Posted on 03/25/2006 6:06:30 PM PST by blam
'Sandalistas' flock for first-hand view of the Chavez revolution
By Sophie Arie in Caracas
(Filed: 26/03/2006)
Venezuela is overtaking Cuba as the inspirational holiday destination for Left-wing tourists, thanks to the socialist revolution of President Hugo Chavez.
Wooed by reports of his crusades against poverty, globalisation and American imperialism, groups of visitors, nicknamed the "Sandalistas", are flocking to admire his policies at first hand.
President Hugo Chavez
Among the progressive pilgrims who have come to marvel are the American civil rights leader, Jesse Jackson, the actor and United Nations "goodwill ambassador", Danny Glover, and Harry Belafonte, the Jamaican-American musician known as the king of calypso. Belafonte led a delegation to Caracas, the capital, in January, touring shanty towns before appearing on state television with Mr Chavez, chanting "Viva la revolución!"
At the same time, there is a growing crowd of students, academics and unreconstructed Marxists for whom a visit to Caracas offers an experience reminiscent of the jaunts peddled by Intourist, the Soviet-era travel agency.
Rather than relaxing in luxury hotels or trekking through the Andes, the most adventurous stay with families in the slums and take trips around shiny new health clinics, perhaps rounding off the day with an evening class in 21st century socialist theory.
"We have come to see the revolution. It is an experience of a lifetime," said Bjorn Hansen, 23, a political science student who has recently arrived with his girlfriend, Sitne Faerch, 24, from the Danish capital, Copenhagen.
They are staying in zero-star accommodation in Caracas's tough Jose Felix Rivas barrio (slum), a dangerous warren of hillside shacks where many carry guns. It enjoys neither running water nor electricity, but despite their privations, the young Danes are wide-eyed with admiration for the country.
"What hits me most coming here is how positive everyone is," said Mr Hansen. "There is still huge inequality - it's surprising as a human being to see that - but there is great optimism.
"We went to an evening class with all sorts of students, from 18 to 60. They were sitting there, voluntarily receiving education. And happy. You don't see that in Denmark or Britain, I think."
The couple improvised their own revolutionary itinerary by enrolling for a term of classes in Venezuelan socialism at the new Bolivarian University in Caracas. But many other tourists are signing up for government-organised package deals and "solidarity" holidays organised in the West.
Since President Chavez was elected with a landslide victory in 1998, Venezuela has become increasingly bold in its opposition to the United States, which it accuses of economically plundering Latin America. As the world's fifth largest oil exporter, it has taken advantage of the surge in oil prices to pump millions of dollars into social programmes and bankroll poorer Latin American countries with sympathetic regimes.
Since he survived a coup in 2002, which some claim was orchestrated by America, President Chavez has achieved worldwide cult status, sparring almost daily with the government of George W Bush, whom he described this week as a "drunkard" and a "coward murderer".
Inspired by the 19th century Latin American liberation fighter, Simon Bolivar, his aim is to lead a socialist revolution that will end the old political order in which white minorities of European origin have ruled and prospered over impoverished indigenous populations. Along with fellow travellers such as President Evo Morales of Bolivia, he aims to unite the region and give it economic and political independence from the rest of the world.
The US, however, is concerned that developments in Venezuela could destabilise the whole region. Critics of Mr Chavez both inside and outside the country claim that his government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and militarised, pointing to the huge civilian army that is being assembled to repel a supposedly imminent US attack. They also accuse him of buying votes by giving handouts to the poor, and of crushing dissent in the media.
Solidarity groups have sprung up in Britain, America, Germany and Australia, organising package tours and building close ties with the Venezuelan government.
Andrew Goodall, 42, a staff nurse at a Wolverhampton hospital who runs the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign in his spare time, said: "We started last year and most of our dates for this year are already fully booked."
The group organises seven-day "solidarity tours" taking in the main sites of the revolution, meetings with Venezuelan leaders and guided shanty town visits. With transatlantic flights, these cost between £1,200 and £1,400.
On the tours, officials lead groups of Western visitors through the pot-holed streets full of ragged children and stray dogs, showing them newly built health centres and literacy schools. Visitors can chat to teams of Cuban doctors providing free basic health care, treating everything from eye infections to rape victims. There are thought to be 20,000 Cuban medical workers in the country, flown from the Communist state in return for cheap Venezuelan oil.
"Most of our customers are individuals who have never been to Latin America," said Mr Goodall. "But we're getting lots of requests from trade unions wanting longer, tailor-made packages."
For those who cannot travel, Mr Goodall organises regular conference calls with leaders of the Venezuelan revolution in a Wolverhampton cinema.
Really? I didn't know there were adults being forced to get educations in Denmark and Britain.
Venezuela is overtaking Cuba as the inspirational holiday destination for Left-wing tourists.
Among the progressive pilgrims who have come to marvel...
Socialism has failed in over a hundred countries with hundreds of dictators. What makes these useful idiots think that Chavez can finally do socialism right?
I guess that's why they call them useful idiots.
Without Capitalistic money for oil...Chavez Socialism would sink.
Union thugs including the NEA?
Notice that they're just visiting, not immigrating.
"Among the progressive pilgrims who have come to marvel are the American civil rights leader, Jesse Jackson, the actor and United Nations "goodwill ambassador", Danny Glover, and Harry Belafonte, the Jamaican-American musician known as the king of calypso."
Quick! Lock the door!
Where are Jackson Browne and Little Stephen?
Oil money. Looks to me like he is squandering it around the world. He's handing out billions of dollars left and right.
...hahahahahahahahaha - just goes to show how truly stupid a lot of people are....
This is the new DEMOCRAT "Progressive" hope for humanity. Free everything for everybody,,,, and the miracle is... nobody has to pay for it by working. Just get that oil out of the ground and export the revolution!!!.
Large inequalities between rich and poor and a corrupt ruling class = Socialist bozo. You'd think that people would remember that from the 80's.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_violations_under_Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez
The stupidity never ends.
Our useful idiots worshipped (and many still do) at the shrines of Lenin, Stalin, Mao, et al.
You've got to say that these grotesque worshippers of those who would destroy them in turn flocked to the support of Danny Ortega and the Sandanistas in the 1980s. Jimmah himself went down and personally supervised the election that tossed the neocommies out into the street, leaving millions of fellow travellers feeling absolutely betrayed by the the common people. PJ O'Rourke wrote a brilliant piece on it.
Hugo isn't going to make the same mistake that Danny made - he's not going to put himself in a position where he can get booted out. But after a decade or so on top, he'll get fat and soft and corrupt to the point where the next Pol Pot wannabe leader of the local Shining Path guerilla group will off him and take over.
I say that we take the same tack as we did with Castro. Pay little attention and just keep him fenced off.
Shades of Cuba after Castro took over, everyone celebrated and thought things were going to be wonderful....
Perhaps Hugo could build a new Hollywood and all the loons could move to Venezuela - cheap gas for all their SUV's and private jets. What a deal.
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