In response to the intercession of Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil
and the Vatican, the leaders of the opposition embodied in a group called the
Table of Democratic Unity (MUD) have agreed to mediate their disputes with the
government of Nicolás Maduro. The mediation is to be televised continuously.
Chief among the opposition is Henrique Capriles, who was the MUD's opponent to
Maduro in the last election, "losing" by a paper-thin margin. The
problem is that Capriles and his friends historically have not truly been
opposition and have silently accepted Maduro’s usurpation of the presidency and
his control over the judicial and legislative powers.
I am reminded of the Russian revolution’s concept of “useful
idiots” or “useful innocents.” The phrase describes employing a phony
opposition to give the illusion that decisions are being made in democratic
fashion, since there is alleged discussion and compromise achieved after democratic
debate and voting, when in fact the party in power dictates everything, and the
elections are rigged.
What leads me to conclude there is no hope for real success
is that the students, who are the ones who have manned the barricades, and who
have borne the brunt of the attacks from the colectivos and the National Guard, are not part of the process. Leopoldo
Lopez is still in jail with trumped up charges. The students, particularly in
the western part of the country, appear unfazed by the televised circus of the
mediation.
I can only suspect that if the Castros are watching, they
are grinning like cats that swallowed the canary.
Could not agree more! It is no more than a circus.
ReplyDeleteYou can't negotiate with Communists, and I agree that the MUD are the useful idiots every dictator needs to stick around. The whole purpose of the so called dialogue is to take attention away from the students who are risking their lives for a better future.
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