Eva Golinger makin’ things up = dog bites man

/ September 2, 2011

There are two topics I normally steer away from: Wikileaks, and Eva Golinger.

The former, because it is essentially a boatload of gossip, and people fascinated by it glibly ignore the fact that these are private documents (probably) illegally obtained. I generally have a hard time getting past the ick factor.

The latter I steer clear from because… well, where do I begin? Eva Golinger’s crazy rants simply bore me.

But I’m gonna break my rule just this once.

Today Golinger tweeted a link to a Wikileaks cable – dated 2005 – in which the Embassy discusses a meeting between Primero Justicia head Julio Borges and the US Ambassador at the time, William Brownfield.

The cable is blasé. Borges talks about the opposition’s lack of a strategy, and he outlines PJ’s plans to focus on the government’s failure at meeting expectations.

Borges and the Ambassador apparently discussed how the US government could help Venezuelan civil society by, among other things, building libraries, sponsoring English classes, and trying to bring back the Peace Corps. Pretty harmless stuff in the eyes of anyone not bat-shit insane.

What’s notable here is what the cable does not contain.

Borges didn’t ask the US government for money. There were no pleas for logistical help, or a visa, or a free trip to Washington, not even a cold Toddy. There is none of that. All Borges did was say “You know what? It would be nice if the Embassy taught poor people some English.”

It was a courtesy call that ended up being … just a courtesy call.

But Eva Golinger has never let facts get in the way of a good slander. In true chavista rabble-rousing fashion, she tweeted,

“Wikileaks: PrimeroJusticia pide ayuda d la EmbajadaUSA,Julio Borges pide q USA “fortalezca” la sociedad civil en Vzla” …

Never mind that the word “strengthen” does not appear in the cable. Never mind that what Borges did was “suggest” the US Embassy “help” improve Venezuelan civil society with … libraries, English classes, and the Peace Corps.

Golinger’s tweet twists (tweests?) the content of the cable to make it seem like Borges is asking the US Government for help for Venezuela’s opposition.

I am tempted to say Golinger is grasping at straws here, but there aren’t even any straws for her to grasp. As per usual, the “bride of the Revolution” is full of hot air.

(Major HT: Setty)

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57 thoughts on “Eva Golinger makin’ things up = dog bites man”

  1. Yep. And another thing I notice: Chavistas are really really really afraid of the word “civil”.
    They love the combined word “cívico-militar”. But civil? The horror, the horror!

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    • Have you heard? Socialist economies are called a Command Economy. And thus society. I suppose that appeals to the authoritarian mentalities churned out by military academies in most of Latin America, who look down on civilians as unable to manage their own business. That from not-the-brightest of State employees, who regularly abuse their power and sometimes betray their own charter.

      This, the military as a nursery for future dictators has to end. Or else the military itself has to end.

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    • And, no doubt, Charles Manson had his reasons for committing mass murder. If “having reasons” is excuse enough to commit murder, or any other crime, then no one could ever be held accountable for their actions, and human civilization would cease to exist.

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    • Yeah, Hitler and Stalin also had their own reasons to get rid of millions. Would you object if we in the opposition hunt down all chavistas for our own reasons when this nightmare is over, Eva? I mean, we DO have our own reasons.

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    • JS,

      Choker necklaces were see a lot in Victorian times when it was the fashion to wear a ribbon around the neck. During the worst excesses of the French Revolution, young ladies in England had the fashion of wearing red ribbons around their throats as a symbol of those who had perished at the guillotine — perhaps the earliest use of ribbons as a gesture of sympathy and solidarity with a class of victims.

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      • That’s an old picture of hers. Presumably, her fashion has moved on, even though her ideas and tactics have not.

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    • she doesn’t sing badly. but the act is so dreadfully self-serving and sexually confused. She really has pathological need to be the centre of attention. Fastest way was to have hitched her wagon to the chavista star. Which is precisely what happened.

