The Obama Tragedy – #1

Times are dark. This phrase I have just written, will probably be repeated for many years to come, even when this article matters no more. Our world is, in simple terms, fading. The planet’s resources are slowly coming to an end, as countries struggle with each other to obtain what is left in virgin territory. Greenland is just the beginning.

Food is getting scarcer, while prices soar across a weakened global economy. Tyrants and international terrorism are on the rise, with little to no control as to what can be done except for the eventual violent action. Africa and South America remain technically in poverty, including Brazil, who despite it’s evolution into a promising 1st-worlder, remains drowned with crime and strife in it’s main cities.

Is this article based on giving you the idea of a coming apocalypse, dear reader?

No. I firmly believe in the fact that we, as a race, will survive for times to come. We are inventors, survivors, we possess the ability to create where there is none, no matter the situation. We group together and unite even more when faced with common threats and enemies, no doubt there.

But why do we need to reach rock bottom before we go afloat again? Is there really the necessity to destroy ourselves by exploiting our fellow human and trying to be the only one to be safe?

Yet again, I respond: No.

To what am I referring? I will explain first with one example:

Venezuela, previously a small country with untold natural resources ranging from diamonds, to petroleum, to even plutonium. In 1999, after decades of history of tyrannic and violent Coup d’états, Chavez, who was previously locked up in 1992 thanks to a miserably planned Coup d’état, assumes the presidency thanks to his general victory in the elections.

Chavez, in one of the many propaganda campaigns strewn around the city. Despite the fact that the president has no direct relationship with the Parliamentary elections that occurred in September, he is still portrayed as the only political figure of his party, the UVSP (United Venezuelan Socialist Party).

Ten years later, the small country, previously in the 100s spot, has now risen to 2nd place as the most violent and the one with the most murders in the world. Lack of upgrades to it’s power plants and water reservoirs has left all of it’s cities (even Caracas, it’s capital) in the dark and without water for at least 1 day a week. The general drought present in Latin America this year has finished off any hope for normality at least until 2011, leaving numerous businesses and corporations at their own peril.

Here, a grocery/electronic store announces that they will be closed indefinitely, due to the lack of electricity.

To top it off, insecurity is considered normal, even near police headquarters. It’s current government, which has propagated “violent action” against the “burgueses” (Bourgeoisie) for the last 12 years, has done so in an attempt to gain popularity from the lower social classes, leading to criminal action against less than 20% of the population. This campaign was taken even further in 2009, when Chavez ignited a series of Eminent domains against almost 90% of the private companies that existed in Venezuela, taking them for public operation. This has lead to these forcefully taken companies to become bankrupt, leaving less that 10% operating, of the original 90%.

“Salto Angel”, also called Angel Falls, also seen in the Disney-Pixar movie Up. It’s water flow is now a mere trickle.

Hugo Chavez, pictured below (illegally wearing an attire with the colors and design of the Venezuelan flag),

met Barack Obama during the 2009 White House Correspondents event, where he took the opportunity to shake his hand and gift him with the book Open Veins of Latin America.

The obvious comparison between these two, they being almost perfect examples of the two types of politicians that exist in the world, can be resumed by describing them as “polar opposites”

Chavez, who’s official psychological analysis made by international experts, describes him as nothing short of a madman, has always had one very notable fear: that he may appear weak or ridiculous.

Tyrants and political dictators have always had the knack for eliminating their competitors and detractors, be them rivals or critics. Chavez takes it up a notch by not only closing almost every non pro-Chavez newspaper or news channel in the country, but by directly shouting obscenities and insults to anyone who, in his opinion, poses a threat to his dream socialist country. It doesn’t matter if they’re international envoys or even people of his own party, as the list of verbalized victims increases daily, in his “Alo Presidente” broadcasts, a show in which he talks an approximated 8 hours a day. I do not joke. This can be found in Youtube and in international news sites.

Obama, whose exploits (mostly his negative) are written about in this specific website, stands as someone who accepts criticism, even encouraging it during his talks and debates. That is indeed a rare quality not shared by many, and will be an important topic, as well as Chavez’s relationship with insurgent countries (such as Iran or Korea), in the upcoming Part 2 The Comparison “Bush”

Until then…

Galvatron3000

“I know my apprehensions might never be allayed, and so I close, realizing that perhaps the ending has not yet been written”

Atrus (1993)