FEAR AND TERROR IN CHAVEZ'S VENEZUELA.

IN VENEZUELA A PRIVATE COMPANY LOOKS FOR EMPLOYEES. IT IS REQUIRED
THAT THEY BE FRIENDS OF THE REVOLUTION.

I apologize for the small text above, could not make it bigger. It is a public requisition for an employee from a private Venezuelan-European company. Under "observations" the request establishes that the candidate should not be listed as a member of the opposition but should preferably be "close" to the government. The candidate "should know how to move within government circles", most probably a veiled reference to having experience with bribes.
Examples like this abound by the thousands in current Venezuelan daily life. The whole social environment is deeply corrupt. Greed moves the audacious and the dishonest while fear and cynicism prevails among more "honest" businessmen. In the U.S. the Chavez regime has defenders among Hollywood stars, democratic congressmen and "progressive" intellectuals. They gloss over this tragic coruption, either because they do not know about it or because they prefer not to see it. They can always claim that the government does not oblige companies to do this. However, in their hearts they should know that the climate of intimidation and fear imposed by the government of Hugo Chavez leads to this Orwellian-type of state.
The revolution is rotten to the core and those who defend it are guilty, by association, of dishonest conduct.

VENEZUELAN OMBUDSMAN IS NO MANDARIN, JUST MUNDARAIN

"We love all countries", said Mundarain,

when asked why Chavez gave billions to

other countries instead of spending them at home

WHERE DID ETHICS IN THE VENEZUELAN PUBLIC OFFICE GO?

From Washington.
One of our greatest Venezuelan tragedies has been the mediocre and often corrupt performance of the bureaucrats who surround Hugo Chavez. One of them is German Mundarain, the Ombudsman and member of the Venezuelan Moral Power. I cannot say, because I don’t know, that Dr. Mundarain has participated in the sacking of Venezuelan public funds that has taken place during the last nine years but I can say that his performance as an ombudsman deviates considerably from the ethical principles that his position requires.
I heard him talk recently in the Inter American Dialogue, a prestigious think tank based in Washington DC. His theme was not the defense of Human Rights but the promotion of the Constitutional reform that is being pushed down the throats of Venezuelans by Hugo Chavez. Dr. Mundarain spoke in his official capacity as Ombudsman, all expenses paid by the government, claiming that the reform was the best thing that could happen in Venezuela. He even admitted that he had been one of the co-authors of the document. Those who know what the duties of the ombudsman should be, this is, the defender of citizens against abuses of government power and against the violation of their human rights, find it unacceptable that he would be traveling to a foreign country, in his official capacity, to extol the virtues of an undemocratic reform.

