Why Venezuela's Neighbors Are Hoping For A Chavez Win Sunday

[Peace Patriot]

21. The fascists (the Colorado Party) still rules the country, obviously. They are entrenched.

And President Lugo didn't have much of a chance to reform the country, since he lacked the political organization to win a majority in the legislature.

The legislature is controlled by the Colorado Party, with only a few seats held by the splinter leftist and a few other parties. The Colorado Party, which represents the tiny percent of the population that controls ALL of the land, has been clever and brutal in defeating the kind of grass roots organization needed to build an effective political organization that represents the vast poor majority. During the long Stroessner dictatorship, they used torture and murder--simply decapitating the leadership of the poor, decade after decade. And they use every other means, short of outright slaughter, to wield power. Don't know for sure, but I imagine they got their 76-1 vote partly by bribery, threats, intimidation and other typical methods of a corrupt elite.

One thing is very clear: The legislature is NOT representative of the people of Paraguay. It is a very corrupt institution that represents the rich landowners.

But you, as usual, side with the fascists, eh? You think they did right?

You really love this stat that the fractious leftist remnants got bullied or bribed into ousting the elected president, don't you? You repeat it often.

Do you also like how they gave President Lugo only 24 hours to prepare a defense against impeachment? Do you like how he felt he had to resign, in that circumstance, to avoid violence? You approve of unfair proceedings like these?

You think Paraguay is a fair country, where everybody has a chance, everybody gets an education, has health care, and can pull himself or herself up by his or her bootstraps--and, if it isn't a fair country, well, those are the breaks? Or maybe you have some "Ayn Rand" scheme about the rich elite "trickling down" wealth to the poor?

How DO you feel about the miserable poverty in Paraguay? How do you feel about the history of torture and murder by the fascists, in Paraguay? How do you feel about the elected president getting booted out by the unrepresentative legislature, with barely a chance to defend himself, and that at the risk of civil violence?

One final question: How do you feel about the poor farm workers (most Paraguayans) getting sprayed with toxic pesticides by the soy moguls? You think that's okay? I would guess that you DO think it's okay--that it's acceptable "collateral damage" for those who are profiting from it. But correct me if I'm wrong. I'm basing this assumption on your other opinions here at DU. It's a big issue in Paraguay. It's basically why Bishop Lugo got elected (because he so strongly opposes it). Do you think it should be stopped? And, if so, how--now that the poor have been deprived of their president?