirt with a full-length picture of comandante Chavez on it—if I could take pictures. They shyly agreed. One of my colleagues asked if they had been long-time painters or recently took it on. The one in the Chavez tee hostilely explained, “Thanks to Chavez, I have learned to paint.” This is a good example of both the extreme ways in which chavistas think of their president and the hostility in the debate for or against him.

However, witnessing Chavez extremism was balanced by conversations with people that agree with many of the changes he has brought but disagree with his bid for indefinite re-election. In other words, they may have voted for him in the last election and even for his party’s candidates in November but they will vote no on Sunday. Amidst the polarized political campaigns, this more nuanced position is a breath of fresh air.

I soon hope to write about the refugees and asylum seekers I got to know. In the meantime, check out the photos…

Grocery shopping and other random experiences…

I have been meaning to write about the grocery store experience here. I always find grocery stores in other countries quite interesting. It’s a place you might expect to be quite similar in different countries and different continents. This is largely true. There are aisles of items, grocery carriages, baskets, check out lines and cashiers. Well, in India there are not so much lines as masses of people that congregate near the cash registers, openly cutting other people.

There are a few different grocery store chains here but the closest to me is Enne. It’s about 2 blocks from my house so I can easily walk with groceries. I do admit that having to buy 5-liter jugs of drinking water prevents any grocery run from being light. There are nicer grocery stores a little further away. For instance, there is Cada but it’s really not worth the walk. I do not say this because I am lazy but simply because a longer walk also means more opportunity to be harasses on the street, which I try to minimize.

Enne is most comparable to Market Basket, for those of you from Massachusetts (Cada would be more like a Shaw’s). And not just any Market Basket, but the sketchy, dirty one on John Fitch Highway in Fitchburg. It has the basics. Sometimes it doesn’t, depending on the general food shortages. It’s really the people that make the experience. There is no rhyme or reason to the way carts are pushed. Aisles are narrow. I’m often stuck in traffic jams, and I just carry a single basket! The lines are always long, no matter which day or time you go. People often have you hold their place in line while they do half their groceries. People will sneakily, awkwardly stand between lines to then dart in front of you if yours moves faster, as if they were always really in that line. Reminds me of the women that can’t wait for their turn in the restroom either. The best instance of this was in the Panama airport. I was on the same flight as a Fulbrighter in Colombia and as we waited in line (the airport just doesn’t have enough bathrooms), two women (presumably Panamanian, as I couldn’t identify their accent) pushed to the front of the line to ask if there was a line. They settled not exactly behind us but beside us. A telltale signal that they’ll try to cut or talk their way in front of us One apparently just couldn’t handle it and was practically jumping around like a child. Her friend was standing so closely behind me I couldn’t move an inch. Next thing you know, she has her hands in my hair! I became accustomed to this after children in Bolivia often touched it when they sat behind me in public transportation, but this was a bit more odd. I mostly pretended not to notice as she marbled at my hair. Meanwhile, my traveling companion was firm with the jumping lady, explaining that we were all in the same position and must wait our turns.

I digress. Back to the grocery store, where the cashiers are seated, which isn’t so strange. Some cashiers have an additional employee standing next to them, observing their work. It’s unclear if they are training. They often stare at me until one of them gets up the nerve to ask where I am from. I usually make the joke, “How could you tell I’m not from Maracaibo?” I don’t appear to belong here anymore than a duck would among a flock of swans. Then there are the swarms of young men and boys that work at the store bagging groceries, helping people out with carts, unloading groceries into car trunks, etc. There are almost always many more than there is work for them to do.

The customers. Well, today I saw the most interesting case. She was unloading her groceries onto the conveyor belt across from mine. No one could help but notice her shove her cell phone between her breasts. Needless to say, her shirt was low-cut enough to do this in one swift movement. When she finished, the cell phone didn’t come out. I don’t think I will be adopting this method of freeing up my hands. The woman two people ahead of me in line had just about every item price-checked and ended up only purchasing half of what was in her cart. Then her cart practically landed in my middle as she aimlessly tried to get it out of the way. Finally, of the male employees pretty much mopped my feet as he tried to clean up our aisle. In a store with so much traffic, the floor is never clean. Mind you, I just picked out some of the more vivid details. To say Enne is hectic is a bit of an understatement. Considering my refrigerator is small, I go through at least once if not twice a week. If you’re not in a rush, it’s amusing if not almost fun.