WHAT DID HE SAY?
1. Mundarain said that the constitutional reform is legally valid and required to make our constitution more democratic and to align it with Simon Bolivar’s thought.
I comment as follows: the current constitution was imposed on Venezuelans only nine years ago. It was defined then as the best constitution in the world. Surprisingly now it needs to be substantially modified to make it more democratic. The reform, as presented, is deeply undemocratic, military oriented, really fascist. It has nothing to do with Simon Bolivar’s thought that was certainly not socialist and did not promote the unlimited rule of a man. On the contrary, he defined a country ruled without limits by a man as a “country of slaves”.
2. Mundarain claimed that the reform does not alter the texts of the core articles of the current constitution.
I comment as follows: Although it is true that the texts of these articles are not altered, the modifications introduced to other articles clearly violate the essence of the core articles, negating the democratic nature of the Venezuelan state and the principle of alternation in the public office.
3. Mundarain spoke of the reform as co-authored by his office.
My comment: In fact, the document was drafted with the cooperation of the members of the Moral Power and the president of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice. Am I insane in believing that these bureaucrats violated the ethics of their offices by generating and promoting a document that violates constitutional principles and the decisions of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice regarding unlimited re-elections? In Sentence 51, dated March 18, 2002, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice rejected the pretensions of unlimited re-election in public office as dangerous and anti-democratic. The reform also attempts at eliminating political plurality stating that socialism should be the only political philosophy, restricts the freedom of disposal of private property and creates a military-driven society with a popular militia that will be modeled after the Cuban and Iranian repressive bodies. And yet, Dr. Mundarain and bureaucrats who should be defending freedom, democracy and human rights openly support this reform.
4. Mundarain clearly stated that he had taken sides in favor of the reform because he refused to be neutral or a political eunuch.
My comment: What we demand from the ombudsman is impartiality, sense of fair play, decency. By taking sides Dr. Mandarin violates the oath of his office. As a simple echo of the president’s wishes he has, in fact, become a political eunuch.
5. Mundarain spoke of the reform as a preliminary project.
My comment: He should know that the current Minister of Defense stated that the reform was “not a proposal but an order” from the president and warned dissidents that protests would be smothered. (We will extinguish all small fires”). Mundarain should have acted in defense of citizens but kept silent.
6. Mundarain said that the loss of autonomy of the Venezuelan Central bank was normal and desirable and saw no problem in the direct handling by the president of national finances.
My comment: This loss of autonomy and the direct control of national finances by the president have already been in effect for some time. This has led to much corruption and to capital flight from a country where accountability and transparency have disappeared and where the Executive Power has raided the monetary international reserves. Direct foreign investment has stopped and private companies are leaving the country. The financial situation of Venezuela is fragile, in spite of its immense oil income.
All throughout his presentation Dr. Mundarain spoke of “us” and “them”, emphasizing his preference for the regime and his antipathy for the majority of the population that oppose the reform as unnecessary and undemocratic. This cannot be the language of an ombudsman. In my book he is no ombudsman but just a paid bureaucrat at the service of Hugo Chavez. He is no mandarin, just Mundarain.

RETO A RAFAEL RAMIREZ A UN DEBATE SOBRE PDVSA

Vamos a producir casas y pantaletas!

