Friday, March 8, 2013

An Escuálido March for Chávez


Two supporters of Venezuelan Pres. Hugo Chavez, who just died, hold a banner celebrating him today in central Bogotá.
'Forward commander! We will live and triumph.'
Chavistas march past Bogotá's cathedral.
Their numbers may be few, but their spirit is strong. 
Colombian Chavistas marched down Ave. Septima today to pay homage to the Venezuelan president, who died this week. Chavez often called his opponents esquálidos, which means something like 'the pathetic ones,' or 'the scarce ones' or 'weak ones.' Sadly for Chávez, his march in Bogotá was pretty weak.

Chávez was buried today in Caracas.

The marchers called on people to attend a mass for Chavez to be held today in the Barrio Hugo Chavez, a poor neighborhood in northwest Bogotá which adopted the Venezuelan leader's name.


The man in the center of Plaza Bolivar facing his monument is Orlando, who carries on a lone campaign in favor of Cuba. 


'Chavez is not a man. He is a people which advances.' The slogan echoes the words of martyred Colombian politician Jorge Eliecer Gaitan, whose photo is also on the banner. 

The current edition of Voz, Bogotá's communist newspaper, headlines '¡Until forever, Commander Chavez.' But was Chávez a communist?
At a march yesterday by employees of ETB, Bogotá's public telephone company, carried a portrait of Hugo Chavez. 


By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

5 comments:

mauricio forero l said...

Que viva Hugo Chavez, no joda. Que viva Hugo Chavez for ever and ever. A tear is rolling down my left chick while I writhe this Miguel.
I know you do not give a damn. I am so triste.

Unknown said...

You've had some interesting articles about Hugo Chavez. In case you missed it, the comedy show Saturday Night Live & Justin Timberlake did a parody of Hugo Chavez: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWPJdeLTqow

I've got to admit that I had mixed emotions about the skit. At times I thought it was in very bad taste and other times I laughed.

I know that Chavez supporters are upset about the skit, but Saturday Night Live has lampooned everyone . . . President Obama, the Pope, Kim Jong-il, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mother Teresa, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, NJ Governor Chris Christie, etc. Saturday Night Live is an equal opportunity offender of everyone famous.

Miguel said...

Thanks for the comment D Lee.

Chávez and his followers have always been quite sensitive about criticism, especially humorous. I guess it's not surprising, since they revere him in an almost-godlike way.

But Chávez naturally never hesitated to attack and ridicule his opponents, often using vulgar terms.

Mike

Miguel said...

Hi Mauricio,

Thanks for your comment. But if you'd lived in Venezuela, and had to endure the disastrous hospitals, the government takeover of the courts and media, the free gasoline for the rich, the crime, the inflation...you might not feel so sad for Hugo.

Mike

mauricio forero l said...

I was just kidding Mike. When are you going to understand my strange and cynical sense of humor. Just relax dude.