Viva Venezuela!!

www.vheadline.com Posted: Tuesday, March 18, 2003 By: Oscar Heck

VHeadline.com commentarist Oscar Heck writes: Over the last 15 months or so ... more particularly in the last 4 months ... Venezuela has received a very negative press. Much of the negative press was propagated by the four privately-owned Venezuelan television stations (clearly anti-Chavez and pro-opposition) and by many newspapers, including several USA-based newspapers ... much in the form of editorials and commentaries, making it easier and more “acceptable” to propagate lies and manipulate news events.

I spent 3 months in Venezuela between mid-December 2002 and mid-March 2003, traveling throughout approximately half the country. The reason: I had been following the news about Venezuela from outside Venezuela, and realized that there was something odd with the way the news reports seemed to be more and more biased (anti-Chavez) from the time that the reformatory-type laws were being "approved" at the end of 2001. (I put “approved” in quotations because I have been getting very conflicting information as to how these laws ­ Ley Habilitante ­ came into existence).

The point I would like to make in this article is that Venezuela is as beautiful as ever, and as safe as it has always been. Venezuelans are who they have always been; a joyful, proud, hard-working and honorable people.

I traveled the country through what the opposition falsely labeled as a “national strike.” No problems ... only one bus delay from Caracas to Puerto La Cruz, because the bus could not leave during the time that opposition supporters blocked the highways. (For people who took taxis, many taxis doubled their fares during the time that there were fuel shortages).

No matter where I was, I found beer (although at up to triple the regular price) and cigarettes ... food was plentiful, although there were shortages of certain products for a while.

I met travelers from the Czech Republic, Zimbabwe, Canada, USA, Japan, England, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Holland. What people outside Venezuela were seeing and hearing about the situation in Venezuela was mostly focused around some of the major events happening in certain parts of Caracas (Prados Del Este, Chuao, Chacao, Altamira, etc.) and other major cities such as Maracaibo and Barquisimeto.

For the vast majority of Venezuelans, it was business as usual ... but with the inconveniences caused by pro-opposition people blocking of streets and highways, big marches on a weekly basis on weekdays, anti-Chavez alarmist propaganda on television instead of regular programming, scarcity of beer since the opposition shut down the beer manufacturers, scarcity at times of Harina PAN (the Venezuelan staple) for making bread. since the opposition also shut down the flour manufacturers, and of course, the gasoline lines … since the opposition also tried to shut down the petroleum industry.

Today, things are almost back to normal. Prices have also come back to near normal levels. (There had been a lot of hoarding going on during the stoppage.) There are almost no more gasoline queues.

The tourist industry was affected quite negatively … principally caused by the without-conscience spreading of lies from the opposition-backed media in Venezuela and abroad (See anti-Chavez Miami-based organizations) … scaring tourists away from Venezuela.

Damage has been done but it is not beyond repair. Venezuela still has:

• the highest waterfalls in the world, Angel Falls near Canaima

• the longest cable car in the world (about 11-12 km.), at Merida (The Andes)

• jungles, the Amazonas

• deserts, at Coro

• Caribbean island resorts, at Margarita, Los Roques and more

• astrological observatories that one can visit, near Merida

• Parque Del Este, in Caracas, where you can see 30ft. boas

• Los Llanos, (The Plains), where you can see boas and huge caimans and birds

You can easily travel throughout Venezuela ... the bus system is very good.

If you do not like to travel by bus, you can take a plane to almost any part of Venezuela and rates are affordable. The bus will cost you about US$20 for a 12-hour ride, and the plane about US$100 for the same trip ... about 1 hour.

Small hotels can be found in almost every town and village at very good rates, about $4-7 per night ... of course you can also rent at resorts for substantially more. You can eat a full meal for $2-4 in small local restaurants. Tours to the jungles, or to the central plains can cost you about $150-200 for a 4-day adventure from Merida depending on the number of people. A beer now costs about 32 cents, cigarettes about 90 cents a pack.

One needs not to worry about kidnappings. People who are kidnapped are generally well-known rich Venezuelans. About theft ... in the last three years I have been robbed only once … but I was where I shouldn’t have been ... on a deserted beach at least 2 kilometers away from the nearest village.

There are some precautions to take, as one would take traveling to any foreign country.

If you take taxis, take legitimate taxis (in Venezuela, white with yellow lines on side). Do not go out at night unless you are very familiar with the area, or are accompanied by people who are. Do not go to places where you will be isolated, unless you are in a large group. Make sure you always have about $30-40 equivalent in your pocket in the event that you do get robbed. Thieves, even armed ones, want money (cash) … so do not try to fight them.

Some hints: Once you arrive at a location, make friends with local people: taxi drivers, corner store owners, barbers, magazine stand owners, local “home” restaurant operators, etc. They're usually the ones that will advise you best on where to go and not to go ... what to do and what not to do. Treat them well and they'll treat you well.

There is so much to see and do in Venezuela.

It is my favorite country and hope that readers out there will consider visiting.

Enjoy!

Many will say that Venezuela is paradise on earth ... I believe it to be!

Viva Venezuela!

Oscar Heck oscarheck111@hotmail.com