From: Rakesh Bhandari (bhandari@BERKELEY.EDU)
Date: Mon Dec 04 2006 - 13:32:37 EST
>Here's a little background on that speech. A number of Rosales >supporters were looking to go immediately into the streets crying >fraud (and indeed had black t-shirts produced in advance saying this, >posters, etc). We should be talking about the Mexican election too! Yours, Rakesh >At the election headquarters, they tried to rally the >troops around the call, 'to the streets' with a few incendiary >speeches. Rosales and Petkoff and a few other leaders were battling >against them, calling for cool and even talking about the cooperation >they'd had from the army in correcting some problems that emerged >yesterday. The hots were against Rosales using the word 'concede', so >his concession speech was really a delicate dance between two >factions of the opposition--- there was something there for all. What >was really significant, it seemed from here, was his declaration that >he was now the leader of the opposition--- ie., the old parties out >and him as the only unifying force. How this plays out will be >interesting. BTW, one of the leaders behind the plan to reproduce the >Ukraine model flew off to Miami right before the election. > michael > >At 11:10 04/12/2006, jerry wrote: >>The right-wing candidate, Manuel Rosales, in his concession >>speech has already given an indication of what the "Plan B" >>(or maybe I should say "Plan C" or "Plan D" or ...) tactic will >>be: >> >>> The opposition candidate told supporters that he will remain in the >>> streets, "struggling for the people of Venezuela." >>> "I want to announce to the people of Venezuela that today we >>> are beginning the struggle for the construction of a new >>time for >>> Venezuela. and I won't stop there, from today on I will be in the >>> streets," said Rosales to huge applause. >>> "The results of the CNE are not the what they say they are," >>> continued Rosales, "The margin of difference is smaller, >>so I'm going to > continue in the streets, struggling for >>the people of Venezuela, >>> struggling for democracy, with liberty which we present." >>> "The truth is that even with a closer margin, we recognize >>> that today they defeated us, but we will stay in the struggle, in the >>> fight, we will stay in the streets," said Rosales >> >>Oh, btw, he also said the right-wing will stay in the streets. >> >>This strikes me as more ominous than innocent. I am reminded of >>the street demonstrations -- coordinated and paid for by the CIA -- >>which preceded the 1973 coup in Chile. >> >>Or is it just bluster, the last reactionary exhale of an increasingly >>marginalized bourgeois politician? >> >>In solidarity, Jerry > >Michael A. Lebowitz >Professor Emeritus >Economics Department >Simon Fraser University >Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6 > >Currently based in Venezuela. >NOTE NEW PHONE NUMBERS >Can be reached at >Residencias Anauco Suites >Departamento 601 >Parque Central, Zona Postal 1010, Oficina 1 >Caracas, Venezuela >(58-212) 573-6333, 571-1520, 571-3820 (or hotel cell: 0412-200-7540) >fax: (58-212) 573-7724
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Sun Dec 31 2006 - 00:00:04 EST