This is too funny. There's an LBN thread up about Julio Cesar Rivas

[EFerrari]

and his latest "hunger strike".

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4739074

So, as usual, I went looking for more information on him. There's the usual reports of his organization, JAVU, being funded by the IRI and USAID. But then, I accidentally found an ad being run against him -- looks like he's being shopped as a candidate for the Assembly.

This ad is hilarious and it's all over twitter. He's not naked exactly in these photographs but let's say, he's not dressed for the Assembly. Caution: I haven't checked for photoshopping. The link to the stills and video are in this tweet:

http://twitter.com/?status=Activist%20arrested%20at%20Clinton%27s%20speech%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.presstv.ir%2Fdetail%2F165779.html#!/lapatriagrande/status/38783679761367040

lol

[rabs]

1. I will bet you one of my "you rock" candies

against two of your "Xoxo" candies that JC Rivas and the other "hunger strikers" are getting the same NASA nutritional drink that was provided to the profession hunger striker Farinas in Cuba :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Btw, what is a Xoxo?

I have heard of Xuxa (SHOO SHAH)

The Brazilian TV/pop/singer superstar aka as Maria da Graça Meneghel, one of the richest women in the world.

But ain't never heard of a Xoxo.

:hi:

[EFerrari]

2. I believe it is hugs and kisses.

And if I'm wrong, do not tell me!

lol

What I love about this is that in Venezuela, they have the guts to make an ad about their teabagger Republican nutcases that have to have themselves photographed in their underwear. Here, they just get re-elected. :rofl:

[Judi Lynn]

3. There is that case for the Playgirl photos of right-winger Senator Scott Brown,

who exploited the vacuum left by the death of Ted Kennedy.

Right-wingers are a feverish group, aren't they?

Thanks for the investigative effort. Very interesting.

[joshcryer]

4. Are you disputing the hunger strike or attempting to diminish it? Not clear to me.

I think USAID is evil in that it is too tempting for dissidents to give up. Money corrupts, and the US should not get involved in these affairs for the simple fact that it is all too easy to claim foreign influence and jail someone forever. In the case of the Cuban bloggers I expect it is only a matter of time before US donations to them are called USAID-style / CIA-backed influence.

[Judi Lynn]

5. If it's not clear to you, perhaps you need to do more thinking about it.

It's no one's obligation to answer every baited remark you make.

[joshcryer]

6. It's a geniune question, is there evidence to suggest that this hunger strike is fake?

If so I would like for it to be provided outside of poorly made insinuations. When I am challenged to provide links to back up what I say, I provide them.

[EFerrari]

7. This kid is not only funded by the State Department but he circulates

soft porn pics of himself in his spare time. This "hunger strike" is a step up from what he usually does, which is incite violence at protests.

His twitter feed follows a lot of people, most of them media figures, golfers and karaoke aficionados. No, I don't take anything he does any more seriously than I take Breitbart or James O'Keefe. He is in their mold. And I have zero interest in debating that.

Why DUers are fine with the tea baggary in other countries is mystery to me. :)

[Zorro]

8. The kid is funded by the State Department?

Got a link for that?

[EFerrari]

9. Zero interest. n/t

[Zorro]

10. Zero evidence.

Typical.

[EFerrari]

14. I wonder how the State Department defends funding a budding porn star.

:)

[joshcryer]

15. So you don't have anything to substantiate these claims?

Outside of the soft-core porn pics which are hardly anything controversial (I know we all support Cuba's hard ban on pornography though).

[EFerrari]

16. So you can't bother to read the thread or, in fact, both threads?

LOL

That's fine. I've also zero interest in changing your mind.

[joshcryer]

17. I did, no substance.

The other thread doesn't even merit a response, because any requests for information will be buried.

[rabs]

11. Ghandi this Rivas is NOT

HILLARY VS. HUGO; STATE DEPARTMENT STIRS UP MORE TROUBLE IN VENEZUELA


Venezuela
by Mike Whitney | February 19, 2011 - 1:53pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of all the lame-ass attacks on Hugo Chavez, this has got to be the lamist. A small group of spoiled rich kids, er, I mean, "hunger strikers" are trying to shame the Venezuelan government into releasing convicted criminals from prison claiming they are "political prisoners". Oh, boy. And, to no one's surprise, the Hillary Clinton State Department has thrown its support behind the strikers.

Here's a statement from the State Dept:

“Civil society holds governments accountable, keeps them honest, and helps them be more effective.” We believe that independent civil society, including participation by young people, has a critical role to play in a democracy. We are concerned about the health and well being of the students who are risking their lives for their belief in democratic governance and individual liberties."

Indeed. We are all aware of the United States unwavering commitment to human rights. (yuk, yuk) I'm sure any visitor to Guantanamo Bay, Bagram Air Force Base, Abu Ghraib, or any of the countless other black sites that dot the globe would attest to Clinton's sincerity.

Fortunately, there are no political prisoners in Venezuela. The men who are currently in jail have all been convicted of crimes, in this case serious crimes. Here's a clip from an article by Juan Reardon which explains what's going on:

“They want the government to order the release of a murderer,” he said in reference to Active Youth, Venezuela United, or JAVU’s list of 27 “political” prisoners they want released in order to end their protest.

