November 4, 2007   The Editors of ECrisis commend the USA's CATO support for Gustavo Coronel's latest speaking tour across Latin America. His travelogue is a must-read and indicates the remarkably mostly-dead truth telling efforts by freedom lovers over the last 11 or so years in South America. It has come to this: Latins, as with North America and Europe have no clue/no idea in general what the facts are even as their own nations are stubbornly deceptive and unaccountable. Gustavo states over and over that his talks were consistently received by audiences who had no clue/no idea whatsoever of the depraved indifference of their local populations and the astonishingly deep and wide penetration of the Chavez criminal juggernaut. We say: well done Gustavo and we hope the CATO will continue to provide windows on to the facts, a job which we cannot fathom as to why truth tellers [and all diplomats and media owners from supposedly concerned nations even as pro Chavez and anti freedom so called NGOs infiltrate the common landscape across Latin America to promote non-democratic so-called reforms] still refuse to do for themselves.
 
Gustavo writes, "I gave factual and statistical data to show how Hugo Chavez had converted Venezuela and is trying to convert Latin America into a new Cuba and how public policy making in Venezuela has given way to an authoritarian, power driven regime...I found amazement at the degree of corruption and ineptitude that Hugo Chavez has generated in Venezuela and about his efforts to export his hate of democracy beyond Venezuelan borders." Read the whole thing here. 

Gustavo continues, "I gave them a presentation on the Venezuelan situation. They could not believe that Hugo Chavez had received almost $300 billion in oil income during the last nine years and, on top of that, had managed to increase three times the Venezuelan debt. `Where has this money gone?' they marveled. I told them that much of this money had gone to feed the regimes of his ideological friends: Castro, Morales, Ortega, Correa and some opportunistic leaders such as Kirchner. Some has gone to buy weapons and a lot of it has been dedicated to institute a system of handouts to the Venezuelan poor. This system has given the poor an illusion of prosperity without solving, – indeed – deepening, their poverty and unhealthy dependence on the paternalistic government...I accused Chavez of corruption, defined not only as stealing public monies but also as the use of public assets for personal use, the handing over of national monies to other governments, the naming of inept relatives and friends to public office and to allow the highest level of government corruption ever recorded in Venezuela."
 
In Paraguay, Gustavo met "to discuss the Venezuelan political situation and the attempts Chavez is making to intervene in the internal political processes of Paraguay. The group discussed intensely the presidential run of Fernando Lugo, a former priest that has embraced Chavez’s “ideological” posture, the so-called Socialism of the XXI Century, really not an ideology but a political strategy. In Paraguay there is almost an obsession to get rid of the dominance of the Colorado party that has been in power for many years. This has led to the belief that almost any other option would be preferable. I reminded the group that some changes could definitely be for the worse, as Chavez’s example illustrates so well...From Asuncion I traveled to Santa Cruz, Bolivia. This city has become the center of civic protest against the attempt of Evo Morales to establish a Constituent Assembly identical to the one Hugo Chavez used to destroy Venezuelan democracy. The movement of civil society led by Santa Cruz has spread to Cochabamba, Pando, Beni and Tarija, four other provinces of the country where most of the Gross Domestic Product is generated. As a result Morales is on the defensive and, according to a Santa Cruz civic leader, “he still governs but cannot rule”. The example of Santa Cruz is extremely important for the region because it shows how a decisive, well-organized popular protest can check the authoritarian ambitions of political leaders. In Venezuela this happened in April 2002, when a massive march ended, briefly, the presidency of Hugo Chavez. This is, probably, the most effective manner to oust undemocratic Latin American leaders in countries where the electoral system is politically controlled by the strongman in power...The people of Santa Cruz are indignant against the gross intervention of Hugo Chavez in the affairs of Bolivia and the submissive attitude of Morales vis-à-vis Chavez."
 
Further, in Chile he notes, "The audience was surprised at the picture I painted, the high levels of corruption, the tainted Electoral Registry, the policy of handouts through which the national funds of Venezuela are being pilfered, the loss of Venezuelan sovereignty to the Cubans. In Chile there is little knowledge of the Venezuelan tragedy since the country is looking away from the region, towards Europe and the U.S. and the rest of the developed world. Chileans do no longer see themselves as part of a Latin American pack steadily falling behind Europe, North America and Asia and feel disdain for the antics of leaders such as Chavez. Some Chileans in positions of power, however, use Chavez for his own agenda. This is the case of the OAS Secretary General, who is, inexplicably, one of the defenders of Chavez in the region.

In two weeks I go on the second stage of my personal crusade against dictatorships and authoritarianism in Latin America. I sense in the region a real thirst to know more about the real nature of Hugo Chavez and about the impact that his obsolete political attitudes will have on the rest of the hemisphere. In spite of the immense expenditure in the enhancement of his political image Hugo Chavez finds himself increasingly rejected by Latin Americans. Indeed, possibly only Evo Morales remains as his unconditional ally. Others who appear sympathetic, like Correa in Ecuador, Ortega in Nicaragua, Kirchner in Argentina, even Lula in Brazil, are only in for the free ride. They have great misgivings about him in the privacy of their offices. Chavez has become, in their eyes, a Bucaram (a president from Ecuador who also sang and danced instead of governing) with money. The money Chavez distributes with largesse to hired guns in Europe and the U.S. is not buying him loyalties. I feel we are in a battle for Latin American democracy, against despotism."
 
