Excerpts of column "Runrunes" (Rumors) of Thursday, June 21

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TROPICAL LOUIS XIV OF FRANCE. President Hugo Chávez endorsed via enabling law granted for the fourth time a total of 54 laws, including 35 new laws and 19 amendments. Powers conferred by his servile sycophants encompass management of the Scientific, Criminal and Forensic Investigation Agency (Cicpc), posing a risk to justice. In this way, he lessens the rights of locales, sets whatever price he pleases to expropriations and keeps on cornering us in communes, such as those that already stole billions of bolivars, without no account at all. What is missing in the Constitution and was refused in the referendum of December 2, 2007 is stipulated in his socialist government proposal for 2013-2017. "L'État, c'est moi" (I am the State,) such laws cry out. Another king, Louis XV, would proclaim "Après moi le déluge" (After me, the flood). Chávez blends the two of them. He plays on making history, rather than the failure of his awkward 21st century socialism, because of the mess in the event of his disappearance.

FACTS. Things are getting worse for the government. While they still have plenty of cash in overseas bank accounts where the assumption of "public coffers/oil income/own petty cash/party petty cash/buddies' petty cash/middlemen's petty cash" has taken priority, dwindling revenues make them nervous. Falling contribution of state-run oil holding Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa) to social programs makes the difference. Aluminum maker CVG and its subsidiaries are bankrupt. The crack in electricity utility Edelca, which, until 2006, would apportion 33% of dividends, is bottomless, thanks to the performance of Rodolfo Sanz. Based on a report in the hands of the Ministry of Finance, Sanz is accused of agreeing with Francisco Illaramendi the one of the Ponzi scheme with Pdvsa funds- USD 10 million, giving notes without the endorsement of the Central Bank of Venezuela as security. In a nutshell, despite the illusion of the monk (Minister of Planning and Finance Jorge Giordani) and the statements filled with lies, the economic environment in the middle of inflation and shortage of goods is warming up.

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ANOTHER RED CAMPAIGN. A crusade is coming up on all media in government hands and compulsory spots imposed by the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) on independent media. It is called "The day after." It intends to shoo even from opposition rallies the recipients of whatever government gift, prerogative, or mission. The focus point is convincing them no matter wacky examples- that should opposition candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski win, right away, on the very October 8, he will deprive them of "all that President Commander has given you." Still another message is set to term the challenger as "against the homeland," "he, who gets ready to hand over the country to the gringo empire," and "he, who despises the poor." Another war is being prepared against US President Barack Obama and his government, based on their criticism of Venezuela-Iran partnership. Today's fear is the only rationale for so many messages and so much room in the media devoted to demeaning Capriles Radonski and the Unified Democratic Panel (MUD).

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@nelsonbocaranda

Translated by Conchita Delgado