Thursday, August 14, 2014

Why is the Venezuelan regime so intent in making the trial of Leopoldo Lopez such a travesty?

It is common knowledge in Venezuela AND now overseas that the judicial system of Venezuela is a farce, a mere tool of the executive to get away with whatever it needs to get done. In Venezuela all political cases and all cases against the state are decided at the convenience of the executive branch which will allow only an extremely rare "victory" of third parties when that one may serve a given side within the regime apparatus against other factions.

In short, when you fall into the hands of the regime judicial machinery you know that the final verdict, if it ever comes, will be a political decision. We are ALL potential political prisoners to be disposed of at will. This is the most powerful tool chavismo has to try to control opposition: those who do not have the nerve flee the country; those who dare to resist end up like Judge Afiuni or Leopoldo Lopez, poster victims to scare away potential protesters.

And yet, in spite of the gloomy assessment written above, the Lopez "show trial" is reaching new and unnecessary levels. Why?


I will pass on the piped up reasons to arrest Lopez: on the show that that arrest was with Diosdado Cabello accompanying Lopez to court; on the multiple and constant vexations that Lopez has suffered in jail; on him even being roughed up in his cell by masked goons. No, let's look at today's court ruling to make my point.

Today was one of the infrequent sessions of Lopez trial. The regime is doing its utmost to delay and delay that trial. Today the only matter at hand was to hear the decision of whether judge Susana Barreiros would allow the defense to present its evidence. That is right, in a previous session that judge, whose name will join the extended infamy list of those who will go to trial when the regime leaves, had decided that the defense had no valid evidence to present. The defense of course appealed and today the judge ratified her previous decision.

Let me make that clear for the reader: the defense will not be allowed to present its evidence nor its witnesses. The only evidence and witnesses that will be allowed in court are the ones from the prosecution. The defense, we hope, will be only able to cross examine that evidence. Since we know that Venezuelan judges under chavismo can silence cross examination as they want, there you have it. Of course, I am sure that as the trial moves on the judge may allow the defense an item here, an item there, just to pretend that a trial did take place, but it is not going to fool anyone. It is also true that in any serious trial the judges can dismiss useless evidence such as the nephew of the accused selling boy scout cookies as a character reference, but this is not the case here.  What is going on here is outright denial of justice, it is a show trial, a kangaroo court, a pre-ordained execution.

Why is the regime taking such an international risk with a figure that has already won in international courts sentences establishing that the regime was unfair towards him?

There are several possible explanations.

The first one, that I wrote on June 11 "I propose that Lopez is Diosdado Cabello prisoner, one of his trump cards to use against the regime as well as against the opposition. " is still valid and explains at least the delays and the judicial travesty: Cabello needs to play the Lopez card when the timing is good for him. A mickey mouse trial is even good, in a perverse way, as it may speed up a Lopez release by denouncing judicial prevarication!

But that does not explain the abuse going to to the point of denying even minimal defense evidence! Thus my second reason is that Lopez is "also" a hostage of the harsh left that truly wants him condemned at all costs. They want that because they want Cabello deprived of a trump card. They want that because they need to prove that this is a real revolution.

And yet the meanness of it all cannot quite be explained by these two reasons. After all, let's not forget the harsh treatment of Lopez, who is often denied visit from his children, who has been beaten up. There is a third reason: Chavismo truly hates Lopez. Why such hate? Because Lopez is all what they are not, cannot be, cannot even have their children be. Leopoldo Lopez is educated, civilized, able, successful on his own, and a relative of Bolivar to boot, but not of the Bolivar invented by Chavez, the real Bolivar, the one from the history books that may be burned in Venezuela but that will remain in existence elsewhere to come back to Venezuela when the time is right to expose the Chavez fraud.

In short chavismo cannot forget and less forgive Lopez to have beaten chavismo at its own game, to have won overseas against the regime, to have created the best organized political party in Venezuela, without the resources from the state that are abundant to the PSUV but apparently never enough to ensure some coherence and even less loyalty. Lopez is a constant mirror where chavismo sees its own miserable nature. And thus I am starting to fear for Lopez life. This could simply get out of hand, even for Cabello.

12 comments:

  1. Charly2:08 PM

    On the positive side, they are forging a future president.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Future president of the Uribana Prison´s Library Committee?

      Delete
    2. Boludo Tejano7:29 PM

      Betancourt spent time in prison, did he not?

      Delete
  2. Don´t forget the regime is controlled by Raúl Castro. They are implementing the Cuban dictatorship´s version of "justice". Which in turn was copied from Stalin´s USSR. The Cubans have lived over 50 years in that monstrous regime, and they really can´t imagine anything different when it comes to justice and repression (why should they? So far it works pretty good for them).

