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