UN DISCURSO IRRESPONSABLE Y CARGADO DE ODIO

Un discurso dado recientemente por Rafaél Ramírez, Ministro de Energía y Petróleo y Presidente de PDVSA, a sus gerentes lo cataloga claramente como un irresponsable cargado de odio. Mientras alguien así esté al frente de la más importante empresa estatal es indudable que su deterioro, ya gigantesco, será imposible de detener. Y esto es algo que pagaremos todos los venezolanos, no solamente el grupo de improvisados que actualmente ejerce el poder político en el país.
Es necesario que el país conozca la situación de colpso operacional creada por Rafaél Ramírez en la empresa petrolera que es de todos los venezolanos. El problema de Rafaél Ramírez no es un simple asunto de un funcionario mediocre más o menos, o de diferencias menores de filosofía gerencial. Lo que está planteado con su presencia en PDVSA es una brecha fundamental entre lo que debería ser un manejo sensato y prudente de una empresa que es de todos y la manera como este personje la está manejando, como un instrumento para promover el odio social y para el prostituído uso de una minoría.
Lo primero que se pregunta Rafaél Ramírez en su discurso es “Que sería de la revolución si no existiera PDVSA”? Déjeme darle la respuesta. Estaría en el cesto de la basura de la pequeña historia. En venezuela no hay una revolución sino una barrabasada lubricada por casi 300.000 millones de dólares petroleros que Venezuela no verá más nunca, como resultado de los desastres técnicos, gerenciales y deshonestos cometidos por el chavismo.
El escándalo de los taladros adjudicados por Ramírez y su combo a empresas fantasmas y el sórdido asunto de la maleta de Antonini han sacado a la luz pública las tracalerías y la mediocridad de este grupo que le ha puesto la mano a PDVSA. No contentos con destrozar la empresa petrolera ahora pretenden, como dice Ramírez, llevarla a “ocupar todos los espacios del país, a fin de ser hegemónicos en el sistema económico”. De allí que PDVSA será pronto una empresa de hacer pantalones, de sembrar soya y construir casas.
Pero una empresa que pretenda encargarse de todo termina rapidamente por no hacer nada bien. Ya PDVSA ha perdido 800.000 barriles diarios de capacidad de producción y continúa, indetenible, en su rodada. Pretender que PDVSA venda al costo lo que produce es convertir a la empresa y al país en un gran sistema de limosnas y limosneros que viola todos los principios de la economía y que terminará por arruinar a todo el país, sin sacar a los pobres de su pobreza. Los pobres no pueden salir de la pobreza a realazos, limosnas y subsidios. Tienen que aprender a generar riqueza y a valerse por si mismos. El irresponsable Ramírez no se da cuenta de que distribuir una riqueza no trabajada es un sistema para crear pobres cada vez más indefensos y dependientes del estado benefactor.
Dice Ramírez en su discurso que en PDVSA solo hay cabida para los “revolucionarios”. El problema es que los tales revolucionarios son oportunistas, vividores e ignorantes pero no son los técnicos o los gerentes que la industria petrolera necesita. Ramírez dice que la meritocracia es “una pendejada”, un resabio del pasado que dos o tres generaciones de nuevos petroleros van a superar. Ramírez prefiere la revolución de los peores, de los mediocres, de los ignorantes, la que solo sirve para cosechar lo que otros han sembrado o para hablar de siembra petrolera y quedarse en puro bla bla blá.
Admite Ramírez que el gasto gigantesco y caótico que ha hecho la nueva PDVSA “no ha respondido a una planificación”” y agrega: “nosotros no hemos sido capaces de tener un sistema de información o de rendición de cuentas”. Claro que no, Ramírez. Ustedes no saben como hacerlo. Ello ha permitido que los recursos generados por Petróleos de Venezuela, en una época de gran bonanza de los precios, hayan sido captados directamente por el jefe único, sin transparencia, sin rendición de cuentas, para ser utilizados como a él le venga en gana, con la bovina aceptación de la gerencia de PDVSA. De que se sorprende Ramírez? Por qué se da cuenta ahora de que no tienen taladros para perforar pozos, ni siquiera localizaciones identificadas para los pozos, o que las refinerías sufren problemas graves de mantenimiento, o que los derrames se multiplican, o que cada gerentico regional monta su propio mini-feudo político? Eso es lo que el ejemplo del amo ha predicado! Eso es exactamente lo que Hugo Chávez, ex-administrador de una cantina militar antes de llegar a la presidencia, está haciendo con la hacienda pública. Es tarde ya para poner orden en el caos de camionetotas y de gastos caóticos por parte de los pequeños gerentes. Como puede esperar Ramírez que un gerentico no quiera ganar puntos con un alcalde haciéndole unas aceras cuando los gerentes de arriba están pensando en instalar una PDVSA para hacer pantaletas? Lo que es increíble es la incoherencia que Ramírez muestra en su discurso, al quejarse de una PDVSA que hace aceras y brocales pero al mismo tiempo anunciando la llegada de PEDEVSAS que críen cerdos, fabriquen sillas de ruedas y distribuyan condones.
El propósito declarado de Ramírez de captar la renta petrolera y redistribuirla entre el pueblo puede sonarle bien a quienes se beneficien temporalmente de esta estrategia pero tiene dos problemas fundamentales: uno, genera altísimos niveles de corrupción en los programas sociales, mediante los cuáles los chavistas están desvalijando al erario público, y, dos, no resuelve los problemas estructurales de la ignorancia y la pobreza al reemplazar la solución estructural por la limosna. Chávez les está dando un pez diario a los pobres pero no está tratando de enseñarles a pescar. Cuando desaparezcan las limosnas los pobres serán aún más pobres y más incapaces de labrarse su propio porvenir.
Terminó Ramírez su discurso en una vena poética: “Todos ustedes estaban llevando carajazos” y “Yo voy pálante y pal carajo”.