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  6. Hermanos Venezolanos y chilenitos:

    El presidente de Venezuela es uno de los hombres que más ha hecho por la salud y educación de su pueblo; como son temas en los que mayor experiencia ha acumulado la Revolución cubana, gustosamente colaboramos al máximo en ambos campos con este hermano país.

    No se trata en absoluto de que ese país careciera de médicos, por el contrario, los poseía en abundancia e incluso entre ellos profesionales de calidad, como en otros países de América

    Latina. Se trata de una cuestión social. Los mejores médicos y los más sofisticados equipos podrían estar, como en todos los países capitalistas, al servicio de la medicina privada. A veces ni siquiera eso, porque en el capitalismo subdesarrollado, como el que existía en Venezuela, la clase rica contaba con medios suficientes para acudir a los mejores hospitales de Estados Unidos o Europa, algo que era y es habitual sin que nadie pueda negarlo.

    Peor aún, Estados Unidos y Europa se han caracterizado por seducir a los mejores especialistas de cualquier país explotado del Tercer Mundo para que abandonen su patria y emigren a las sociedades de consumo. Formar médicos para ese mundo en los países desarrollados implica fabulosas sumas que millones de familias pobres de América Latina y el Caribe, no podrían pagar nunca. En Cuba sucedía eso hasta que la Revolución aceptó el reto, no solo de formar médicos capaces de servir a nuestro país, sino a otros pueblos de América Latina, el Caribe o del mundo.

    Jamás hemos arrebatado las inteligencias a otros pueblos. En cambio en Cuba se han formado gratuitamente decenas de miles de médicos y otros profesionales de alto nivel para devolverlos a sus propios países.

    Gracias a sus profundas revoluciones bolivarianas y martianas, Venezuela y Cuba son países donde la salud y la educación se han desarrollado extraordinariamente. Todos los ciudadanos tienen derecho real a recibir gratuitamente educación general y formación profesional, algo que Estados Unidos no ha podido ni podrá garantizar a todos sus habitantes. Lo real es que el gobierno de ese país invierte cada año un millón de millones de dólares en su aparato militar y sus aventuras bélicas. Es además el mayor exportador de armas e instrumentos de muerte y el mayor mercado de drogas del mundo. Debido a ese tráfico, decenas de miles de latinoamericanos pierden la vida cada año.

    Es algo tan real y tan conocido, que hace más de 50 años, un Presidente de origen militar denunció, con tono amargo, el poder decisivo acumulado por el complejo militar industrial en ese país.

    Estas palabras estarían de más si no mediara la odiosa y repugnante campaña desatada por los medios de difusión masiva de la oligarquía venezolana, al servicio de ese imperio, utilizando las dificultades de salud que atraviesa el Presidente bolivariano. A este nos une una estrecha e indestructible amistad, surgida desde que visitó por primera vez nuestra patria, el 13 de diciembre de 1994.

    A algunos les extrañó la coincidencia de su visita a Cuba con la necesidad de atención médica que se produjo. El Presidente venezolano visitó a nuestro país con el mismo objetivo que lo llevó a Brasil y Ecuador. No traía intención alguna de recibir servicios médicos en nuestra patria.

    Como se conoce un grupo de especialistas cubanos de la salud prestan, desde hace años, sus servicios al Presidente venezolano, que fiel a sus principios bolivarianos, jamás vio en ellos extranjeros indeseables, sino hijos de la gran Patria Latinoamericana por la cual luchó el Libertador hasta el último aliento de su vida.

    El primer contingente de médicos cubanos partió hacia Venezuela cuando se produjo la tragedia en el estado de Vargas, que costó miles de vidas a ese noble pueblo. Esta acción de solidaridad no era nueva, constituía una tradición arraigada en nuestra patria desde los primeros años de la Revolución; desde que hace casi medio siglo médicos cubanos fueron enviados a la recién independizada Argelia. Esa tradición se profundizó a medida que la Revolución cubana, en medio de un cruel bloqueo, formaba médicos internacionalistas. Países como Perú, la Nicaragua de Somoza y otros del hemisferio y el Tercer Mundo, sufrieron tragedias por terremotos u otras causas que requirieron la solidaridad de Cuba. Así nuestra patria se convirtió en la nación del mundo con más alto índice de médicos y personal especializado en salud, con elevados niveles de experiencia y capacidad profesional.

