WHAT IS HAPPENING IN VENEZUELA AND WHY?

What is happening in Venezuela and why?

For those who have never being in Venezuela before Hugo Chavez and Maduro regime, it can be very confusing. In Peru we get the version of the occidental press, commandeer by the United States (call it UPI, AP. CNN, Fox News, French Press Routers and so on).

I´ve been in Venezuela (mostly Caracas, I must say) more times that I can remember. There in a Peruvian word that has no translation to any language. Even to Spanish (if you are not Peruvian) is difficult to explain. “Huachafería” is the peruanisim (local of Peru).

I will try to explain: Pretending to be what you are not. Showing you have money, talking about important people as if they were your friends, and you don´t even know them, dress as a king, have an expensive car, never miss an art opening and live in the slums and have your children in lousy cheap school, insert French or English words in you conversation, writing this, of course, is a “huachafería” and reading it, is even more so. So there you are.

There are all kinds of "huachafos". Those who are so, all the time (like our ex-president Toledo and worse his wife who is Belgium), those who are so, sometimes (like our Novel Price Winner Mario Vargas Llosa) and those (like me) that say “vernissage” to an art opening.

BACK TO VENEZUELA:

Well. I have never seen so many "huachafos", like the ones I see in upper class cocktails (there you have another one) in Caracas, before Hugo Chávez of course. I am sure there is a new lineage (how did you like “lineage”?) of militaries and chavistas, but I don´t get invited to their social gatherings.

I have been to several parties, before Chávez and have never seen (not even in NYC, London or Paris) such display of jewelry, both in men and in women. Diamonds the size of a box chocolate, cufflinks, tie holders, watches, rings and any thing you can imaging.

In the opening of a fancy store of dresses for wealthy venezolanas I took a few pictures. My camera lens, that is usually very clean, had a smash (greasy lens filter) that acted as a difusor, and the jewelry in all the pictures were like watching stars with wet glasses.

I was a guest and there were many photographers send by different newspapers an magazines. I approached them to talk to my colleges. The lady that had invited me, walk to where I was and said: “Come, there are some people I will like you to meet”. As we were walking away she said: “Why are you talking to ´those´ people, they are servants”. Now, that is “huachafería”.

No wonder things are as bad as they are now. All my wealthy friends are in Miami now, and the middle class juniors are rioting on the streets. Wrong or right, since I remember, there has never been class integration in Venezuela, like the gentle communications between Bolivians, Peruvians and Ecuadorians with race or different education. If you think I am wrong you can write immediately below this note or write to jseoane@metroperu.com

Jorge Enrique Seoane Morla

Metro Press & Photo SAC