Duel in Miraflores

Recent events have mortified the regime. A political phenomenon known as Henrique Capriles Radonski has transformed into a veritable tsunami that has been sweeping the nation and giving it optimism with such vitality that every one of his marches through the country's streets have turned into energetic, crowded events. In less than a week, he has walked through 15 states, with joyous mobs overflowing in his footsteps. He carries on his shoulders the hopes of millions of Venezuelans, who are tired of the ominous administration that Hugo Chávez embodies. His stagnant rival has become an individual who has to make a tremendous effort to compete with him from the confines of his palace. Paradoxically, he thinks himself to be the master of everything but is in reality a prisoner condemned by his own ambition. Not to mention that his weakness exposes the aftermath of a worn, boring, and tedious message that no longer captivates even his most devoted followers.

The fervor behind Capriles is the antithesis of the drama facing the current government. They are like giant human rivers that flow behind him. The enthusiastic nation understands that Henrique Capriles represents a leap towards modernity and progress. It means to leave behind the hatred that consumed the nation and hijacked the dreams of Venezuelans. It has been 14 years of hearing the same stories and suffering from the scourge of feeling stolen from and stripped of your illusions of hope. The situation in Venezuela is full of pain. Our suffering originates in the martyrdom we are forced to live in under the rigor of these rascals. They are like a cancer that fills healthy organs with liquids of terrible influence. This government has assumed the role of stripping its citizens of possibilities. They have unabashedly seized power and resources to perpetuate on the throne of Miraflores.

They look with contempt at everything that has happened deep in Venezuela. They believe that they still have a tight grasp of control and that they have made the emergence of a feasible alternative to Chávez impossible. However, the different sectors of national public life have spoken up and unified, making it possible to crystallize this dream. The election of the opposition candidate in a beautifully unified process, in which more than three million Venezuelans participated, was a preamble to the historic feat that will end with an unprecedented victory.

Every one of Capriles' moves makes the nights at Miraflores seem more and more like a funeral. A friend of mine who works at the presidential palace of Miraflores told me the acts of Valencia and Barquisimeto multiplied the amount of calls and scolding going on in there. I've been told that the mayors of both cities were verbally attacked by (Vice-President) Elías Jaua for undermining the government's efforts. They say that the president goes to bed upset, complaining that his officers are too lenient with the factors supporting the leader of progress.

The force that is behind Henrique Capriles is unstoppable. This Bolívar will continue to lie in bed with a rage that does not fit in his body. President: pull yourself together. In such a terrible state as a cancer patient, you must remain calm. Take a deep breath and drink some chamomile tea. That will relax you a bit and let you sleep. We just cannot do anything to guarantee you a change in the political scene.

Translated by Alejandro Osio