Cartoon via Megaresistencia.
It is nor secret that I have been very vocal about the reasons on why Venezuelans shouldn't vote for the the Constitutional reform proposal of lunatic Pharaoh Chavez. No, I am not against Voting. If we were on a country they can enforce a fair electoral process I might think about it. But, there's also the question of the legality of this constitutional reform per se.
First of all, it's an illegal reform. Hugo Chavez's cannot make it because the constitutions forbid him to do it so. Simple as that. This is Chavez attempt to get away with the most illegal act of his dancing-comedic-criminal-president career. So, even if I can be assured on a fair electoral process, this reform is illegal.
Second, you cannot ask a citizen to vote for taking out your voting rights. That's what Chavez pretends. Where's the logic of that? The reform is so radical that the expert on this subject talk about this is not a constitutional reform, but a totally brand new one.
Third, Venezuelan electoral council (CNE) is a Chavista snake nest. Fairness is a big issue that cannot be satisfied.
But, happens that there's a hefty group of Venezuelans, smart Venezuelans, political analyst and political parties included (not that politicians are smart by any mean) that think that people who think like me, are crazy, that think that the way to go is voting "NO", against Chavez's reform, and to test, once again, Chavez capabilities to make a fraud.
In this group, the person who makes most sense to me, is Ana Julia Jatar. I like her opinions. In this article, she is giving a very good reasoning on why, in despite of all the arguments to vote no, it makes sense to keep on with this electoral farce, and for once, hit Chavez with a sound "NO" against his lunacies. Basically, she says that the problem with abstention is that it is very hard to make it militant, a solid force that can make a change. Abstention can be anything you want if the people who abstain to vote don't protest about it massively.
Unfortunately, active abstention cannot be planned, like Hermann Escarrá "Marcha sin retorno". This type of events, to be effective, have to be spontaneous.
But, as hard as it sounds, abstaining to vote can be capitalized. And there's this good article that shows how.
To me, I cannot pass the fact that this proposal is not legal. I cannot go and vote for something that I rationally know it shouldn't be an electoral matter. I cannot give thumbs up to Chavismo to vote for Yes or Nay about to keep my voting rights as a citizen or not. It doesn't make sense, and I won't cooperate with this madness. This is a wrong strategy that it won't turn good however you want to see it. Plus, I am very far away of my voting station.
So, regardless of people will make abstention an active political force against Chavismo, or not, I am not going to vote for this farce against democracy.
And like I, the prophet of doom, and the people who think like me have a very strong opinion in this matter, there's the other side, the people who will vote for "NO" also are very strong into it. So, since there's not consensus from the opposition, chances are that Chavez's reform will pass, maybe with a low margin, but it will pass, like in any real democracy in the world, who happen to pass an unpopular reform with a small percentage. It would look much better than Saddam or Fidel's 99% approval ratings right? All the world media will say that Chavez's unpopular reform won by a low margin. And, who benefits from this? Chavez himself. He won't be seen like the man who has the control of the electoral council.
On the other hand, Venezuelans doesn't understand the word "consensus". Can you imagine if Churchill, Stalin, Roosevelt and later Chang Kai-shek wouldn't never agree on WWII? Well, this is exactly what's going on in Venezuela right now... Nope, seems like the opposition doesn't have a Churchill that can make this happens... so sad.
If everybody agree on one or the other, I guess I would happily switch sides. But, it's not happening. The ones who want to vote, doesn't care about the CNE is not a fair institution and frankly, my dears, I cannot understand that position. There won't be possibilities for observers to closely monitor this farce. How are they gonna proof anything? Not that you need to prove they are committing a fraud. Shouldn't be more important the fact that this is not an electoral matter? That our human rights cannot be subjected to any referendum?
So, however you want to read the future, it looks like it will be a very dark one to Venezuela...
What do you think? Do you think I have become a lunatic like mi señor presidente? I am starting to believe that lunacy can be very contagious.
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