    El Presidente Chávez se esmeró en la atención de nuestro personal de salud. Así nació y se desarrolló el vínculo de confianza y amistad entre él y los médicos cubanos que fueron siempre muy sensibles al trato del líder venezolano, el cual por su parte, fue capaz de crear miles de centros de salud y dotarlos de los equipos necesarios para prestar servicios gratuitos a todos los venezolanos. Ningún gobierno del mundo hizo tanto, en tan breve tiempo, por la salud de su pueblo.

    Un elevado porcentaje de personal cubano de la salud prestó servicios en Venezuela y muchos de ellos actuaron además como docentes en determinadas materias impartidas para la formación de más de 20 mil jóvenes venezolanos que comienzan a graduarse como médicos. Muchos de ellos comenzaron sus estudios en nuestro propio país. Los médicos internacionalistas integrantes del Batallón 51, graduados en la Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina, han ganado un sólido prestigio en el cumplimiento de complejas y difíciles misiones. Sobre esas bases se desarrollaron mis relaciones en ese campo con el presidente Hugo Chávez.

    Debo añadir que a lo largo de más de doce años desde el 2 de febrero del año 1999, el Presidente y líder de la Revolución venezolana no ha descansado un solo día, y en eso ocupa un lugar único en la historia de este hemisferio. Todas sus energías, las ha consagrado a la Revolución.

    Podría afirmarse que por cada hora extra que Chávez dedica a su trabajo, un Presidente de Estados Unidos, descansa dos.

    Era difícil, casi imposible, que su salud no sufriera algún quebranto y eso sucedió en los últimos meses.

    Persona habituada a los rigores de la vida militar, soportaba estoicamente los dolores y molestias que con frecuencia creciente lo afectaban. Dadas las relaciones de amistad desarrolladas y los intercambios constantes entre Cuba y Venezuela, sumado a mi experiencia personal con relación a la salud, que viví desde la proclama del 30 de julio del año 2006, no es raro que me percatara de la necesidad de un chequeo riguroso de la salud del Presidente. Es demasiado generoso de su parte, atribuirme algún mérito especial en este asunto.

    Admito, desde luego, que no fue fácil la tarea que me impuse. No era para mí difícil percatarme de que su salud no andaba bien. Habían transcurrido 7 meses desde que se realizó su última visita a Cuba. El equipo médico dedicado a la atención de su salud me había rogado que hiciera esa gestión. Desde el primer momento la actitud del Presidente era informar al pueblo, con absoluta claridad, su estado de salud. Por ello, estando a punto ya de regresar, a través de su Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, informó al pueblo sobre su salud hasta ese instante y prometió mantenerlo detalladamente informado.

    Cada cura iba acompañada por rigurosos análisis celulares y de laboratorio, que en tales circunstancias se realizan.

    Uno de los exámenes, varios días posteriores a la primera intervención, arrojó resultados que determinaron una medida quirúrgica más radical y el tratamiento especial del paciente.

    En su digno mensaje del 30 de junio, el Presidente notablemente recuperado habla de su estado de salud con toda claridad.

    Admito que para mí no fue fácil la tarea de informar al amigo de la nueva situación. Pude apreciar la dignidad con que recibió la noticia que -para él con tantas tareas importantes que llevaba en la mente, entre ellas el acto conmemorativo del Bicentenario y la formalización del acuerdo sobre la unidad de América Latina y el Caribe- mucho más que los sufrimientos físicos que implicaba una cirugía radical, significa una prueba que como expresó la hizo comparar con los momentos duros que le tocó enfrentar en su vida de combatiente indoblegable.

    Junto a él, el equipo de personas que lo atienden y que él calificó de sublimes, han librado la magnífica batalla de la que he sido testigo.

