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The Racism behind the Discourse of the Oligarchy against Chavez

For the sector of society that has it all and no one has taken it from them, the real problem is that a “zambo” [a person of mixed African and native American origin] governs them.

Fourth generation warfare has been brewing for a long time on this planet and it has already won a number of battles. It comes from when it was said in the sixties that Fidel Castro ate children. They had to invade Cuba because of that. They had to invade Iraq to look for weapons that they already knew didn’t exist. They had to invade Afghanistan to save Afghani women from the Taliban who made them use unusual burkas. They had to invade Libya to save Libyans from a monster with forty years in power. They have to invade Syria for the same reason. They had to sacrifice Mubarak [ex president of Egypt] so that everyone would believe the story about the struggle for freedom and justice. Prefabricated invasions, made in the USA.

Now Maria Machado [translator: a candidate in the opposition’s primaries for the presidential elections this year] says: against communism, grassroots capitalism. Her three minutes of “fame” in the National Assembly [on Saturday during the president’s annual report] were full of anti-communism. Communists steal, kill people, eat kids…fried and marinated kids or cooked in their own sauce? Did anyone ever believe this? Yes, millions believed it, our grandparents believed it.

Maybe at the moment they aren’t saying that Chavez eats children. There are a lot of photos of him with them. But he steals hotels. He doesn’t expropriate them, he steals them. It’s the same lie, but less bloody. But be careful; don’t forget that the communists are coming for you. The coconut [bald man, or Chavez during his chemotherapy]  is coming to take everything from you, to steal your soul.

Maria Machado (a friend says the “Corina” [her first surname, the one inherited from the father] should be expropriated leaving her without the little strength she has) is the Violeta Chamorro [ex Nicaraguan president who won the 1990 elections with the support of the US, from the Sandinistas] of the “gringos” [a derogatory term referring to U.S soldiers or to people from the U.S] in Venezuela. Her discourse makes an impression on a certain sector of Venezuelan society that lives “defending” the cars they don’t have, the property they don’t have. And for another sector of society who has all that and no one has taken it from them, the real problem is that a “zambo” [a person of mixed African and native American origin] governs them. “Damn monkey, damn “niche” [Venezuelan derogatory term for a darker skinned person or a person with bad habits, or poor people who try to imitate the rich], damn president of the poor”.  And it doesn’t matter that Chavez hands out apartments and that he “gives away” properties and he doesn’t steal them. And it doesn’t matter because the truth is it’s the same lie used against Afghans, Libyans, and Iraqis. They are coming for our petroleum, they – yes them, – are coming for our soul.

So in the National Assembly, in the delivering of the Annual Report of President Chavez, there was the arrogance, fascism, racism, and the haughtiness of the oligarchy. And long live the Zambo. There was the conceit of a certain middle class. And long live the Zambo. There was all the Gringo propaganda up and running. Be careful of the reds. And long live the Zambo. There were the centuries of oppression trying to take the stand. And long live the Zambo. There was concentrated distain in upheld chin. And long live the Zambo. That’s what they can’t stand. That the Zambo is on top and the poor and the humble are on top. There were almost 70,000 words of dignity and independence [in Chavez’s annual address], celebrating a Venezuela of just people.

Mercedes Chacin is the chief editor of newspaper ‘Ciudad Caracas’.

Translation by Tamara Pearson for Venezuelanalysis.com