FROM CARACAS CHRONICLES
REVIEW OF GUSTAVO CORONEL'S BOOK
VENEZUELA 1981-2015
UNA MEMORIA CIUDADANA
by
JOSE GONZALEZ VARGAS
OCTOBER 3, 2018
ORIGINAL ARTICLE : at https://www.caracaschronicles.com/2018/10/03/caracas-chronicles-book-review-memoria-ciudadana-by-gustavo-coronel/
Before reading Memoria ciudadana, I didn’t know who
Gustavo Coronel was. I don’t follow his blog Las
Armas de Coronel, much less read El petróleo viene
de la luna, the first part of his memoirs. So at first, I was lost dipping
into his life in 1983, just out of PDVSA and invited as a fellow in Harvard
University, eventually working for the Inter-American Development Bank.
It’s not until 1989, in a meeting with then president Carlos
Andrés Pérez, when you start to understand the mentality that defines the man,
when he said to CAP: “I want to work in the public sector, preferably in a
rundown entity.”
His experience is quite valuable and it’s really the main draw
of the book. During his time at CVG, for example, he witnesses the problem of a
public enterprise that’s too large to be manageable but, at the same time, too
important to be dismantled.
Having worked in key positions at PDVSA, CVG and the Puerto
Cabello docks—the latter two told in Memoria Ciudadana—his insight
in the inner workings of Venezuelan bureaucracy is key to understand the root
of many of today’s vices in what appeared to be the successful state-owned
companies of the time.
During his time at CVG,
for example, he witnesses the problem of a public enterprise that’s too large
to be manageable but, at the same time, too important to be dismantled.
The book becomes engrossing early on, when it reaches the 90s,
particularly in 1998, when Hugo Chávez is running for president and Coronel
finds himself in the campaign trail, as a team member for his rival, former
Carabobo governor Henrique Salas Römer. As Coronel puts it, “The country
yearned for a radical change… and it got it.”
From the beginning, Coronel saw the signs of today’s tragedy.
The approval of the 1999 Constitution, the autonomy loss of the Central Bank
and PDVSA, the early corruption scandals, the growing personality cult, the
Bolivarian Circles and the introduction of Pre-Military Training in schools are
just some of the omens.
Like many Venezuelans who opposed the Bolivarian Revolution
since its inception, he becomes a defenseless witness in the dismantling of the
country’s democratic institutions, not understanding the complicity of
otherwise intelligent, laborious, upstanding citizens in an authoritarian
regime that would cause everyone else’s ruin.
He writes, for instance, that “if I, a simple citizen, was
capable of seeing the Venezuelan tragedy and all its horrifying outreach in the
second year of the chavista regime, why didn’t the opposition leadership? Was
it ignorance? Cowardice? Indifference? Or collaborationism?”
“if I, a simple citizen,
was capable of seeing the Venezuelan tragedy and all its horrifying outreach in
the second year of the chavista regime, why didn’t the opposition leadership?”
For then on, the book is a personal chronology of the chavismo
years that most Caracas Chronicles’ readers are familiar with. As an
autobiography, it’s frankly not a very engaging read, and for those who have
lived through it, it can be very painful. As a reference book—or maybe as a
witness account—it’s a necessary resource to understand, step by step, the
long, convoluted route that led to Venezuela’s current situation with the
advantage of its chronological order.
Probably, its most important contribution is how Coronel
manages, with facts and data, to dismount the myth of a Venezuela running fine
and dandy under Chávez, despite the government’s authoritarian bent.
The book has other flaws; the content itself, fine as it is,
could have benefited from an editor with a clearer criteria about what’s
important and what’s not, unafraid to cut out some of the most superfluous
passages.
The book seems, at times, somewhat disorganized and redundant,
going on tangents that range from civic formation or mangoes in Carabobo. A
related issue is with tone, particularly in the middle and latter parts, going
for instance from the suitcase scandal in Argentina to a delightful
Thanksgiving poem. Or starting with the attack of the Mariperez Synagogue to
describe the memory of a trip to New York City, without a proper literary
transition.
