In a future post I may recount the recent strange power grab in the Bolivarian Republic. The latest twist has been banning Henrique Capriles from running for office for the next 15 years.
Right now, I want to flag a worrying development. Short version: the Socialist Party is reorganizing the Unidades de Batalla Bolívar-Chávez (UBCH) from a giant GOTV-patronage operation into what really looks like a militia. Of course, the Bolivarian Republic already has a militia, albeit with minimal training. These new additions also look to have minimal training.
One might think that the government is preparing for a military coup or (more likely) preparing a force that it thinks will be easier to use against opponents. I suspect neither. I suspect that elements inside the party are preparing for a breakdown of order and trying to insure that they will control networks to distribute aid to their followers when that happens.
Which might be scarier than the other two possibilities.
I was reminded this past weekend that after the removal of Noriega, US military forces worked to rebuild the decaying Panamanian infrastructure. I am now expecting the same dynamic to take place in Venezuela.
Posted by: JKR | April 12, 2017 at 07:23 AM