Efforts at truthtelling are invaluable. Not one freedom loving nation, with battalions of so called governmental monies and actor-activists, have yet to lift one finger to share the facts and the truth about Latin America's sweeping suicide. Indeed, with the exception of tepid pro Cuban efforts of late, nothing that is meaningful has been performed in over a decade. Indeed, freedom lovers have been barred from support by governments such as the USA and Canada which prefer to fund organizational efforts guaranteed to deflect, confuse and destabilize Latin America in some of the most undemocratic ways. The rule of thumb has been to preclude functional reforms and bar the building of democracy's pillars while claiming consistently that it is too much, too expensive and too unpopular. To these ninnyhammers, dimwits and dunces, we remind that the day to day positioning of principled leadership in Latin America is not for the wimpy or the false. We do also correct Gustavo's assertion that Correa among some others has misgivings about his full embrace of the Chavez regional take over. Nothing whatsoever backs up this assertion by Gustavo even as Rafael Correa has brazenly claimed he will be the first to complete the legitimizing of the Chavez territorial take over. Rafael Correa neither seeks nor will ever distance himself from mimicking and enshrining the Chavez and Iranian criminality in Ecuador. Gustavo's reporting on Ecuador is simply wrong.
 
Gustavo tells us over and over that Latins have no clue as to the sweeping spread of Chavez's criminality. It is a tidal wave today. Gustavo's efforts are most helpful even though he misses the key points: there is now a split continent in South America which exists solely because Latins have chosen to remain undereducated regarding current events, lazy and arrogant about the coming tidal wave of greed, corruption and corporate take overs by the Chavez monied team. Not one nation has delivered a roster of the Chavez-backed buy ins and buy outs of their domestic businesses and politicians. Due diligence is irresponsibly lacking and must be performed immediately. If democracies refuse to apply their own best tools, the tools are neutered and ineffective, which is of course the point of the propaganda to refuse any transparency and forensic auditing of these criminal endeavors sometimes called Bolivarianism.
 
In no way should Gustavo have been the first one to inform Latins of the disastrous take over of Latin America. Gustavo's message should have been 4 years old. None of what Gustavo says should have been "new" news. But we see that his message was "new" news to Latins and diplomats. Why do you suppose this is the case? The self incriminating answer is patently clear.
 
The publishers of Gustavo's text received this note from a reader: "Dear Editor, I anxiously look forward every week to read articles of Gustavo Coronel. His recent article, Reporting on a personal crusade exemplifies Mr. Coronel's love and undying commitment to the freedoms and democracies of Latin America. He is a very Bright Light shining against the spread of socialistic and despotic darkness pervading through countries of Latin America. His undaunting stand and amazing courage to enlighten and educate the people of Latin America about the socialistic virus spreading through Latin America originated by Hugo Chavez will someday be recognized and commended not only by Latin America but also the world. It may sound too premature, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. This one man is making a World of difference."
 
While we concur that Gustavo is exemplary in every way in the spread of the facts, we continue to cajole and press for more facts and more data: not just the ridiculous so called regional reports from paid propagandists such as the Crisis Group and the InterAmerican Dialogue who want to tell us that the pro Chavez and Soros-backed and pro FARC Larry Birns and CIP etc. etc. are right and that we must all simply stay  away from Hugo Chavez's debilitating corruption while causing harm to Uribe's growth plans for Colombia. There is much to be done and many are needed in the core task ahead which is truth telling. It is shockingly aberrant that Gustavo is the only one visibly performing this task which should be the daily task of freedom lovers everywhere. In fact, it should be the defining task of US AID's so called NGOs- the minions of the goofy enabling of Chavez-Correa who install more harm than good by refusing to stand on functional democracy, shamefully retreating as they do into the by ways of the drive by shopping mall limousine liberals who lazily tell us that democracy's tenants are too much to handle and thus we should dumb it all down and give sway to criminality. Extolling the virtues of banking by remittances and so called microfinance loans while tacitly approving the national entities called communism is no way to leverage truth telling but avoids the basics. We have seen the fruits of this labor: Ecuador- by their non truth telling mouth organs and agents of destabilizing terminations of law and order- is now the globe's murder capitol with drugs transshipments soaring and no meaningful anti-crime efforts whatsoever. We have seen what Chavez has done and his evil continues unabated, ensnaring now as it does the weak and the debauched. Gustavo is absolutely correct that the OAS president Insulza is a supporter in every sense of Hugo Chavez. We have stated here before that the shallow, hollow fourth rate head of the OAS acts in tandem with the pro drugs Soros and remains a Chavez adoring functionary. Insulza must depart and take his foolishness and dreams of becoming Chile's next president with him. Insulza has not once acted appropriately to uphold the tenants of freedom for Latin Americans even as he enjoys his role as raconteur, telling various anti USA and explicitly anti Bush jokes intentionally meant to craft the cult of anti freedoms. We care not what Insulza's personal politics may be but we do care that he imbues everything he does with the taint of the dirty, the half truth and the stench of the cynical and debasing. Insulza thinks his USA democrat friends find him adorable because he debases and laughs at George Bush. Insulza seems to encourage this locker room support of the incompetent and as such, enables the spread of the cynical and debauched. Insulza is a useful idiot: useful to Soros, useful to Chavez and useful to the spread of darkness. 

