March 1, 2004

Just to give a taste to foreign readers...

As to the degree of the craziness gripping Venezuela, chew on this for a bit. There are now repeated reports of DISIP (i.e. Chavez controlled State security police) officers in motorbikes going around a middle-class neighborhood (Terrazas del Avila) shooting randomly into buildings. (Just rumors?)

There are also multiple stories of army (government controlled) soldiers being suited up in (opposition controlled) Metropolitan Police uniforms and setting out with assault rifles. No way to discern truth from exageration or fiction at this point, but the stories don't strike as far-fetched, given the calculating authoritarian nature of the government.

A ton of confusion and conflicting rumors, but the barricades keep going up all over the country.

What we're experiencing now is the famous ruptura historica Alberto Garrido has been predicting for years. Garrido is certain this moment has been a part of the plan all along, and has shown evidence to back his claim. Today, it is not difficult to see him as a cassandra.

Chavez tried to force the ruptura historica (through Plan Avila) on April 11th, 2002 but he was stopped. Now, who will stop him?