A female protester calls for peace in Venezuela.
Behind the rhetoric are 30-plus million people trying to live their lives
Accusations are flying in Venezuela as the country approaches a crucial parliamentary vote next weekend that will reshape the country’s immediate and long-term future.
The brutal, senseless murder of an opposition politician/activist this week and the subsequent fallout illustrates the stark lines of division that dominate the country. And beyond the country’s borders the arguments continue across the region. Colombia and Brazil both expressed dismay over the murder on Friday, adding to concerned comments from Uruguay, Chile and Mauricio Macri’s more general remarks earlier in the week, addressing the Mercosur and the way he will try to impose the “democratic clause” to sanction Venezuela.
It’s difficult for journalists to find out the truth of any incident in Venezuela. We don’t even have reliable polling numbers for Sunday’s vote. And each time the country hits the headlines, a pattern emerges — one of claims and counterclaims, with the veracity lost in the fog of rhetoric.
The government accuses dark forces of seeking to undermine its revolution, while the opposition ascribes responsibility to the PSUV and extended power structure. Both sides seem to speak of unifying the people, while offering narratives of division.
We can be sure that the coming week will offer more of the same, especially from the Miraflores Palace.
President Maduro will continue to beat his chest, raging against forces both internal and external that want to suffocate the “revolution” started by his predecessor. He will continue to use questionable language — in recent weeks he has said his party will win the vote “by any means,” an unsettling choice of words.
Both sides seem to speak of unifying the people, while offering narratives of division.
But the words in the president’s speeches paint a picture of a country that does not ring true. Huge drops in GDP and spiralling inflation rates speak of economic mismanagement, and high murder rates and shortages in lifesaving medicines speak of a worsening standard of living — the human cost of divisive politics.
As Sunday approaches and the stakes become higher, Venezuela and the region’s politicians should remember that at the heart of this battle are tens of millions of people. Many of whom just want life to get easier and calmer. No matter what the outcome of the election, that now looks like a pipe dream.
A woman arranges documents at a campaign office of Venezuela’s United Socialist Party (PSUV) in Santa Rita.
@URLgoeshere
This column was originally published in the Buenos Aires Herald, on Sunday, November 29, 2015 as part of the ‘Perspectives’ series.
Link: http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/203999/in-venezuela-truth-is-first-casualty.