MI RETO.
Yo reto a Rafaél Ramírez a un debate o una serie de debates públicos sobre lo que se hizo, se está haciendo y se pretende hacer en PDVSA. Acepto el sitio y el día que él señale después del mes de Octubre, con la única condición de que los debates estén abiertos a todo público y sean libremente reseñados por todos los medios de comunicación que deseén hacerlo. El moderador deberá ser imparcial y cada quien podrá tener un asistente/asesor a su lado.
Mis credenciales profesionales para retar a Rafaél Ramírez son más que suficientes. Cuando ese personaje aún no hablaba bien, ya yo era petrolero. Mis credenciales ciudadanas son impecables pués nunca he robado ni matado a nadie. Seguramente no soy el mejor preparado de los gerentes petroleros venezolanos para debatir con Ramírez. Entre muchos otros, Alberto Quirós, Pablo Reimpell, Arnold Volkenborn, Guillermo Rodríguez Eraso, Julio Trinkunas, Claus Graaf, Alfredo Gruber, Roberto Mandini, Gustavo Inciarte, cualquiera de ellos, u otros más jóvenes como Luis Pacheco, o Luis Pulgar podrían hacerlo mejor.
Si Ramírez no acepta mi reto público quedará mál ante la opinión pública venezolana y regional. En todas partes diré que le tuvo miedo al debate.
Espero su respuesta para comprar mi pasaje.

I CHALLENGE RAFAEL RAMIREZ TO A DEBATE ON PDVSA

New PDVSA management: Talking about going on a diet?

I CHALLENGE RAFAEL RAMIREZ TO A DEBATE ON PDVSA.


A recent speech given by Rafael Ramirez to the managers of PDVSA clearly reveals an irresponsible man, charged with hate. While someone like him remains at the helm of the company there is no hope for its recovery. PDVSA’s collapse is damaging all Venezuelans.
The country has to know about the tragic situation of PDVSA. Ramirez does not represent a simple case of bureaucratic incompetence or a manager with a slightly different management philosophy. He represents a fundamental gap between prudent and sensible management and the criminal use of a company as a political and ideological tool.
In his speech Ramirez posed the question: “Where would the revolution be without PDVSA”? The answer is simple: it would already be in the dustbin of history. There is no revolution in Venezuela but a farce lubricated by oil money, almost $300 billion that Venezuela will never see again, wasted by a dishonest and inept regime. The scandals of the drilling rigs contracted with inexistent companies or of the Antonini $800,000 bag have brought to light the mediocrity and corruption of the group that currently manages PDVSA. But they are not satisfied with the destruction the oil company. They now pretend to convert PDVSA into a jack-of-all-trades, a PDVSA to manufacture clothing, one to build houses, one for agriculture.
A company that tries to do it all ends up by not doing anything well. PDVSA has already lost 800,000 barrels per day of production capacity and has replaced well-known and technologically sound international oil companies with state-owned companies from socialist countries that have nothing to contribute to the Venezuelan petroleum industry. Ramirez pretends that the “new” PDVSA should sell at cost. This means that the traditional laws of the economy will be replaced by a handouts-to-beggars system that will inevitably lead us to bankruptcy. The poor cannot become rich through handouts. Poverty can only be defeated by the conversion of the poor into producers and self-starters. Throwing a fish to the poor solves only their day’s problem but does not teach them to fish.
Ramirez claims that in PDVSA only the “revolutionaries” can have a place. The problem is that most of the “revolutionaries” are opportunistic and inept, not the technical and managerial class that the company requires. In his speech Ramirez made fun of meritocracy, calling it a “stupidity”. Meritocracy is the system that promotes the best and the brightest. How can this be more stupid than converting PDVSA into a manufacturer of panties?
Ramirez admitted that PDVSA does not have a planning function or an office of accountability. They don’t know how! The financial resources of PDVSA are going directly into Chavez’s pockets, for him to give away to Castro, Morales, Kirchner, Ortega, Correa and other members of the gang, to buy weapons or to dream of building 14 refineries, including one in the Fiji Islands. As a result PDVSA is lacking drilling rigs or well locations and is a company with record amounts of industrial accidents and oil spills.



