In Venezuela, even the Virgin Mary plays politics
<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, April 27, 2003 By: Elio Cequea
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2003 18:23:53 -0500 From: Elio Cequea feico57@aol.com To: Editor@VHeadline.com Subject: Venezuela's social-political past, present
Dear Editor: It is impossible to try to analyze and search for a solution to the social and political problems in Venezuela without considering our history, both early and contemporary. If we take the time to look back and to meditate about some of the most relevant events in our past as a nation, it is not hard to identify what might be wrong with our society. What have brought us to where we are?
There is a picture that comes to my mind ... regardless of nationality, we all have seen it.
It shows Christopher Columbus arriving to our land ... he is shown with a cross, weapons and, more importantly, authority.
Authority? Yes, right from the moment he arrived! The picture shows our earliest inhabitants humbly on their knees while Columbus is standing up, arrogant, self-righteous, stuck-up, superior...
This picture ingenuously describes the way our country has been organized, socially and politically, since that event of October 12, 1492 ... it has all the ingredients that characterize Venezuela.
To put it in simple words, we have the ignorant, uneducated and poor ones bowing to the cognizant, educated and wealthier ones. Right from the discovery of America, our status quo was set up forever, to never be changed.
The descendants of Columbus, of De Triana and of the Pinzons were since then destined to be on the PDVSA board of directors.
The descendants of "other people" in that picture ... on the other hand ... their fate was to be the "chusma" (rabble) that lives now on the hills of Caracas ... they were also called to be part of the "chavista" hordes that the Venezuelan newspapers talk about.
To emphasize a little our historical "luck" on Columbus first trip, historians indicate that a reward of a pension of 10,000 maravedis per year (a seaman could earn about 12,000 maravedis per year) was to go to the person who saw land first. That person was Rodrigo de Triana ... history books point out that our friend Columbus pocketed the money himself, claiming that he had seen several lights the night before ... this is can be recorded as the first known case of corruption in our history.
Going back to our "picture," the presence and influence in it of the Roman Catholic Church cannot be ignored. It has been with us since our beginnings, with all its virtues and many faults. There are crosses all over that painting.
Queen Isabella "the Catholic" sponsored the first Columbus voyage. Furthermore, Pope Alexander VI (himself a Spaniard) issued a papal decree (in May 1493) granting control to Spain of every island Columbus had discovered. This meant political control supported by and with the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church.
- Is it really surprising to anybody that the Roman Catholic Church authorities in Venezuela are against a government that has pushed them aside after 500 years of "partnership"?
The influence of "The Church" in our society is enormous, and not necessarily all positive. This influence has been promoted and based mostly on the ignorance of our people. There was and advertisement published on April 25 in El Nacional that reads "The moment to rebuild Venezuela in peace has arrived. Our Mother, Mary of Coromoto is asking for it."
In our country, even the Virgin Mary plays politics ... and she is also against the government!
According to historic accounts, the Virgin of Coromoto first appeared to a Venezuelan tribesman back in 1651 ... she is considered to be the Patron Saint of Venezuela, whatever that means.
With all due respect, why do these "virgins" appear only to poor and underprivileged people? It is the same thing for the Virgins Fatima of Portugal and Guadalupe of Mexico.
There's one exception though ... there's one Virgin that appeared in Venezuela in the land of the rich and the privileged not too long ago: the Virgin of Plaza Altamira.
On this one, I will keep my comments to myself.
We as a nation cannot keep ignoring our beginnings, and at the same time try to understand our social and political problems. Much less, how can we even try to find a solution! No way.
The direction of our history turned 180 degrees in 1999 ... the "chusma" won political power (democratically!) and the descendants of Columbus and De Triana have now stopped believing in democracy.
"It must be communism", cries The Church ... the upper class ponders "It cannot be possible that these people want that guy as President ... they don't know what they are doing ... they must be doing it out of their own ignorance."
Before even trying to talk politics, let's all stop the hypocrisy and the prejudice: Pedro Carmona Estanga was a dictator for two days ... it was a coup d'etat!
After assuming the position as Head of State, Carmona read that now famous First Decree canceling all public powers. Everybody within the opposition considers that it was a stupid mistake. Nevertheless, the same people say that he, poor guy, was tricked into reading something that he did not even write. They also think that he had "good intentions" and, that he is a bright individual.
We are so sympathetic and understanding of him ... with Hugo Chavez, on the other hand, it is different to say the least. Some people can't even stand his tone of voice, and their blood pressure increases just by listening to him.
There's a simple but true explanation for the difference in attitude towards each of them. One of them comes from a "good family." The other one doesn't.
The definition of "good family" is engraved in our soul since that day of October 12, 1492, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Roman Catholic Church.
Elio Cequea feico57@aol.com
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