First up, a little gloom-and-doom music from Globomojón:
Ha, ha, psych. Actually, that’s Ska-P, the Spanish anarchist ska-punk band. They used to think that Chavecito was just another “authoritarian socialist” — a complete contradiction in terms, of course, since real socialism makes authoritarians obsolete, and Chavecito’s policies, even those enacted by decree, were actually aimed at empowering those who have traditionally been powerless. Sound authoritarian to you? Well, when the guys came to Venezuela and saw what was really going on, they changed their tune, and this song was the result. The achievements shown in the pictures are just a few of the many, MANY good things that happened on Chavecito’s watch. Ska-P became huge fans of the Venezuelan leader, and spread the good word throughout Spain. And considering how the Eurocrisis-ridden Spaniards recently turned out in droves to mourn him, it’s safe to say a lot of them wish they had a leader like him.
Next up, some working-class heroes from Hamilton, Ontario…yes, un montón de canadienses:
This one’s about Chavecito’s time in Yare Prison, after his failed attempt to overthow the government of Carlos Andrés Pérez. While he was in prison, the social movements finally succeeded in getting CAP impeached for misuse of public monies, and Chavecito, always in communication with the outside world through his visitors, became a folk hero. When he emerged from the jailhouse, he crowd-surfed his way to a cross-country tour, where he met with countless people and social movements, who all came together to help elect him to the presidency in late 1998. The following year, he convened the Constituent Assembly that rewrote the Venezuelan constitution, and the streets erupted in celebration of the new, improved magna carta.
And then there’s this, from a US folkie whom you can’t truly call a gringo, because he doesn’t think or act like one:
Notice the banner behind him? This was shot in Copenhagen four years ago. ALBA is everywhere, you guys! That’s Chavecito’s baby. It’s bigger than Latin America by now. Talk about legacies! Chavecito brought change; now he IS the change. See what I meant when I said he’s now an immortal?
And speaking of immortal, here’s a song about souls. Chavecito was a llanero (native of the Great Plains of Venezuela), and this was one of his favorite folk songs:
And here’s an especially appropriate one from Alí Primera, the great Venezuelan folk singer, whom Chavecito often quoted (even breaking into his songs from time to time):
“Those who die for life’s sake cannot be called dead. From this moment on, mourning them is forbidden.” True indeed. And the dates of Chavecito’s life are given as “1954-forever”! Again with the theme of immortality.
And hot off the Internets, there’s this little rap number, which samples the above in its intro:
Didn’t take long, did it?