    Sin vacilación afirmo que los resultados son impresionantes y que el paciente ha librado una batalla decisiva que lo conducirá y con él a Venezuela, a una gran victoria.

    Hay que hacer que su alegato se comunique al pie de la letra en todas las lenguas, pero sobre todo que sea traducido y subtitulado al inglés, un idioma que pueda entenderse, en esta Torre de Babel en que el imperialismo ha convertido al mundo.

    Ahora los enemigos externos e internos de Hugo Chávez están a merced de sus palabras y sus iniciativas. Habrá sin dudas sorpresas para ellos. Brindémosle el más firme apoyo y confianza. Las mentiras del imperio y la traición de los vendepatrias serán derrotadas. Hoy hay millones de venezolanos combativos y conscientes, que la oligarquía y el imperio no podrán volver a someter jamás.

    fcr@citmatel.cu

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  7. “12. (C) Separately, the local media reported that Golinger\’s
    Caracas apartment was broken into while she gave a televised
    interview. The opposition-oriented daily \”Tal Cual\” reported
    August 14, however, that Golinger fabricated the story to
    garner public sympathy. According to the daily, residents in
    Golinger\’s building denied that such burglary occurred. ” Jeez…

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  8. “In response to Borges’s suggestion that the
    USG help build political institutions and civil society, the
    Ambassador said the Embassy was considering sponsoring
    English language classes, bringing back the Peace Corps (in
    the event of GOV approval), and establishing libraries,
    especially in poor areas. ”

    From the above we see that in RESPONSE to BORGES’S suggestion that “THE USG HELP BUILD POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS” the Ambassador said they were considering offering English classes and the Peace Corps.

    What exactly does “help[ing] build political institutions” consist of (sure sounds like they wanted money or some other sort of resources from the USG) and why would you go to a foreign government and ask for it?

    Gollinger certainly is over the top with her non-sense but neither is this as completely benign as you assert in your post.

    The irony here is in spite of all the Venezuelan flags that get waved at rallies both sides are sell outs. Chavez to Fidel and the Cubans and much of the opposition to the US. Their disagreement is who they want to sell out to.

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    • Close, but no cigar. There is a huge leap between Borges suggesting help for “political institutions” and assuming, out of thin air, he was asking PJ for help. For all we know, Borges may have been asking for the USG to help the TSJ sort out its mess, or for continued assistance with the National Assembly, or the CNE. There was, after all, a working group of Venezuela-US congress-people back then. Besides, since when is the opposition a “political institution”? They are political parties, or political actors. Political institutions are all controlled by the government, unless they are state or local governments where the opposition may rule. Had Borges meant that, the cable would have said so.

      All this innuendo is just that, baseless innuendo – if Borges had asked for anything inappropriate, the cable would say it.

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      • In a Parliamentary system the opposition (at least its main party) is an institution. In the UK you have Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition (sometimes called the “Official Opposition”) the leader of the main opposition party and its Shadow Cabinet get government reporst, salary, staff and timely information on the status of the State fron its bureaucrats, just in case the parliamentary majority changes and, thus, the government changes. Moreover, the Civil Service must be privy to the opposition’s government plans, as they might be required to implement it at some point.

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        • Usually the ones getting salaries are the ones who have been elected to the Parliament…that is the case in Germany and most other EU countries…plus some money for parties according to elections. In Venezuela parties don’t get money from the state for votes (only PSUV gets state money because jefe es jefe), but the elected opposition gets salaries exactly in the same fashion as in Britain and continental Europe.

          Now, although Borges was just mentioning simple, very kosher things US Americans could do, I do think he should have abstained from meeting them. Mind: Venezuela needs another focus. The reason is simple: the history of heavy US intervention is not a myth and it is not good for PR (and I know: Lenin could only get into power because of the German gold).

          The time he spent at the embassy was time he should have spent, as national leader, in cities of more than 100 000 inhabitants and less than 1 million, where 70% of the population lives.

          As for Golinger: I agree she is in need.