Another thing I had a problem with was grasping the author’s
vision of Venezuela beyond calls of “good civics,” which is set aside once
chavismo enters to scene. One is tempted to say that Coronel, who undoubtedly
has a profound bond and dedication to the country, is frustrated about the
Venezuelan people.
One is tempted to say
that Coronel, who undoubtedly has a profound bond and dedication to the
country, is frustrated about the Venezuelan people.
This is understandable, and it’s shared by many fellow
nationals, inside and outside the country. He writes, near the end, that “the
true escape from poverty is empowering the poor so they can become producers,
citizens, society’s integrated contributors, and not parasites. Chávez didn’t
do this. Only civic education that introduces an attitude change can achieve
this.”
One infers his vision is influenced by American and Nordic
notions of individual freedom and personal responsibility, particularly on his
thoughts about Sabana del Medio. Yet these ideas answer to a particular
evolution bound to a historical and social contexts that were not present in
Venezuela and most of Latin America, leaving room to debate on exactly how
realistic or achievable this vision is.
Coronel frames himself as a simple citizen but, of course, a
simple citizen isn’t offered a job by the president or is invited by Harvard University
as a fellow. He’s an opinionated professional who, during his whole life,
focused to improve as much as he could the world around him. In the final part
of the book, he rightfully regrets the little care history has with the
generation of men and women who helped build the Venezuelan oil industry, yet
he hopes that their work, the legacy of an entire generation, helps to build a
future Venezuela. Maybe even a new Venezuelan miracle.
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Freelance
journalist, speculative fiction writer, college professor, political junkie,
lover of books and movies and, semi-professional dilettante. José has written
for NPR's Latino USA, Americas Quarterly, Into and ViceVersa Magazine.
Sounds like something I would want to read,
except the negative review here scares me, and I doubt it’s available in
English anyway.
If available, maybe I would give it a shot. My
take on it might be different, and I really don’t know about any other
“comprehensive” books or other media on Chavismo.
Oliver Stone doesn’t count.
Hi Ira
If you
haven’t read “Comandante: Hugo Chávez’s Venezuela” by Rory Carroll, I highly
recommend it. Easily the best english language book that captures the madness,
corruption, and incompetence at the core of Chavismo, with many interviews and
stories illustrating the larger narrative of how a cultlike movement led by an
economically illiterate megalomaniac steadily degraded the country’s economy,
institutions, and discourse.
Excerpt
of a review from WaPo: “Carroll shows how Chavez’s shoddy understanding and
willful manipulation of the economy ended by raining misery on the very people
he meant to save. We see, in this vivid narrative, a government that is
Shakespearean in its failings. By 2000, one year after Chavez was installed, a
campaign everyone could believe in — rout the corrupt! elevate the poor!
invigorate the nation! — had produced a clone of Cuba’s faltering communist
state… [a] deeply informative, sprightly chronicle of Venezuela’s dizzying
journey under its Comandante”
Rory
Carroll’s little spat with Hugo Chavez’ on Alo Presidente number 295 was a
classic.
“One infers his vision is influenced by American
and Nordic notions of individual freedom and personal responsibility,
particularly on his thoughts about Sabana del Medio. Yet these ideas answer to
a particular evolution bound to a historical and social contexts that were not
present in Venezuela and most of Latin America, leaving room to debate on
exactly how realistic or achievable this vision is.”
Some Latin Americans seem to have gotten it
right, at least back in the day. Maybe there is hope.
“You’re a good-looking boy: you’ve big, broad
shoulders. But he’s a man. And it takes more than big, broad shoulders to make
a man.”
María Cristina Estela
Marcela Jurado García, aka: Katy Jurado, playing Helen Ramirez in “High Noon,”
1952
“One is tempted to say that Coronel, who
undoubtedly has a profound bond and dedication to the country, is frustrated
about the Venezuelan people.”
Rightfully so. Who can be proud of such a
massively ignorant and immensely corrupt/complicit populace?