In the vein of commenting about quotidian observations, I think I’ll go ahead and describe the “Centro de Comunicaciones.” Yes, a “Communications Center” has sprung up near CEVAZ. One day a couple of weeks ago, a woman was seated in a plastic lawn with several cell phones on her lap. This is not so uncommon, where you can pay to make all kinds of calls for a few bolivares fuertes per minute. A few days later, a making plastic table appeared. Soon after, an umbrella was added. The next week, there was a stand with a professionally made sign on it advertising “Centro de Comunicaciones” and a list of the telephone services they offer. Some misspelled, of course. There you have it—the rise of a “communications center.”

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that my landlord has insisted on giving me a Chavez t-shirt for the vote on the 15^th. It is red, of course, and the front reads “UH AH la enmienda Si VA” (yes to the amendment). A sing-song chant has been started by chavistas. It goes, “Uh ah, Chavez no se va” (Chavez isn’t going). The back repeats the front with the following list below it in small font, repeated four times:

POR MI DERECHO A VOTAR (for my right to vote)

POR MI LIBERTAD A ELEGIR (for my freedom to choose)

PARA QUE EL PUEBLO DECIDA (for the people to decide)

He firmly relieves Chavez will win a week from now. We’ll just have to see. At first, I thought he expected me to wear the shirt but then he joked that it will make a good souvenir so I don’t think I’ll be disappointing anyone by keeping it in my room.

Some links & news

I highly recommend the PBS documentary “The Hugo Chavez Show” that came out back in November 2008. You can watch the entire thing, broken into eight chapters. Total of about 90 minutes. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/hugochavez/view/ It provides a good overview of Chavez’s time in power.

And recommending such a review of his 10 years in office happens to coincide with his actual 10-year anniversary, which was yesterday. In Zulia, today’s news highlights that the National Guard actually went around shutting down businesses (including pharmacies) to ensure that they were observing Chavez’s holiday on Monday, February 2. He declared it a national holiday the day before, Sunday, February 1, in the afternoon. There was quite a bit of pomp and circumstance in Caracas; it appeared pretty quiet here in opposition-governed Maracaibo. I can’t help but feel that a leader could have more anticipation in announcing such a decision. Then again, I have learned that this is Chavez’s way: impulsive. Haphazardly so at times.

For those who want an economic analysis of how the country has changed in the last several years, check out the following article. It’s written by a scathing critic but he makes some compelling points. http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20080301faessay87205-p10/francisco-rodriguez/an-empty-revolution.html

Other interesting bits in the news…Well, I was amused to read that tomorrow there will be a parade in Maracay to commemorate the 17^th anniversary of the military rebellion that occurred on February 4, 1992, led by Hugo Chavez. While it was unsuccessful, Chavez was granted a television announcement. He accepted responsibility for the failure, saying that their objectives “for now” hadn’t been achieved. This “for now” (“por ahora”) made him famous. Now, as his supporters campaign to convince voters to vote “yes” on February 15^th—which is yes to a constitutional amendment to allow indefinite re-election—they often invoke “por ahora.” Having voted on the same issue (among others) in 2007, with a slim majority voting “no,” it would seem that this past year and a half or so was the “for now.” He didn’t take that well; he wants yes. We’ll see if he gets it. I wish I could believe more in the integrity of elections here but I’m skeptical.

Finally, I’ll mention what you might have seen in the news. A synagogue was attacked in Caracas last week. A dozen or so armed men broke in and spray painted offensive messages, desecrated sacred scrolls and stole computers with a database of the congregation. A number of ambassadors and our second-in-command at the U.S. embassy have expressed their discontent at the act. Some have actually said that Chavez incites this kind of behavior, given how strongly he has come out against Israel and the aid he has given to Palestinians in Gaza. Whatever the cause, it is a despicable act. I hope this is an isolated incident. I recommend the article linked below.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/07/AR2009020701972.html