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      • Agree that cable doesn’t say that PJ asked for direct help. But cable does show that ambassador’s motivations for starting english schools etc. is to explicitly undercut political support gov’t receives thru the missions, i.e. aid the political goals of the opposition.

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    • You’re seriously equating Borges’ visit to the US Embassy with Chavez’s subordination to the Castros? Fuck off, OW. You’ve learned nothing.

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    • OW

      Being a functioning member of the Global economy does not mean selling out to anyone.You are still stuck in the past when the world economy depended on the US.

      Are you saying that we have to keep Chavez and not vote for the opposition to avoid ” selling out”? So if we are not Cubans , then we are US lackeys?

      This is exactly the message Chavez wants us to believe….

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      • The way I see it: OW is a reformed chavista who’ll need a few more years to grow out of the lingo of the brainwashed collective. “Selling out” is one such phrase, bandied about among youthful revolutionary hopefuls in order to enforce loyalties “in the ‘hood'” and to reduce decimation of the ranks .

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        • syd, no, no, no. Don’t be fooled by OW. He still is pushing his agenda, now with a facade of reason just to get you to keep paying attention to him. He’s not getting cured of brainwashing; he is doing the brainwashing.

          —

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  9. Reminds me of a little “ditty” we used to sing about Maria Antonia to wit: “Eva Golinger es una mujer que esta loca de remate, y lava su pelo con agua oxigenada; Eva Golinger dejate de tonterias, metete en el Manicomio y se te quita esa mania.”

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  10. Eva and Maripili are the favourite women of the dictator. They have a secondary function of creating noise to distract the oppo crowd. They are (or were at some point) both attractive and opinionated. I think we all know what the primary function of these women is…ellas reciben lo suyo!

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    • @Virtok: I tend to agree. I am almost certain that Eva’s problem is not that she is bat-shit crazy, it is extravagant infatuation. And the problem here is that her feelings are not corresponded so this intensifies the feedback loop: more rejection triggers more denial which in turn, raises the bar on demonstrating loyalty to the object of her affections. A narcissist, which Hugo is, cannot return love as loving self is all-consuming.

      In other words, she needs professional help.

      My 2c worth of pop psychology… Back to my day job.

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  11. One wonders how many people will suffer because of “revelations” like this one. All the tin pot dictators of the world will be pouring over the unredacted memos looking for names of “traitors” and “US stooges” to kill or silence.

    Meanwhile, the few cases where one could even argue the US covered something up are forgotten and those who were killed, as in the case of the Iraqi family, remain dead and the likelyhood of such incidents in fact rises as the Taliban see the slaughter of families and women as standard operating procedure. Lets face it the only potential material result from the leaks will be a faster US withdrawal from Afghanistan… sorry for the rant.

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  12. Five women who were part of Col. Moammar Gaddafi’s elite team of female bodyguards say they were raped and abused by the now fugitive Libyan leader.

    The Sunday Times of Malta reports that the former bodyguards said Gaddafi and his sons raped and abused them and then discarded the women once the men became “bored” with them.
    *I wonder if Gaddaffi’s brother (Chavez) knows anything about this-or was involved?

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    • That would be an interesting way to treat someone who is armed and in charge of your protection. I am not saying this story is false, because I just don’t know either way. But, it makes little sense.

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  14. “The Venezuelan government needs new weapons to avoid the fate of the Gaddafi regime, President Hugo Chavez said in an interview last week with Russian business newspaper Kommersant” Question- are you going to sleep better with a few billion more of weapons from
    Russia? So- Chavez compares himself to Gaddafi? Well, they are “brothers” and have so
    much in common…

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  15. Eva Golinger is the most irrelevant, vicious and twisted person I have seen for a long time. And when time comes that Chavez will have to run away – which should not be too far from now, she will claim, that there is no problem with her, because in fact she was working for the US all the time. That to save her butt. She is a nothing, but she has found a good business selling crap to Chavez. She will no doubt sell the same crap to the US when time comes.

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