Viaje al otro mundo

Meester Danger vs Mrs. Hope

Watching Chavez speak for 2.5 hours is interesting, though it would have been more interesting if I understood more than 40% of it (translation was available but I skipped it). I can’t count the number of times he mentioned he was opposed to imperialism and neo-liberalism with my available digits… I almost thought he was a Democrat the way he was defining himself by what he’s against… though ¨anti-imperialismo¨ kinda stands out in a sea of dense Spanish. The reality is that Chavez does articulate what he stands for, and he is actually helping to develop alternative politics and alternative policies. The Chavez government has been pushing and developing an economic alternative to the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA, or ALCA in Spanish). His alternative plan, ALBA, stands for http://www.alternativabolivariana.org/“>Alternativa Bolivariana para la Amèrica. Though still in its early stages, it is clear that Chavez is forging alliances with other countries of Latin America as a way of developing economies without the structural adjustment agreements of the IMF/World Bank and WTO (privatize everything!).

What I will never tire of is Chavez’ nickname for George Dubya — Meester Danger — based on an American character in a classic Venezuelan story by Ròmulo Gallegos. I think he unveiled the nickname at the massive protests in Mar del Plata at the Summit of the Americas, where meetings on the FTAA ended in a deadlock. And with Cindy Sheehan on stage with him, Chavez started getting giddy about her role as a powerless mother of a slain soldier confronting Bush head-on at his Texas ranch and becoming a huge thorn in his side. And he asked, “¿Como se dice esperanza en ìngles? Hope? You are Mrs. Hope!”

And while I have more to say on the World Social Forum and my time in Caracas, I think the thorn in Mr. Danger’s side just grew a little bigger when Capitol Police decided to arrest Mrs. Hope for, well, pointing out just how many US soldiers have died in Iraq. Will they ever fucking learn? Don’t mess with Señora Esperanza!

More on the Forum later.

From San Jose, Costa Rica, hasta luego. February 2nd, 2006

Caracas and the Bolivarian Revolution

The World Social Forum kicked off on Tuesday with a big opening march, and now Caracas is alive with many thousands of foreigners interested in the ongoing Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela, and many thousands of Venezolanos who are allowed to participate in the Forum without paying. Walking the crowded streets of Caracas alongside delegations and participants from Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, and more, it was clear that all eyes of Latin America are on Venezuela and Hugo Chavez. 

Carrying on the independence struggles of the Simon Bolivar, and the themes of a unified Latin America of Che Guevara, there is a growing belief here that the chains of imperialism can be broken and that real independence lies ahead. The age of natural resource exploitation, environmental and social destruction, and stagnant and corrupt governments doesn’t feel so permanent here anymore.

Themes of cooperation, integration, and solidarity abound here. Evo Morales wasted no time since being inaugurated as Bolivia’s first indigenous President, and has just signed 8 agreements with Venezuela for greater co-operation, including Venezuelan aid for Bolivia to develop its natural gas infrastructure. Recently Venezuela, Brazil, and Argentina had agreed to build a $20 billion gas pipeline between the 3 nations.

I skipped the events of the first day of the Forum to go on a tour of various social “missions” in the barrios of Caracas — seeing a quality community healthcare mission, a couple of worker-cooperative clothing factories, and a museum of contemporary art that has been bringing art to the people of the barrio and rewriting the definition of accessibility. From literacy to art to participatory citizenship, this ‘other world’ is looking to be a lot more inclusive. We (in the States) have a lot to learn… January 26th, 2006