And here’s a sample of it:
That’s “Zamora: Free Lands and Men”, by Román Chalbaud, a Venezuelan fimmaker. Produced by the national studio, Villa del Cine. And a finalist for the Goya Prize. Ezequiel Zamora is a 19th-century hero of liberation in Venezuela, one who continued the battle Simón Bolívar began, and one of the “three roots” of Bolivarian ideology as propounded by none other than Hugo Chávez (the other two being Bolívar and his friend/mentor, Simón Rodríguez). His rallying cry, as you can hear in the clip above, is “Tierras y hombres libres”–free lands and men.Zamora’s name is also attached to a Venezuelan peasant front dedicated to reclaiming unused arable lands stolen by oligarchs, and farming them collectively, as in the olden days. They in turn are part of a larger movement toward food sovereignty and self-sufficiency in Venezuela, which until recently had to import as much as 80 percent of its food–not because it lacked arable land or willing workers, but because of all the land grabbing by big owners who did nothing useful with it. Those who wanted to farm were shoved out, forced to either occupy inhospitable lands, or else emigrate to the cities, where they ended up in crowded, miserable slums. Even today, the war Zamora fought for “free lands and men” is not over, as peasants are still being slaughtered by big land-owners, with the aid of imported Colombian paramilitaries–and in this context we can see why Chavecito considers that the biggest immediate menace to Venezuela hails from Colombia. Those paras are a big part of the problem, and they are more than happy to serve as mercenaries to anyone who can afford them. And who better than the big landowners, who stand to lose what they or their ancestors stole to the very popular land reform programs of you-know-who?But what am I saying? Everyone knows Chavecito’s just a crazy commie pinko, right? And this film is just more commie propaganda (portraying events that were still unfolding while Marx was busy in Europe, penning his manifesto)…right? Right?(H/t Ceti Alpha, here.)-
Fear doesn't travel well; just as it can warp judgment, its absence can diminish memory's truth. What terrifies one generation is likely to bring only a puzzled smile to the next. --Arthur Miller, "Why I Wrote 'The Crucible'", The New Yorker, October 21, 1996
All opinions here are the brain-wrackings of Sabina C. Becker, unless otherwise credited. If you cite them, please give credit where due.
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Meta
Just checking in with you, still in Central America for another couple of weeks.
Bravo, for these type of films being made with help from the Venezuelan government.
It is a truism to anyone with a brain: any country that cannot control the rich, wealthy class, and rapacious corporations will be sucked dry. Only through democratic socialism and strong leaders–like Morales, Chavez, and Correa–can issues like poverty be addressed with success.
The Honduran people are wonderful, but they are kept forever immiserated by the elites. They cocoon themselves off in their enclaves and take their money to Miami, where they nurture adolescent dreams to be big fish among the gringos.
Met a young Cuban doctor that had been robbed in San Pedro Sula on New Years Eve, helped him out with some money. He told me that the Honduran doctors despise the Cubans. All about the money. That night, New Years Eve, I saw a church service being conducted in the down town district, basically middle class, pro-golpistas. I threw caution to the wind and berated the middle aged pastor for supporting the fascistas. Indeed, I saw fear in the eyes of the people that heard my rebuke. They know that they aren’t on the side of ethics, much less Christ.
San Pedro Sula’s central park is in miserable condition, but it was heartening to see ample grafitti defacing monuments and the sides of buildings–“Fuera Golpistas!”.
The popular classes are basically resigned to the fact they they lost. I was there during the holidays, so I think that the people focused their attention and energies on enjoying the season with families and friends.
I would hope that Zelaya and the popular classes make problems, and initiate some type of referendum on the constitution. Read in the news today that a prosecutor is going after some of the top military brass. Given that the two strongest political parties supported their actions, as well as the high court, they all should be charged with sedition.
As they say, good luck with that.
Anyway, I have many more observations and anecdotes that I might write up at a later date. This has been a rapid tour of many different cities; places that I had been before and are worth revisiting.
Happy New Year from Belize.
I hope you do write that up, it sounds amazing. Just watch your ass when yelling at the golpistas! They may be cowards, but even a coward can be armed.
I’m not surprised, either, about the Cuban doctor–sounds like he’s facing the same thing that prevailed in Venezuela. Just like you say, the locals there are all about the money, too. And of course, full of lies about the Cubans, like that they’re not “real” doctors, that the medicines they distribute are poison, etc. As though neglected hospitals where the poor are forced to pay for every bandage (or bring in their own) were representative of a “better” system! And of course, the fact that mortality rates have gone down in Venezuela since the Cubans came just speaks for itself. As do the shining new clinics that are going up all over the place, staffed by doctors who provide decent care, not wallet biopsies.
It would be nice to see the generals who ousted Zelaya charged, but unless Gorilletti goes with them, it won’t mean much. After all, someone was giving them the orders. There are times when I’m sorely tempted to lay a big fat whammy on some people so that Karma gets them even if human justice does not, and this is one of those times.