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As you know, I live in Venezuela. You are about to read the possible consequences of an armed conflict with our neighboring Colombia. Most of these consequences of a Colombian war are to be expected. However, there’s a peculiar situation down here I’ve never seen before – a regular army cooperating with irregular forces. This has never happened in South America before, as far as I know.
I will avoid quoting names for safety reasons, as these people are so widely known that you should be aware of who they are without my placing myself at risk. Some of these people are now prey for anyone looking for a few million dollars reward.
It’s not like Venezuelan forces are waiting to go on a pillaging spree.
Far from that. Many of them are decent young men.
I am a hardcore pacifist. I have seen the consequences of war without even having been involved in one. I know how gunpowder smells, and I recognize the blood-freezing sound of dozens of FALs chambering a round simultaneously, while you are nearby and unarmed.
I saw the fear in mothers’ eyes as they hugged their children and ran to their apartments back in the Caracas in 1992 when Hugo’s infamous coup d’etat took place. I witnessed airplanes shooting missiles at Miraflores, the government palace, from the apartment windows where I had a rented room.
I talked to a couple of soldiers who would become college students after participating as non-volunteers in the coup – forced by the communist agents to grab the weapon and get on board the troop transports. They chose to go to University instead of insisting on pursuing a military career after discharging without benefits because of their involvement in the coup. Quite a wise choice, as the political polarization of our armed force became a reality, and they are practically the (armed) custody of the “Socialist” Party. Old news.
During the democratic era, military personnel did not vote by law. They had custody of documents to audit the elections and keep the democracy machinery working. Nowadays, their only reason to exist is to defend the Party.
A few other (armed) groups were created: the equivalent of the TonTon Macoutes, and are foreign to our ruling Constitution. Do you think I am exaggerating? Not at all.
The Intl. Criminal Court designated and sent Venezuela a public prosecutor (an international general attorney), just for the record. There is a request for a trial because of the hundreds of civilians shot in the demonstrations since 2014. Whether this…