Politics

A Travesty of Incoherence

Some political leaders revealed themselves before the nation. Four elected opposition governors caved in to the ANC yesterday, making everyone with common sense, a memory, and the ability to feel shame, look foolish.

Anabella Abadi M.

Yesterday, the four elected governors from Henry Ramos Allup’s Acción Democrática (AD) did exactly what they said they wouldn’t do, when they swore their oaths of office before the National Constituent Assembly (ANC). The one that Henry Ramos Allup, along with every other opposition leader, repeatedly dismissed as illegitimate and unconstitutional.

The law states that the elected governors have to be sworn in by their respective regional legislative councils, while the ANC had stated that they would swear in the elected governors themselves.

Let me recap this for you:

First, the opposition said that regional elections were a trap to validate the ANC; then they said that signing up for elections wasn’t the same as running; then they said that running didn’t mean swearing in front of the ANC.

But at least Juan Pablo Guanipa, the Primero Justicia (PJ) governor-elect in Zulia, didn’t cave in.

He was then received as a hero when he returned to Maracaibo.

Political leaders like Freddy Guevara, Liborio Guarulla, Omar Barboza, Julio Borges, Henrique Capriles Radonski and Miguel Pizarro, celebrated Guanipa’s decision.

And PJ’s statement supports Guanipa’s “personal decision,” adding that “when we’re talking about our homeland, pragmatism and convenience are not real options.”

Now, you know what I don’t understand? If the oppo candidates ran for these elections under the premise of not recognizing the “powers” of ANC, why did it become a personal option later? Henry Ramos claimed many times that elected governors don’t have to swear in to the ANC, but Hank, former friend of mine and of the whole country, do you really expect us to believe that something happens in AD without your knowledge and approval?

https://twitter.com/ANC_ve/status/922577447836667905

According to Juan Pablo Guanipa, Ramos Allup even tried to convince him to swear in to the ANC. That’s pretty twisted, if you ask me. I really want to quote Game of Thrones and yell “Shame! Shame! Shame!”

As for AD’s four elected governors, Ramón Guevara, from Mérida, didn’t have much to say.

Alfredo Javier Díaz, governor of Nueva Esparta, retweeted what has become a reptilian excuse (“el pueblo” sworn him in).

Alberto Barrera Sira, elected governor of Anzoátegui, tweeted:

And… Laidy Gómez, elected governor of Táchira, tweeted a letter from the president of the regional legislative council, claiming she had to be sworn in by the ANC. Later, she added:

Twitterzuela had, of course, a long litany of adjectives for the foursome, being “traitor” the most popular.

María Corina Machado sees the show as nauseating, and she’s not alone.

In a press release, Voluntad Popular claims to have asked Henry Ramos Allup to publicly distance AD from the despicable act, and expel the elected governors from the organization. El Nacional then reported that AD agreed, though Capriles Radonski claims it’s a sham.

In case you’re wondering what the fuss is about, it’s close to impossible to claim the illegitimacy of the ANC, abroad and domestically, if you dance to the tune it plays. If you go about saying that “elected governors should swear in because it’s the will of the voters,” you mock yourself and the people who supported you, assuming you had a backbone and you would reject the ANC.

Guys: you weren’t elected because of your grandiose personal charisma. You were elected because your brand of comandante eterno left us with no choice, deciding to run in the elections, even suggesting to brand everyone who abstained, so “we would know who the traitors are.”

The saddest part? Mere hours after the travesty, Maduro named “protectors” (parallel governors) for each of the four opposition states. Yes, they deserve to feel as stupid as we feel betrayed.

Truth be told, you all had it coming.

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