Comments on: Venezuelan blogger’s account “deactivated”

By: Martha Colmenares | Restricciones de CADIVI son un atentado a la libertad

Martha Colmenares | Restricciones de CADIVI son un atentado a la libertad — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:13:53 +0000

[...] Ziva Zahl. Babalú [...]

By: asombra

asombra — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:58:25 +0000

I realize all Venezuelans didn't screw up with Chavez, just as all Cubans didn't screw up with Castro, but obviously too many did, in both cases. Exceptions can be very honorable and admirable, but they're typically not enough to determine the outcome. Chavez was far more obvious than Castro from the start, even without the warnings from Cubans, and even apart from ideology per se: just looking and listening to the guy for a few minutes should have been enough to figure out he was NOT a good idea as president. It's one thing to be fooled by a very slick, deceptive-looking, sophisticated and clever operator, but falling for Chavez was simply stupid. He had bad news written all over him. Unfortunately, even if I wanted to, I couldn't turn a blind eye to the Venezuelan situation because Chavez is one of the two main source of support for Castro, Inc. (the other one, of course, is Cubans outside the island, but let's not go there).

By: Ziva Sahl

Ziva Sahl — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:57:59 +0000

Exactly Mr. Mojito.

By: Mr. Mojito

Mr. Mojito — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:13:03 +0000

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1135/1006808752_acd13c8b7f.jpg

... Nuff Said

By: Alley Kat

Alley Kat — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:54:58 +0000

Yep, I was one of those who warned Venezuelans and got a
cold: "we're not Cubans."

Interesting that according to the Corruption Perception Index for 2009, Venezuela ranks lower than even Cuba, and that ladies and gentlemen, is really sinking deep.

See here:
http://media.transparency.org/imaps/cpi2009/

No matter, we can't point fingers at them now and give them the ole' 'I told ya so'. We need to rally 'round them and continue to try and open the eyes of those nearest to us in our own land.

By: Ziva Sahl

Ziva Sahl — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:21:55 +0000

Asombra, yes we all warned the Venezuelan's and they, just like Americans are now doing adopted the "that can't happen here mentality." But, not all Venezuelans voted for Chavez, and there was early opposition, including from Martha. She is a friend, and has always been supportive of a free Cuba. I don't think turning a blind eye to oppression, wherever it occurs is correct. If you saw a liberal drowning would you just let them die because they voted for a democrat? How many Cubans were guilty of the very same blindness circa 1958? Not everyone in Cuba was pro-fidel, and how many listened to those warnings? Human nature is human nature.

By: asombra

asombra — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:38:41 +0000

"This is Cuba." Uh, yes. I seem to recall all manner of Cubans desperately trying to warn Venezuelans of what lay in store for them and their country if they voted Chavez into power. I seem to recall that said warnings, which were completely on target, were not only ignored but treated as hysterical nonsense. Cubans never had the benefit of expert advice before they stupidly flushed their country down the toilet. Venezuelans did and went for Chavez anyway. They simply got what they asked for, and while it's OK to be sorry, it's not OK to expect any sympathy. Chavismo was an entirely predictable disaster, and an entirely avoidable one. If you vote for shit, don't cry when shit happens.