In the face of uncertainty, Venezuela frames Chávez as savior

[Zorro]

During a difficult year in which the future of Chavismo has become increasingly uncertain, the government of Nicolás Maduro has continued to construct a civil religion around the figure of Hugo Chávez through a continual flow of ritual events.

These ceremonies construct a narrative in which the 19th century independence struggle against imperial Spain is constantly linked to the life of Mr. Chávez and his personal struggle against new forms of imperialism. Indeed, the life and death of Chávez himself is narrated as the reenactment of the life of Venezuela’s independence hero Simón Bolívar. President Maduro emphasized this connection in his speech on July 5, Venezuela’s Independence Day.

"We are here today to make effective the message of independence that was enacted 200 years ago in this land of Venezuela, a great battle of ideas, a battle by those who were willing to open a historical time to the new man and women that live in this fatherland. We are aware today more than ever that this is a legacy left to us by Comandante Chávez. Today…we can say that thanks to Simón Bolívar, thanks to the men and women of our time, at 16 months of the physical passing of our Comandante Hugo Chávez, we have to infinitely thank our Comandante for giving us dignity."

Looking back at the first half of 2014 we can trace the multiple ceremonial events that are being used to construct a new civil religion.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/Latin-America-Monitor/2014/0724/In-the-face-of-uncertainty-Venezuela-frames-Chavez-as-savior

[MADem]

1. The dead never make mistakes.

Of course, when Chavez was alive, his huge mistake was anointing that incompetent bus driver as his heir apparent. The people of VZ have paid and will continue to pay for that error.

He should have picked the duplicitous and mendacious Diosdado Cabello--they had much more in common. Plus, Diosdado has an awareness of fiscal reality. He's not nice, but he may have made better decisions.

Of course, Diosdado isn't in love with Cuba, and Cuba was (mis) treating (and killing) Chavez with their incompetent "cancer treatments" that made his end nothing short of horrific. So long as Cuba views VZ as a vassal state, there to provide them with a window on the larger world, to say nothing of millions of barrels of oil, VZ will never move forward in the world. They'll go from prostituting themselves to Cuba for doctors, to prostituting themselves to China for cheap knick knacks and suspect canned foodstuffs.

They could do so much better.

[Bacchus4.0]

2. Well played. More concise could not have been written. bravo maestro. n/t

[MADem]

3. Merci!!! n/t

[Marksman_91]

4. This is what happens when you put a bunch of nincompoops who had no formal education in charge

Hopefully this serves as a lesson in the future for the people of Venezuela to actually value education and elect officials who at least have some amount of college formation. A bus driver is not a profession to be ashamed about, but it sure as hell doesn't amount to any real kind of experience to be the freaking president of an oil-rich country. I guess the US would be perfectly fine then with someone like Maduro in charge, right?

[MADem]

5. I agree--an education isn't always the answer, but it gives one a leg up.

Even "self education" can help. Maduro just doesn't come off as competent, or inquisitive.