Blogging the democratic revolution
Fidel Castro’s Big Dumb Houseboy down in Caracas will listen to any sweet talk from his hairy Havana caudillo provided he says it nicely enough. That was why it was so easy to convince the hulky fool to turnnnnnn the checkbook, uhrrrr …. precious oil resources … over … to Castro’s own loving care. Fidel, you see, has convinced Chavez that he knows his wants and needs better than even Chavez himself. And can take care of Venezuela’s oil supply mucccccchhhhhh better than the Venezuelans can. It all makes perfect sense. Doesn’t it? Miguel Octavio has the deadly lowdown on…
Randy Paul has a short item on Miguel Inzulza of Chile winning the post as OAS Secretary General. He points out differences in media coverage on this somewhat mysterious issue. Why was it so controversial? Inzulza had been Hugo Chavez’s candidate, which is in itself a minus, because Chavez is the Foremost Troublemaker in our hemisphere. On the other hand, Inzulza is a Chilean, and with Chilean attitudes, apparently this was enough to convince Condi Rice to accept him as the U.S.’s candidate, too. If he’s good enough for Condi, I am going to bet he’s O.K., too. Now, with…
Over the past two months there have been protests in Ingushetia demanding the president resign over corruption. So far, things have gone generally peacefully. But read this recent report on RFE/RL and you will see just how corrupt those authorities are, and how they put down the protests by defaming them with fake fliers before arresting them. Prague, 30 April 2005 (RFE/RL) — Police and army troops used force on 30 April to disperse a protest in Nazran, the capital of Ingushetia, and detain its organizers. Officials had earlier warned the protest organizers, including Ingushetian Parliament Deputy Musa Ozdoev, against…
Whether the MSM reports it or not, Latin America has been heating up with Cuba and Venezuela seeking to destabilize and undermine democracy throughout the entire continent. At a time when the Community of Democracies is meeting in Santiago, Chile, its virtual antagonist composed of the most criminal minds in the western hemisphere converged on Havana to seek an alternative to free trade and democracy. I have never in my life seen such a perverted brothel of lowlifes, making perhaps the most up-front declaration of intentions I have ever heard. HAVANA (Reuters) – The leaders of Cuba and Venezuela relished…
Michael Totten declared victory from the tent city earlier today, noting that the elections have been officially confirmed for May 29. Read his entire post, as it is very thought provoking. The elections are to be held a month from now in four parts, 0n May 29, June 5, June 12 and June 19. They couldn’t agree on new election rules, so they had to constitutionally settle for the 2000 law. Not to much dismay, of course, as this is easily another big victory for the revolution. Under the 2000 law, districts remain much smaller and in single mandate status,…
Since the emergency can only constitutionally last for three months though, it’s kind of by default. KATHMANDU, April 30 (Reuters) – Nepal’s king ended a state of emergency two days early, the Palace said on Saturday, but the sudden midnight proclamation does not reduce extraordinary powers he seized in February’s royal coup. Politicians said it was a positive move but advised caution and urged the king to hold talks with political parties. Constitutionally, the three-month state of emergency granting the military extra powers of search, arrest and curfew had to end or be formally extended by midnight on Sunday. King…
I posted the other day an interview by RFE/RL with Kyrgyz interim president Bakiev who said he wants separation of powers and a stronger presidency. I argued, in short, for a stronger legislature. The Constitutional Council, which is supposed to debate the reforms necessary before the July 10 election, convened for the first time and thinks that a stronger legislature is absolutely pertinent. Kyrgyzstan’s new Constitutional Council today held its first meeting to discuss constitutional reforms expected to be implemented before presidential elections scheduled for 10 July. Proponents of amending the constitution say the reforms will give more authority to…
Alvaro Vargas Llosa, an author of The Complete Guide To The Perfect Latin American Idiot (it has a whole chapter on Castro worship) and now, Liberty for Latin America: How to undo 500 years of state oppression will be interviewed by Jim Lehrer of PBS. Alvaro Vargas Llosa is one of the world’s foremost experts on Latin America. Like Hernando de Soto, he’s a Peruvian, and he’s now at the Independent Institute, in Oakland. When people ask me where I learned about the place, I always point in his direction. He is one of the most brilliant and interesting intellectuals…
The Community of Democracies are meeting right now in my favorite city, Santiago de Chile, which I think is a fine country to hold such an event in. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is leading the U.S. delegation through this three day event from April 28-30. In the company of the democratic friends, she spoke of no less than the end of political tyranny worldwide. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday it is the historic duty of the world’s democracies to eliminate political tyranny. She addressed officials from more than 100 countries at the Community of Democracies meeting…
I’d find it hard to disagree with this. The West African Bar Association (WABA) has called for the cancellation of the results of Togo’s election and formation a government of national unity, according to a statement from its president, Femi Falana. “Any attempt to form a national government on the basis of the flawed elections will be resisted by the Togolese people,” Falana observed in a statement in Lagos Tuesday. Falana said he was not surprised by the violence that greeted the declaration of the result of the presidential election, won by candidate Faure Gnassingbe of the ruling party, because,…
Arthur Chrenkoff can go ahead and put this one under good news from Iraq. Almost three months after the elections in January, Iraq’s National Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday to approve a Shiite-led cabinet, establishing the first elected government in Iraqi history. The assembly chamber burst into wild applause after a show of hands revealed that 180 of 185 legislators in attendance had voted in favor, with almost a third absent. A traditional Islamic chant of praise – “God’s blessings be on Muhammad and on his family” – went up soon afterward. But the divisions that had delayed the government’s formation…
Ever wonder how Chavista-dom is changing the face of Venezuelan society? Blogger Daniel walked into a Caracas restaurant now frequented by the nouveau elite of the newly wealthy Chavista class and encountered a plethora of hoggishness. He dubs this new Marie Antoinette class of communist thugs the Boliburguesa, or, Bolivarian Bourgeois. Believe it or not, they’re out there. Daniel then wrote an essay of manners a la Voltaire or Samuel Pepys. You have to read it here!
