Defeating Chavez is the only exit that will avoid degenerating to a national collapse

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News</a. Posted: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 By: Elio Cequea

Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 18:57:09 -0500 From: Elio Cequea Feico57@aol.com To: Editor@VHeadline.com Subject: The fight for Venezuelan's souls

Dear Editor: The fight for Venezuelan's souls is not the real fight. The real fight is for their votes and political support. The Catholic Church is one of the contenders.

The official declaration that resulted from the 30th Episcopal Assembly presents a good selection of words and statements typical of what we are reading on the newspapers these days. Monsignor Baltazar Porras declared referring to the actual political crisis, "We have to bet and force the electoral exit."

The following statements were in El Universal presented as part of the Episcopal Assembly declaration:

"An election is for the Catholic Church authorities the only exit that will avoid degenerating to a national collapse."

"This alternative will allow restating confidence, tranquility and, will reinforced the institutions and legitimacy."

"The Church demands respect to the rules of the game transparence for the electoral process."

"*The Bishops questioned the revolution, its constitutional base and its democratic legitimacy. Also demanded for an impartial and efficient CNE."

These statements have a purpose ... they are aimed to the deepest corners of the brains, not the souls, of the opposition's sympathizers and to anybody who wants to swallow that bait. It crates the false expectation that the referendum IS the solution for our political unrest. That "solution/exit" will be a reality only with the electoral defeat of Hugo Chavez Frias.

Defeating Chavez is consequently the "only exit that will avoid degenerating to a national collapse," as expressed by the clergy ... his defeat "will allow restating confidence, tranquility and it will reinforced the institutions and legitimacy."

They went as far as questioning the democratic legitimacy of the Venezuelan government. Their demands for a transparent electoral process suggest that a result contrary to the desires of the opposition will be unacceptable for lack of transparency. They already have a reason to keep their fight in the case they lose. So, how can this be considered a "solution" or "exit"?

The solution IS NOT the referendum itself but THE RESULT expected from it ... can the electoral result be forced as insinuated by Baltazar Porras?

This is extremely grave. Somebody might believe this and suffer (again!) a big disappointment. Remember what happened to "Gente de Petroleo." People losing their jobs is insignificant compared to the consequences of plunging sectors of our society into an electoral delirium. The anticipated results might not be there. A Chavez victory in the referendum ... and this is a realistic assumption whether some people like or not ... might degenerate in violent reactions from disappointed member of the civil society.

The deceiving, poisoned and flammable rhetoric of the opposition ... through The "Holy" Church in this case ... has proven to be effective in some sectors of the population.

Some Venezuelan believe, for example, that "El Firmazo" four millions signatures are half plus one of twelve million.

Elio Cequea Feico57@aol.com