Guys, how about a followup article? This is a translation of a second article from the
El Universal (Caracas) web site, which speaks to the rally yesterday, put up today at:
http://politica.eluniversal.com/2006/10/08/pol_art_28292.shtml
And as two preliminary "translator's notes," when Rosales talks about his "third knockout," he is referring to the progression of his political victories as Mayor of Maracaibo, Governor of Zulia, and now his candidacy for the presidency. And "Democratic Action," or AD, is a political party supporting Rosales.
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"We are going to score the third knockout!"
"We want neither more lies nor breadcrumbs which exceed the petroleum bounty"
ELVIA GÓMEZ
EL UNIVERSAL
It was not Maracaibo, but it was as if it had been, judging by the sun and the heat. For the unitary candidate of the opposition, Manuel Rosales, yesterday attempted to put forth his home region [i.e. the State of Zulia] as an example that yes it is possible to defeat Chavismo, and thus he harangued the thousands of demonstrators who attended his gathering.
"I have said to the people that we are here to win as we did in Zulia. This is going to be the third knockout which we are going to score in all Venezuela! This time it is going to be victory in all the country!"
The opposition mobilization showed that the voters prefer to do things in their own fashion, and thus do they situate themselves for the most part in those places [where they are] accustomed to being, as in the marches carried out between 2002 and 2004 in place of the points suggested by those who brought them together. Neither did the AD [i.e. "Democratic Action"] militants pay attention to the call from their leadership for their abstention [from those regular places] and they added themselves to the "Avalanche" exhibiting their party symbols.
Some things have changed. While a group of demonstrators advanced via Lecuna Avenue, to the height of Central Park, a solitary egg smashed harmlessly against a vehicle. There were no other aggressive acts. Neither were there brushes with the Metropolitan Police. And one civil employee, to whom one commented that the San Agustin march was not very crowded, declared immediately: "It's because there are four other marches."
There are two armies to take care of us
The preamble of the political event was brightened up by figures of the national theater such as the singer Kiara -- who sang the National Anthem -- Carolina Perpetuo and Nelson Bustamante.
A while later, accompanied by his wife, came the words of Rosales, who through 41 minutes spoke to a crowd which, on this occasion, was very much marked by the participation of the common people, to whom the bulk of his speech was directed.
The candidate confirmed the outlines of his government program, based on the Mi Negra debit card, as well as the promises of fighting against crime, in favor of school lunches, the funding of schoolbooks and equipment free for everyone.
He maintained his questioning of the "gift money chest" of Chavez -- to whom he referred as "the typical" -- and he guaranteed that when he is elected there will not be "one barrel more" donated abroad.
"It is necessary to leave behind all the stories the government invents," Rosales said, who once again stressed that it is "a Chinese fable" that they run the risk the 3rd of December of having a vote that is not secret.
"We will receive the people's victory vote by vote because these elections are going to be guarded, guaranteed by two armies: the army of the Venezuelan people and the National Armed Forces who are going to guarantee the respect of the popular will and the secret ballot. And on the night of the 3rd of December, when they announce my victory, when the experts sound off, that day I am going to decree the night of the great embrace of all Venezuelans (...) We are not going to permit persecution nor abuse, so that he who may have some invoice on the exchange has it broken or bounced, [or that] he who may have some vestige of hate, that he erases it."
Rosales warned against "triumphalism." "This is not the time of bending the knees, of staying at home in pijamas and slippers, it's the time of the struggle for victory." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am
very struck by the fact that Rosales is warning his followers against "triumphalism," which is telling them not to become overconfident. No matter how you may project the outcome of this election, Rosales and his followers are expecting to win. But I note with caution that Rosales finds it necessary to reassure everyone that their ballot will be secret. Voter intimidation by Chavez and his goons is still a part of this picture. The timing of these remarks suggests to me that perhaps voter intimidation is what we must watch out for in this campaign. I've made a note of that.
You see all these problems in other countries by other people who really do try and steal elections for power and you can see how they hate the USA which has for the most part been good in elections.
One thing the corrupt around the world have in their favor is Jimmy Carter.
He loves to certify that almost any criminal activity outside the USA is both fair and a sign of freedom.