“Thanks to Chavez, I have learned to paint.”
Posted by ddelaney on February 12, 2009
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…
