Thank you, Mr. Chávez

Katy says: I have many friends who left Venezuela in the early ’90s to study abroad, thanks to Fundayacucho’s loan programs. Some of these friends of mine stayed...

Katy says: I have many friends who left Venezuela in the early ’90s to study abroad, thanks to Fundayacucho’s loan programs. Some of these friends of mine stayed abroad, and some came back home. Some paid back their debts, some had their debts condoned, and some never even bothered to pay just like Fundayacucho never bothered to charge them. Some of their outstanding debts run in the thousands of dollars.

Most of these friends of mine went to private school and private university. Although they didn’t have the money for graduate studies abroad, they weren’t exactly middle class either.

Yesterday, President Chávez announced that Fundayacucho would no longer issue loans. From now on, it will only issue scholarships. He also announced that all outstanding debts would be pardoned. I believe his exact words were “the loans system is over, and whoever owed money does not owe anything anymore.” He said that this new system erradicates a mercantile vision of the program and implements a revolutionary vision – or something like that.

So, Mr. Chávez, on behalf of my well-to-do friends who benefit from this policy, I thank you.

PS.- They still won’t vote for you. Don’t take it personally.