“This is understandable, and it’s shared by many
fellow nationals, inside and outside the country. He writes, near the end, that
“the true escape from poverty is empowering the poor so they can become
producers, citizens, society’s integrated contributors, and not parasites.
Chávez didn’t do this. Only civic education that introduces an attitude change
can achieve this.”
Education yes, what I’ve written countless times
on these blogs. But not just vague “civic” education. That sounds like
patriotic/nationalistic crap for retarded zombies. REAL education is what is
required. And that means teaching people how to think for themselves, analyse
situations with critical vision, form their own opinions, interpret tons of
information available these days and draw their own well-informed conclusions.
That’s education. Not just regurgitation a few simple math equations or the
names of stupid “national heroes”. Not just speaking proper Spanish, also some
basic English, at least. Informed pueblo people with critical thinking of their
own. That’s the education that identified Chavista crap a mile away and rejects
retarded populism or “socialism” crap. That’s the education that promotes moral
values, working character, self improvement, as opposed to gobielno hala bolas,
beggars and thieves – which is what most of our disgraceful “pueblo”people are,
let’s face it. That’s what created and sustains the Chavistoide disaster.
“One infers his vision is influenced by American
and Nordic notions of individual freedom and personal responsibility,
particularly on his thoughts about Sabana del Medio. Yet these ideas answer to
a particular evolution bound to a historical and social contexts that were not
present in Venezuela and most of Latin America, leaving room to debate on
exactly how realistic or achievable this vision is.”
Tough to achieve, indeed. Tough to re-wire and
educate and entire generations of brain-washed, lazy, corrupt, clueless,
ignorant indians. (El Pueblo). Tough to instill half-decent moral values in
broken families with ignorant mothers having 10 kids off 5 different fathers.
Certainly something no MUDcrap ‘transition government” can do, no Capriles
shitty government can do. It would require very tough measures, strict laws,
harsh punishment for all pueblo-criminals, yes, millions of them, mandatory
education, REAL education as described above. Singapore style, at the very
least.
Too bad there are no Marcos
Perez Jimenezes around when you really need them. Unfortunately, that’s what it
would take to properly educate and control the Kleptozuelan messed-up populace,
at this point. Too ignorant, too corrupt. Only carrots and sticks would work,
and it would take many, many years to start building some real character and a
better population. Because they are no good, in general. That’s why they
produced and maintain Chavismo.
“lazy, corrupt, clueless, ignorant indians”
Again this bloody racist
guy. It is incredible how a racist idiot can leave clearly racist stuff here
time after time
Kepler.
If you don’t like his comments, don’t read them. Is that so hard?
He is writing things that
support hatred of other ethnicities. That is something else. That is
unacceptable for anyone unless you are in KKK territory. In many jurisdictions
you can go to jail for that.
“In many jurisdictions you can go to jail for
that.”
Such as Venezuela?
Poeta. Don’t let the racist
trolls get to you. They’re jealous.
He started working for
Shell long before nationalization , he was a young geologist much admired by
peers and bosses when the post of head geologist was opened , Shell had a
system for identifying people with high potential when young so they would have
a chance or reaching the highest levels of management the company being so huge
…they were people who read people just by talking to them and their colleagues
, when the local management proposed a veteran candidate for the post Shell
centre did something very unusual (they usually followed the locals advise) ,
they asked ‘why dont you give a good second look at Coronel’, he was a top
notch professional , had a personality and demenour that made people instantly
like him and was totally honest to a degree you seldom find in anyone….., he
also had a literary side people found remarkable , he was stationed in
Indonesia and sent back articles that explained indonesia to people in a way
that made it fascinating , once the top bosses in a big advertising agency saw
him in a lift and inmediately offered him a job , he could appear in any
advertisement and people would instantly trust and like him ……, of course he
rose thru the ranks of Pdvsa and was known to be absolutely rational honest and
technical whenever any of the political bosses at the ministry brought up some
frivolous political decisions and didnt care what that might do to his career .
