Iris, unfiltered

Iris Varela’s plan to deal with prison overcrowding by simply freeing 40% of the prison population is nice and all, but … aren’t judges supposed to be the ones...

Iris Varela’s plan to deal with prison overcrowding by simply freeing 40% of the prison population is nice and all, but … aren’t judges supposed to be the ones who decide who goes to jail and who doesn’t?

Not a problem, says the new minister for prisons:

“If a judge gets in my way, I’ll ask the head of the Supreme Tribunal to fire them…”

No sweat!

There’s something refreshing about the way Iris just blurts this stuff out, unfiltered. We know – it’s now beyond obvious – that this is how chavistas in general think: the separation of powers is bourgeois phantasmagoria. There’s no need to tangle yourself up in knots about it when a quick call to the TSJ will get the job done.

Iris, though, stands virtually alone in refusing to even pretend she thinks something else.

This, on the other hand, I have zero respect for. Solid institutions? Who the hell is he kidding?

Hats off, Iris. At least you’re not pretending.