(The) “political” prisoners include, among other people, José Sanchez “Mazuco,” the former security chief of Venezuela’s Zulia state sentenced to 19 years in prison after he was convicted of assisting in the political assassination of Claudio Enrique Macías Briceño, a military intelligence office investigating possible misconduct by regional authorities before being detained, beaten and found hanged in a prison cell."

Chavez couldn't release "Mazuco" even if he wanted to because of the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary. Despite what the US media says, he's not a dictator who can simply ignore the law and do as he pleases.

But consider the issue itself and how flagrantly idiotic it is. I mean, Clinton is really scraping the bottom of the barrel, isn't she?

For example, what if you decided to starve yourself until Obama met your demand to release Charles Manson from prison. Do you really think that would be a smart move or an act of unfathomable stupidity? But this is essentially JAVU's plan, a couple weeks of painless political activism, and then back to the Beluga caviar and Dom Perignon. Truly pathetic.

---- SNIPS--

"According to the Venezuelan government, JAVU is the recipient of substantial funds from U.S. government affiliated organizations such as the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), with the aim of interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs."

Okay, so it all makes sense now. Once again we see the same list of meddling US-backed NGOs trying to stir up trouble so their deep-pocket supporters can return Venezuela to the good old days of corporate rapine and kleptocratic rule. Is it any wonder why Chavez wants to boot these guys out of the country?

Full article

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/mike-whitney/34474/hillary-vs-hugo-state-department-stirs-up-more-trouble-in-venezuela

[EFerrari]

12. And here's Eva's article out today.

The configuration of the whole program is interesting and worth watching.

Huelgistas en Venezuela: Made en USA

18 de febrero de 2011.-Desde hace varios años, agencias estadounidenses han estado seleccionando, entrenando y financiando jóvenes y estudiantes en Venezuela para formar un movimiento contra el Presidente Hugo Chávez; las pruebas a continuación

El jueves, 17 de febrero, en horas de la noche, el Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos declaró su apoyo incondicional al grupo de jóvenes en huelga de hambre en Venezuela, quienes reclaman por la libertad de unos supuestos "presos políticos".

En una nota de prensa enviada a periodistas nacionales e internacionales, el Departamento de Estado expresó su "preocupación por la salud y el bienestar de los estudiantes quienes arriesgan sus vidas por la democracia y las libertades individuales". Al mismo tiempo, el gobierno estadounidense "instó" al gobierno de Venezuela "permitir una visita de la OEA" para "promover el diáologo y la comprensión".

Aunque no es usual que el Departamento de Estado emite una nota especial en horas nocturnas sobre una huelga de hambre de no más de 20 personas en otro país, en el caso de Venezuela tampoco es sorprendiente. Desde hace varios años, el gobierno estadounidense ha estado seleccionando, formando y financiando este mismo grupo de jóvenes venezolanos para ayudarles conformar un movimiento "estudiantil" contra el gobierno de Hugo Chávez. Su objetivo es promover acciones permanentes de desestabilización que impulsarán un descontento nacional y un aislamiento internacional del gobierno venezolano, proyectándolo como "represivo".

http://www.aporrea.org/oposicion/n175266.html

Here's a link to the machine translation, not great:

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aporrea.org%2Foposicion%2Fn175266.html&lp=es_en&.intl=us&fr=yfp-t-701

Another interesting bit is JUVA's blog site. Tell me if it looks like a student blog:

http://javuresistencia.blogspot.com/

Lots of interesting bits of info. Same with sorting through little Julio's twitter feed.

[social_critic]

20. Eva Golinger is Chavez' Tokyo Rose

I wouldn't put much credence on what she writes. This is part of a large propaganda network created by Eva to back the Chavez government. It's aimed at the left wing outside Venezuela, to create a groundswell of support for the tyrannical rule of Mr Chavez as he morphs himself into another banana republic dictator.

[Judi Lynn]

21. Tokyo Rose read copy over the radio. Eva Golinger does heavy duty research, thanks. n/t

[EFerrari]

13. Oh, and to my knowledge, Ghandi never posed for cheesecake.

:rofl:

[Judi Lynn]

18. Maybe not exactly like the US-supported dipstick in question.

http://www.adswatcher.com.nyud.net:8090/files/images/applethink-gandhi.jpg http://planeteyetraveler.com.nyud.net:8090/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/The-Mahatma-Gandhi.jpg http://www.lapollo.net.nyud.net:8090/BILLSAVILLE/GANDHI_WALKING.JPG

A poster in the LBN Venezuela current thread claims no one can really grasp anything at all by seeing a photo of someone!

Yeah, like that's remotely possible.

Why the #### do we even have to bother with eyes, anyway? There's a whole buncha artists who should be looking for work as keyboard commandos, instead of doing worthless stuff, like drawing, painting, sculpting!

Ghandhi was the OPPOSITE of spoiled brats. But his image wouldn't reveal that, would it? (Where do they get these "ideas," anyway?)

[Judi Lynn]

19. What assassin doesn't want to be classified as a political prisoner? Wow.

Reminds a person of those who view Luis Posada Carriles as a "militant!" God.

That's some very ####ed up baloney they're pushing from the State Department, rabs. The bottom of the barrel, for sure.