    What continues to amaze me is that Venezuelans are being colonized by Cuba, but fail to put this first and foremost in their political agenda. Everything we see said and done is clearly a Cuban script, or Cuban orders. The only one in the chavista ranks who seems to be somewhat independent is Diosdado Cabello, who appears to be blackmailed by the Cubans in some fashion, but who also has his own fascist caveman behavior.

    If Venezuelans don´t wake up and realize their masters live in Havana, that they are doomed to be the prized colony unless they react intelligently, then Venezuela is lost to them, and they might as well pack whatever they can carry and flee.

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  3. Anonymous2:58 PM

    Why? This has been happening in Cuba for 55YEARS! Many in my family were accused and went thru these sham trials. They were CONDEMNED from the beginning. A tool to get rid of the opposition. WAKE UP VENEZUELA........ I have been telling my VENEZUELAN friends for YEARS and they still look at me thinking I'm blowing HOT AIR

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  4. Anonymous6:10 PM

    Chavismo will have brown stains in their red pants when the Castros depart Cuba. The Cuban spy and control apparatus will also likely crack and leave Cuba asap.

    Yes, the opposition should put stopping Cuba on the top of the list. It does not get enough publicity.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous7:29 PM

    Daniel and all who read this blog. I am Canadian, my wife of 6 years is Venezuelan. I wish you posted more often as I look for updated posts and comments regularly.All my wife's family and past friends live in Venezuela. My wife's family mostly all live in Maracay and her friends in Valencia. Her family is not Rancho poor and work hard but are not wealthy and compared to our Canadian standards live very poor. Her friends are well to do and we hear both the poor and wealthy experiences of Venezuela from them. We use to visit Venezuela twice a year and stay for the month of January to get away from the cold and enjoy my wife's family, friends and Venezuela. My first visit there was about 10 years ago.
    My wife's friends are aside themselves given the situation. Many have plans in the works to leave Venezuela mostly due to safety of children. However her family is somewhat split between the educated young and mid to older members. The mid to older members do not know much or anything about the rest of the world including Cuba. To tell them that Cuba is running Venezuela means nothing to them. They mostly would have voted for Chavez/Maduro in the past but through us only a few would still. They have no idea that the country is suffering as their lives have really not changed. Unfortunately from what I have seen they a the truly poor (Rancho) people make up the majority of the population. They had little to nothing and continue to have little to nothing. They barely leave their homes and really do not care much.
    100% of the media they see talks endlessly about the wonderful job the leaders are doing and how the opposition (rich) have endlessly tried to destroy the country. So with the majority of people not caring, not seeing a real difference in their lives (as they always have felt like second class citizens) and all media preaching the good of Chavezism, how do you get the message through to them to gain their support to throw the crooks out of office? The economy is imploding and causing real issues but without a democracy who is going to rid the country of these bums? As long as they can pay the army and continue to give power (which they desire more then money) to slum lords what ends the regime?

    The best to you all

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous, if they haven't seen a real difference in their lives tell them to go visit guayana and ask Sidor workers to tell them what they think about Maduro and the Cubans. If that doesn't wake them up then they will enjoy living in a Stalinist dictatorship and I wouldn't worry for them. Just help the younger ones escape. I've helped dozens get out, and I think they are more effective outside Venezuela than living as slaves of that regime. The key is for Venezuelans to understand Maduro is a puppet, and focus on Raul Castro and the Cuban dictatorship as the real villains.

      Delete
  6. Peruvian President Humala has been subtly, but methodically, subverting his Country's Institutions. Presently, either out of necessity or because a certain timeline has been reached, he and his cronies have begun promoting their subversive activities more in the open. Of course, they do attempt to explain that they do it for the sake of the state, the people.

    Just as, Chavista Venezuela, should communicate a frightening picture to Peruvians, Fidel’s Cuba should also bring the same awareness for Venezuelans who love their country.

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  7. The Venezuelans that I know seem to have finally admitted to have lost hope for a "speedy" return to some reasonable semblance of a democratic Venezuela sans the Chavez/Maduro/Cuban regime in power and control. I am now beginning to hear 30-50 years perhaps, if ever, will be needed for a change away from the present situation, which has still not hit bottom. None seem to expect to live to see it. They are presently making plans and attempts to try to get the remainder of their families out....but the regime continues to make these efforts more problematic. A very sad situation to stand by and watch happen in our own backyard, while we continue to grapple on a daily basis with religious wars half way around the world.

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  8. As far as I can tell, the economic decline continues and infrastructure deteriorates further, and continued inflation is making food and other basic necessities expensive and in short supply, only available to many who wait in long lines. How bad can it get? Lack of medicine is effecting many people while epidemics are spiraling out of control. It's getting hard to leave the country. I recall someone once said: "If you get hungry enough, you'll spend everything you have for your next meal!" If things get bad enough, nothing will stop the blood bath that will determine the future. That's what they are preparing for. They are baring the teeth of their revolution, because they have no exit strategy!

    ReplyDelete

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