Caracas, Venezuela: Last Stop!

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Caracas, Venezuela May 4-9, 2007

After spending 24 hours on a bus and stopping for several military checks travelling from Cartagena to Caracas, we arrived stiff and sore to the Venezuelan capital. I have to admit that I was also relieved to arrive safe and sound as we heard unpleasant comments about crossing the Colombia-Venezuela border.

Unfortunately, my first impressions of Caracas were darkened by the "non-welcoming" attitude of its inhabitants. I had the impression that because I am white I was automatically classified as a gringo. And believe me, it is not a good thing being a gringo in Caracas right now! Let's say any pretext is good to mention in my first sentence that I am Canadian! Because of the reputation of Caracas and the feeling I had during my visit, I have not taken and therefore included any pictures in my blog...I did not have the courage to bring my camera in town...


Our first day in Caracas coincided with the anniversary of the police of the district of Chacao. This parade offered us a colourful defile with a military flavour. Young school children went on the streets of Chacao to perform for the public but especially for the white-coloured rich people sitting in the high stands. The difference in colours between the people standing along the road barriers and the ones comfortably sitting in the stands was quite obvious...

For those who have not heard about President Hugo Chavez, he can be described as a new socialist political/military leader who has given a voice to the poor and headaches to the United States. Despite the pejorative connation of "neo-populist" that has been attributed to Chavez, he has created beneficial projects for the poor majority of Venezuela and made a change while adopting his own policies, rather than blindly accepting the neo-liberal approach of the West. However, as we all know, there is no such thing as a perfect government...

One of the activities I was looking forward to do in Caracas was watching Chavez's weekly TV program "Alo Presidente". He has his own TV program every Sunday of the week at 11am where he is the sole protagonist who speaks for several hours about the different issues affecting the world and Venezuela. Unfortunately, it was cancelled for our only Sunday in Caracas in order to allow the diffusion of the new party PSUV inscription campaign. We therefore decided to visit the city and took the metro to the center. Visiting downtown Caracas was not a pleasant experience...you are being looked at as if you were from another planet and this zone of the city is not pleasant for the eyes! I would never dare walking at night on my own. During our visit, we stopped at a Center of Inscription for the new party PSUV and asked questions to a man who was soon joined by another volunteer for the event. They both explained to us that the MVR was now being dissolved in order to form a new party that will include all the left political parties and therefore create a more unified and democratic party than the MVR. In addition, the representatives of the PSUV will now be elected rather than assigned. When the first man left, we continued talking to the very enthusiastic Chavez supporter about the ideology of this new party, the different missions created by the Chavez's government, the future of Venezuela...What a talk we had! He even offered us a red shirt and a red cap with the slogan of one of their missions!

One of the very hot topics currently debated in Venezuela is Chavez's intention to remove RCTV from the airwaves by refusing to renew its license which expires at the end of May. Radio Caracas Television, or RCTV, is the country's oldest private TV station that has backed up the 2002 coup against Chavez. From what I have read, RCTV broadcasted cartoons and movies instead of the street protests that aided Chavez return to power in 2002. I think Chavez has his reasons to be resentful but I also think he is playing a dangerous game by transgressing those freedom of press/freedom of expression rights. He will be having several countries against him by this action...at the grand plaisir of the US!

Even if we only visited Caracas, Venezuela left a bitter taste in my mouth as the people made me feel unwelcomed. However, it was very interesting to read the local newspapers and propaganda, and witness the life of Caracas with my own eyes...

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This nine-month journey throughout South America has been an eye-opening and enriching experience. Thank you to those who have read my travel blogs and therefore shared with me this lifetime experience!

Jason and I will be flying from Caracas on May 9, sleeping at the comfy Los Angeles airport before flying the next morning to Vancouver (with a short detour by Calgary...ahhh, those economic student deals!). For those interested in contacting me, I can be reached by email at : [e-mail]

Next destination: Vancouver, Canada!

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Comments

[Ryan]

See ya soon
It was good following your adventures through South America. Looking forward to catching up over some vino or beer in vancouver.