Carlos Blanco's A Time to Talk, released on August 12

Truth and promiscuous lies     
The Navy Captain tells me Dolores is expecting me though "you got here too early, sir," he nags. Accordingly, one must get to these naval facilities rather early. In fact, the earlier the better. I sit near a pool that seems to extend out to the ocean further ahead. Blue skies, pink sand and small waves roaring like minute, yet dangerous beasts. Arriving an hour early to meet comrade Dolores leads to unexpected, sublime experiences, filled with balmy ocean sounds and, above all, the natural spectacle of an amber Valkyrie, now with the pink hues of a sassy brunette, rising from the waves with the brash attitude of someone heading valiantly and wholeheartedly into battle, ready to shine. When the foam finally evolves into a powerful woman, she goes into a military salute and rushes to meet me. Salt water flows like preventive holy water to cleanse away future sins.

She seems joyful, unlike her demeanor during our previous encounter. I spot the Admiral a few meters ahead. I had greeted him earlier, but I found that he disliked my presence. I cannot figure out whether this is due to ideological reasons or because of the attention paid by the comrade to me. It looks like Dolores wants to make all those fascinated by her presence jealous. She turns her back to us as she leaves the ocean that has embraced her and, lost in ecstasy, we manage to make out the robust scaffold holding her up until it is lost in her valleys.

-I wanted to do away with the sadness surrounding our last encounter and evaluate possible scenarios with you... At least one of your sectors got it wrong and put all of its quail eggs into the basket of Hugo's death and is now demoralized by that wager.

-You well know that many of us do not play that game, but it is a situation that any sort of analysis must take into account.


-Yes, but it is one thing to analyze the consequences of Hugo's illness, but it is something entirely different to bank on your own issue not the country's, by the way with his disappearance. Yes, he is sick, quite sick, but he is no longer afraid. He knows he could die at any time, but he has set out to accomplish a task that has moralized him like no other.

-I have no doubt that he has recovered or so it may partially seem, but he cannot go on the campaign trail, a stark contrast with Capriles, who is very strong I retort, feeling like I am stating the obvious.

-Do you think a young, athletic man taking part in informal races stirs more interest than a martyr devoted to a cause? You do not understand Venezuela; he smiles as he preaches and breaks formation as required.

DILMA VS. TIBISAY. In spite of the moderation I found in Capriles' address to the Armed Forces, I tell the comrade that a good source tells me that it went down quite well. In addition I say this because I know so there is a generational connection between the opposition candidate and captains, majors, commanders and colonels. With a succulent smile, she objects: there is no possible military action against the Highest Ranks of the Armed Forces. Without generals and admirals, there is no possible military action.

-History contradicts what you claim, I said.

-Not Isaías Medina, nor Pérez Jiménez, nor Carlos Andrés Pérez was willing to do physically away with those involved in insurrection. Instead, Rómulo Betancourt and Hugo Chávez do. That is why the former was not knocked off and the latter cannot be knocked off.

I charge again:  If Capriles wins, his victory will be known during the day, and you cannot react against the will of voters.

-You are wrong: We will win with votes, but if you are not 15 points up, you will not win, she says defiantly.

-No, you are the one who is wrong. With just one single vote more than you, the opposition wins, and the outcome must be respected...

-Whatever the Electoral Council says goes, she utters with a charming look on her face, hiding teeth tempted to bite her own lower lip.

-You cannot be overconfident. There are two Electoral Councils: One controlled by you and another one you will find this hard to believe, I say, hesitating to stir her interest embodied by Dilma Rouseff. If Dilma says Chávez lost and Capriles won, then Capriles won.      

The comrade seems engrossed, repeating under her breath, "Dilma... Dilma... "I assure her that Dilma is unlike Lula, an ill-tempered and ideological character. She separates herself from Chávez mainly, as she has stated, for "aesthetic and ethical reasons."  Whatever Dilma says will resound at a global level.

ELEUTHEROPHOBIA. At this stage, under the midday sun and struggling to thwart off my Brazilian attack, Dolores orders two Vodka Martinis. When she can manage to speak again, she points out what aspects of the opposition campaign she deems counterintuitive: "You are trapped by insoluble nonsense. To give reassurance, you say that you will do what Hugo is already doing; this poses two serious strategic issues." Since her attack is intended for me, she carries on: "If you are going to do what Hugo does, why is there a need for change? You say this to win over Chávez's supporters whom you offer... the same thing over again; Hugo is already giving them this even if he does not do so for squalid sectors." She adds: "The most serious issue is that many, even those opposing Chávez, fear a far more chaotic future without Hugo, one worse than the one involving all the restrictions under his government."

-You are fueled by fear. You can only resort to threats to gain loyalty, I blurt out like someone stating an irrefutable fact.

Dolores places her face close to mine, almost caressing me, and I could almost feel the marine aroma exuding from her body, and says: "The opposition only makes mistakes. There is fear from public-sector employees and beneficiaries of government projects with regards to voting. It is entirely unjustified because there is absolutely no way to know who votes for whom." She adds: "The most profound fear was spread by the opposition itself. The fear of what lies ahead. You have instilled that fear, without realizing it, the fear toward you guys. No one understands why you would want to change Hugo just so you can keep doing what he does. You hide your true intentions, and the country can feel it."

The Admiral appears on his all-terrain vehicle. As soon as she sees him, Dolores jumps up from her lounge chair she has been sunbathing in and is soon lost from sight amidst the pink sands, along with her peculiar companion, who is no longer devoted to naval strategies and now focuses on winning over someone whom he sees as the direct and secret connection with Hugo. I see Dolores, donning red, riding on that vehicle along with her Admiral, drift off. Both are mechanically meek.

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Translated by Félix Rojas Alva