MY CHALLENGE.
I challenge Rafael Ramirez to a public and open debate or debates about the past, present and future of PDVSA, to be held when he wants, where he wants, as long as anyone can attend and the media can freely report on its results and the moderator is impartial. My professional credentials are sufficient. I was an oilman before Ramirez learnt to talk. My civic credentials are impeccable, since I have never have stolen public (or private) funds or killed anyone. There are many Venezuelan oil managers who could challenge Ramirez and probably do a better job but I just thought of it first.
If Ramirez declines I will say he is a coward and an ignorant. If he accepts I will not say he is a coward.

U.S AND VENEZUELA UNITED BY BASEBALL

WHAT A GREAT SEASON FOR VENEZUELAN PLAYERS!
From Washington DC.
Venezuela and the U.S. have ties so strong that cannot be broken by the verbal aggressions of our Venezuelan president against the U.S. These ties have been forged by years of U.S. baseball players playing in Venezuela and Venezuelan players playing in the U.S. My father used to take me, more than 60 years ago, to the old Caracas baseball stadium in San Agustin, to watch games in which Luis Aparicio Sr. (the father of Hall of Fame’ s member Luis Jr.), Vidal Lopez, and many other Venezuelan immortals took to the field with Joshua Gibson, Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe, Dandridge and Marvin Williams. As years went by I saw Jackie Robinson, Sam Nahem, Pete Rose, Lou Piniella, and so many other U. S. greats playing in Venezuela . Still today I watch a lot of baseball and follow with pride the amazing progress of Venezuelan players in the major leagues.
This year has been bitter sweet. I saw two of my favorite teams, the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets, go down the drain, the White Sox in mediocre fashion and the Mets in a last minute collapse. But to this I can only say: wait until next year.
I also saw a few of my favorite Venezuelan players disappear from the radar screen or decrease their output. What happened to Freddy Garcia? Are the quadruplets being too much of a drag on Melvin Mora?
All and all, the season has been magnificent for Venezuelan players. Maglio Ordoñez finished 3 for 4 in the last game of the season, to win the major leagues batting crown with a .363 average and ran a strong second to Alex Rodriguez with 139 runs batted in. Ordoñez’s batting average was twelve points higher than Ichiro’s, a player who seems to be from another planet when it comes to batting. I think Jim Leyland owes Ordoñez an apology. About two months ago, the Detroit Tigers manager predicted that Ichiro, not Maglio, would win the batting crown. I thought this was in poor taste. Even if he thought so, Leyland, as manager of Ordoñez’s team, should have endorsed his player. As it was, he looked like he did not have enough confidence in his own player. Shame on you, Jim!
Bobby Abreu, although doing much less than his talent should allow him, ended with 101 runs batted in. Miguel Cabrera had another gigantic season for the Marlins, batting .320 with 119 runs batted in. This was the first season in history that three Venezuelan players batted in more than 100 runs.
When it comes to pitching, the records of Carlos Zambrano, Kelvin Escobar, Johan Santana, Carlos Silva and the extraordinary stopper Francisco Rodriguez have been outstanding, even if Santana slipped a little. Santana’s numbers show that he did as well as last year but did not get the same support from the team. Zambrano, who looks like a friendly, teddy bear version of Hugo Chavez, was very impressive, winning 18 games, although he still has to dominate his temper. Escobar is silently becoming a major star.
And what about Carlos Guillen and Victor Martinez? These two great players from Detroit and Cleveland contributed to most of their team’s wins and ended batting .296 and .301 respectively.
There were many other Venezuelan players in the field this season. Some are at the twilight of their careers, like the great Omar Vizquel and Eddy Perez, while some are very promising rookies like catcher Jose Flores. But it was a source of happiness for Venezuelans to see all of them in action.
Baseball brings out the best in all of us. The friendship of Venezuela and the U.S. created by the magic of baseball is indestructible and will allow us to keep being friends in spite of the temporary and, I hope, short-lived political problems the two countries are having.
Venezuelan youngsters keep coming to the U.S. every year, hoping that they will succeed in the major leagues. They bring to the U.S. not only their baseball skills but also their good will as Venezuelan citizens who desire to live in peace with the big neighbor to the north.