Americans in a Crossfire

Americans in a Crossfire

On August 12, 2012 a group of Americans and Canadians walk out of the Caracas Metro station to a downtown area prepared for a political rally in support of the opposition Presidential candidate, Henrique Capriles. 

As we walk off the escalator we somehow enter a crossfire between Chavez supporters and Capriles supporters yelling inaudible “boo’s” and “chants” at each other, obviously trying to out shout the other. There is a sense of tension between the two groups and I start to feel nervous about being in the middle. Our translator, Leo Lameda, initiates conversation with a Chavez supporter whom was also his high school history teacher, Lobeila Escobar. She talks about media manipulation especially U.S. media in which they demonize Chavez and hype up the violence in Venezuela. She has been an active Chavez supporter for years and believes he will be elected President again for a third six year term this October. We migrate around her as onlookers join our circle in order to hear her voice.

A local student camera crew join us and want to ask us, the Americans, about our experience here and opinions on the current political situation in Venezuela. A man with a Capriles flag steps in front of a female Chavez supporter chanting louder and louder by the second. There’s a moment of hostility as he makes his way to the ‘right’ side of the rally and political spectrum. She stands proudly on the left and as the next metro full of passengers disembarks into our space, shouts from both sides guide the passengers to the proper position. 

We interview a couple Capriles supporters on the outer skirts of the rally. The older man’s reference to anti-semitism could be related to the fact that Capriles has a Jewish ancestry. The younger woman references the New Organic Law of Civil Penalties which states: “In Venezuela, in January 2012, a new Organic Law against Terrorism and Organized Delinquency was adopted by Congress, but has not yet been signed into law by the President. The law establishes a broad definition of “terrorist acts” that may apply to legitimate acts of social protest or dissidence. It also places NGOs under the permanent surveillance of a State organ and imposes restrictions on foreign funding.” -United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, 4/25/2012 http://www.un-ngls.org/spip.php?page=article_s&id_article=3853 

It’s interesting to note that this law imposes restrictions on foreign funding, which suggests an anti-U.S. electoral endorsement of any kind for any candidates in Venezuela.  Is this a bad thing? How much endorsements from corporations does our U.S. candidates receive? The young woman’s insinuation of Chavez promoting violence could be linked to the division among Venezuelans. And how Venezuela has been undergoing a class struggle due to government reforms against privatization and a transition to a socialist economy. Through these measures redistribution of wealth and high influence jobs have caused the wealthy and middle class to lose previous privileges such as land and corporate investment.