Yes- Gustavo is "...a very Bright Light shining against the spread of socialistic and despotic darkness pervading through countries of Latin America." We desperately urge one and all to start turning on their own lights- in our homes, in our schools, churches and work place. It serves none to hide this light behind a bushel or retreat in to the fantasy that we can manipulate our way out of corruption and communism. We remind that no one manipulates Russian mobsters and their methods. The KGB-style cruel tactics of Chavez's money men may at last be the Waterloo for the ridiculous Latin refrain that manipulative behaviors will save their souls and their wallets. No one will magically appear and do this for any. Gustavo is a gift but no one should be surprised at his message. It is embarrassingly irresponsible that Gustavo had to be the first one to relay some of the more obvious facts. Worse yet is the realization that no one- no one at all- is encouraged or supported by the US government in parallel or tandem efforts even as the foolishness of Noam Chomsky and Joe Stigletz and the paid minions of Soros viz a viz Insulza et al are foisted for a pretty fee on the hapless, feckless Latins who should demand better and know better.
 
Another bright light is Carlos Alberto Montaner in his current piece on Cuba's choice between Castro-Chavez's tyranny and freedom. Read it here. Montaner reports, "Practically nobody wants to keep the current regime. They begin, timidly, by asking for economic changes and, before you know it, they're demanding political changes and individual freedoms.That makes sense. How can anyone believe in the virtues of the single party and collectivism after half a century of failures and misery? A huge majority of citizens wants the restoration of property rights, democracy and pluralism. Among the intellectuals, artists and students, the clamor is almost unanimous. The only person who remains convinced of the virtues of communism is Fidel Castro, and his death, preceded by senile dementia, cannot be far off." Montaner forgets to include Hugo Chavez and Rafael Correa in this discussion for that duo does truly remain convinced of `the virtues of communism.' Neither will go quietly into the night and both feel a strong umbilical chord to the forces of tyranny radiating from Castro's Cuba. Montaner is honest when he states, " Bush stands on the ethical side of the conflict with Castro's dictatorship, and the left, mindless of its own contradictions or its lack of democratic values, continues to condemn him." This "lack of democratic values" is funded by the tens of millions of dollars paid by George Soros to engineer anti Bush/anti USA propaganda.

Sometimes we believe that the same paid groups act in concert with the Chavez anti USA hate groups. Neither the Soros groups nor Chavez want the facts to be on the table.Chavez will never surrender his stake holder claim to Cuba which he does now pronounce as fully joined to Venezuela. While we concur with George Bush's statements and applaud the gifting of the Medal of Freedom honor tomorrow to Dr. Biscet, we know with a certainty that no progress is exemplified by Cuba-Venezuela unless and until Dr. Biscet walks out of prison- a free man. Montaner claims that Chavez proffers blackmail and extortion to the Cubans: Cuba must submit to Chavez or suffer starvation and the end of their glorious but disastrous reign of terror. Who will stand up to Chavez's extortion? Sadly, not Ecuador which has succumbed to some of the stupidest extortions and rackets in the books.
 
Do you know who in your city/your town is turning on the lights of freedom? Can you identify who is a truth teller?
Do you know what you stand for and what your family values stand for?

We hang together as freedom lovers or we hang alone. That is, national suicide of all that we stand for occurs because we refuse to stand for the pillars of freedom and we fail ourselves in the lazy and aberrant dysfunction that we never need to grow support for liberty when it is desperately needed. Instead of third rate diplomats and mavens of paid propaganda, Ecuadoreans can again unite against tyranny and act with principled positions to stand for functional liberty. What will you do to turn on the lights of liberty? Do you welcome and encourage the "despotic darkness pervading Latin America"? Is this what you want? If so, read no further. But if you would shine light against growing darkness which sweeps South America like the new epidemic that it is, you must act before the epidemic is walled off either by Chavez to contain and restrain or by free nations who refuse to engage in the spread of this epidemic which is self inflicted and untenable. Today the plan is to simply let the epidemic run its course. Frankly, we believe this is also irresponsible and will prove far too expensive. Prevention is always cost effective. Do you know what preventative steps are being taken in your neighborhood to stop the epidemic of the Chavez and Correa plan for corruption?
 
-Pedro Camargo for ECRISIS