He was a giant of a man , much admired within Pdvsa by everyone …..he left
Pdvsa because the Ministry decided on a foolish transfer of the company he
headed to a city of the interior which lacked the means to sustain the work
which needed to be done just to please the local pols ….he went to the US and
found no difficulty getting hired at the most respected jobs . One thing people
dont know is that his effort was decisive in making the nationalization of the
Venezuelan oil industry a success , he would shut himself up in a windowless
unlighted room with a single lamp illuminating the paper he was reading and
spend hours coming up with solutions to countless problems that no body knew
how to handle……I have great admiration for Dr Coronel not just for his
intellectual brilliance but for his absolutely honest approach to things …..!!
This would be a different country if we had 10 men like him and enough people
who could appreciate his worth..
I’m glad other people have
had positive experiences with https://usabookreviewers.com/ too. To
tack on two cents: I’ve had a really great experience with them so far– I’ve
had over 60 reviews and 90 ratings. Not sure on my stats yet, but I’m so, so
glad I decided to do this!
Spam
alert!
Just to fact check a bit,
the introduction of Pre-Military Training in schools did not happen under
Chávez’s government but under Luis Herrera Campins back in 1981.
“This would be a different country if we had 10
men like him and enough people who could appreciate his worth..”
Right. And that’s precisely
the problem. That Venezuela had very, very few men like Gustavo Coronel, and
they’re all gone. Heck, the education level, moral values of people like him is
what builds great countries. 95% of PDVSA’s local employees were nowhere near
as good. Most of them soon became corrupt, if they weren’t already as soon as
Chavismo set in. As in every other industry. That’s why Kleptozuela went to
hell. The poor quality of its people, at all levels. The abysmal levels of
professional proficiency. Once the USA professionals let go, and the locals
took over, it all went down the drain. Ineptitude, ignorance, Latino
Corruption. FACE IT.
Coronel was not uncomfortable being a long
standing member of the Pdvsa tribe and an emblem of its culture because
corruption was largely under strict control and if it happened people got
thrown out , the systems where there to make it an exceptional ocurrence . What
bothered him was the corruption that came in thru the govt making politically
motivated decisions that were inept and stupid ………and which affected the
running of the industry. Later of course corruption became the normal setting
and honesty the exception …….Ortega had a saying ‘ Problem is not the
exceptional abuse of the rule but the violation of the rule becoming the
custom.’
I do think that there are
more Gustavo Coronel in Venezuela but they have no means of making themselves
felt because the climate is so charged with tyranny and ambition and
incompetence .
I am very grateful to CC
and to Jose Gonzalez Vargas for the review of my latest book: Venezuela
1981-2015, Una Memoria Ciudadana. This book started as a Memoir for the
interval 1981-1999, designed to transmit some of my experiences in the
international and Venezuelan public serviceand continued, predominantly, as a
chronicle of the Chavez nightmare in the interval 1999-2015. I tried to put
together this chronicle to save some time and effort for future historians,
researchers or curious Venezuelans.
Much of the task of looking for the information I have done for them. It will
not win a Pulitzer prize, I agree, but is a contribution to the collective
memory of those years and it responds to my belief that every citizen, the
great and te small, should document his,her voyage thrugh life. It has the
added atraction of a foreword by my good friend Moises Naím.
I am very grateful for some of the comments I have read, especially the very
generous profile written by Bill Bass. If I have come across to my fellow
citizens in a way such as Bill describes it, that makes me feel very successful
and exceeds my wildest expectations.
The book can be accesed, for free, at: http://armasdecoronel.com/portfolio/una-memoria-ciudadana/
If you have $2.99 or $12.99 to spare, you can get it in Kindle or in hard copy
from Amazon, at: https://www.amazon.com/Venezuela-1981-2015-memoria-ciudadana-Spanish/dp/198078390X/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1538664978&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Venezuela+1981-1985%2C+Una+memoria+ciudadana
As the
Kindle price is quite reasonable, I will purchase instead of download for free.