Instapundit alerts us to a Babes of Cairo sighting, see it here.
After hundreds of thousands protested in Mexico this weekend in defense of Obrador, Fox announced the resignation of the attorney general. MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s attorney general has stepped down, in an apparent attempt to free President Vicente Fox’s government from a controversial legal battle with a popular leftist mayor. Rafael Macedo de la Concha led a campaign that stripped Mexico City Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of immunity so he could stand trial on charges that he defied court orders in a land dispute. If Lopez Obrador is found guilty, he could be blocked from running in next year’s…
Mass violence, dubbed by some as even “urban warfare,” has erupted in Togo over the last few days (See Gateway Pundit’s coverage here and some pictures here. Opposition Bob-Akitani has responded to the heavily flawed polls by declaring himself president to his supporters. Togo’s opposition presidential candidate has declared himself president with 70% of the vote, despite official results giving him only 38%. “We must fight with our lives if necessary,” Bob Akitani said, claiming the poll was rigged in favour of Faure Gnassingbe, the former leader’s son. Security forces have again fired teargas at his supporters who erected and…
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty was able to have an exclusive interview with Kyrgyzstan’s interim president Kurmanbek Bakiev, in which he talks about constitutional reform, separation of powers, and the free media. Bishkek, 27 April 2005 (RFE/RL) — Interim President Kurmanbek Bakiev said today in an exclusive interview with RFE/RL that he supports constitutional reform in Kyrgyzstan, but added that he believes the branches of power need more authority if such reforms are to be implemented. “The power of the president elected nationwide has to be greater, because he is elected by the entire Kyrgyzstan nation,” Bakiev said. “At…
…that he can trust his military anymore? Not very. He’s got more things to worry about from his army than he can list. My own analysis of the galaxy of factors is here.
… among the Chavistas and the white coats are calling. Just another sunny day in Caracas. Read it here and here.
I spent the day on the phone, talking to people in Chile. Somehow, Chile’s famous world-class social security system always got brought up, and on every occasion, Chileans, no matter who they were, expressed a vibrant enthusiasm for the program. I can’t describe how intense it was – and it was utterly real. As the U.S. debates adopting the wonderful Chilean system – which, by the way, has a lot to do with why Chilean stocks are so hot in the market – Miguel Octavio asks the penetrating question of: Why isn’t the rest of Latin America looking at Chile’s…
Israel’s long-planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip is almost ready to go ahead, and it is becoming clearer what will take the place of Israeli administration there – a coalition government between the Palestinian Authority (run by the secular Fatah Party) and the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas. The debate over the Gaza pullout has just about pulled Israel apart. Those who favor the pullout argue as follows: Since everyone knows that Israel will eventually have to leave Gaza, and since it is such a financial burden to maintain the few settlements there, it is better to leave now, even in…
Hat tip to Stefania for letting me know about this. Tell me everyone, how often do you see this happen? DAMASCUS: Chanting “freedom, freedom,” about 200 Syrians protested on Sunday outside a Damascus state security court where a prominent human rights campaigner accused of opposing the state was on trial. The area was sealed off by about 50 riot police as demonstrators, including many Kurds, carried posters of the defendants and banners denouncing the emergency law in force in Syria since the Baath Party took power in 1963. Among three activists on trial Sunday was prominent campaigner Aktham Naisse, who…
Constitutionally, the Lebanese electoral law must be passed a month before the elections are to take place. Which means they have have three days left– April 29th. New and short-living Premier Mikati wants to hold the election over a period of three days. Parliament on Tuesday opened a nationally televised debate of a policy statement by Premier Mikati’s newly formed government, which is seeking a vote of confidence on a basis that the elections would be held in three stages on May 26, 29 and 31. The prime minister has made it plain that he was unshakably determined to hold…
It’s a little opportunist, but the Belarussian opposition has to take advantage when it can! They took the anniversary of Chernobyl and turned it into a rally against Lukashenko. MINSK, April 26 (Reuters) – Police in ex-Soviet Belarus on Tuesday detained more than two dozen protesters who tried to present a petition to President Alexander Lukashenko on the 19th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Belarus’s small opposition, which accuses Lukashenko of systematically violating human rights, traditionally stages its largest protest of the year on the anniversary of the accident which contaminated a quarter of the country’s territory. But given…
I guess this means there’s no chance of a unity government, though that was far-fetched anyhow. Here are the cold, dry results. Announcing the results, the head of the CENI National Electoral Commission, Kissem Tchangai-Walla, said Gnassingbe of the Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) won 60.22 percent of the vote in Sunday’s poll while the main opposition candidate Emmanuel Bob-Akitani captured 38.19 percent. “In view of these results … the candidate of the RPT has been provisionally elected,” said Kissem Tchangai-Walla. The electoral commission chief said the provisional results must be confirmed by the constitutional council under Togolese law…
Alek Boyd has a disturbing e-mail message from someone inside Venezuela’s phone system, reporting the growing signs of a potential Internet blackout in beleaguered Venezuela. If so, this would be the first steps toward making the Internet as accessible to Venezuelans as it is to Cubans. And that’s not a step upward. Read it here.