The pic refers to the Stasi, the East German Secret Service. When its archives were opened, it was revealed that its feared torture chambers never existed and mostly collected information about anything remotely connected to what a loyal German policeman could imagine as a threat to the State. The SEBIN, for example, appears to have made nationwide enquiries about Israeli trade union people. The "territorial detective chiefs" report their investigations and conclusions that did not find any activity linked with the Histadrut. I know that the Histadrut has an international relations department and there is interchange of "sindicalistas". There is nothing secret about that and they are very careful to be non-political. There must be extensive files on them in the SEBIN, or may be not, because they didnt seem very efficient. Then, there is an item on the Israeli Embassador's ceremony of the anniversary of the Kristallnacht. Probably the police made a list and filed a report on the event. Tomorrow, in the policial mind, this thing could end in arrest and torture or inclusion in some imaginary anti-Venezuelan conspiracy. That is how secret police's mind operates all over the world.
On the other hand, should a pro-Israeli government succeed Hugo Chavez, the "marked" persons will become something of "certified supporters" of the new regime. The pity is that like in the Nazi and the Soviet regimes, the overwhelming majority of the Jews in these files has no idea that they are of interest to the secret police, and have no political or conspirational inclinations, they only want to live their private lives in peace. But being a Jew is enough to be suspect in Venezuela and may be in the rest of the world too.
8 comments:
As you say, collecting information about "suspicious" groups is just what police everywhere do. But the choice of targets is telling.
I have the feeling that Chavismo will not survive Chavez. Maybe if he had had another couple of decades to completely destroy the opposition as in Cuba, he could have institutionalized the revolution, but he wasn't around long enough to completely destroy Venezuela's civil society. Of course Chavismo won't disappear without a fight so things may be messy for a while.
K
Chavismo is based on the caudillo. The leader gone, the structure collapses. Having those police files may turn out to be an advantage. This things happened in Germany too.And the USA, see Kerry the ex Vietnam oppositor.
Nonsense.
They are just trying to locate a Dr who can fix him up.
Anon.
Chavez is gone gone gone. Not that being terminally ill or dead will interrupt his presidency. He was elected and will continue till he steps down.
The case reminds me of President Nixon ordering to draw up lists of Jews in the civil service.
I am in Latin America right now and it is whispered that Chavez might already be dead.
Not that that's a reason to step down, or anything, it's just an inconvenience.
Anon.
I am in Latin America right now and it is whispered that Chavez might already be dead.
Not that that's a reason to step down, or anything, it's just an inconvenience.
Anon.
Fidel has been dead for years and it doesn't seem to have hurt him.
K
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