Excerpts of column "Runrunes" (Rumors) of Tuesday, August 28

High

AMUAY. Too many questions arise in the light of the government arrogance. From the contradictions with regard to the time when the Commander was informed about the disaster to the claims of sabotage instead of an accidental gas leak, disseminated by the pencil pushers of public media. Orders have been given to revive the oil sabotage; some war games including Venezuelan refineries; an alleged plot of the US Empire to harm Venezuela; an expert in opinion polls, and a clairvoyant who anticipated the need for a serious event for the democratic candidate (challenger Henrique Capriles Radonski) to take the lead, as ascertained by some foreign blogs. From the outset,  both, the runaway (the president of state-run oil holding Petróleos de Venezuela Pdvsa- and Minister of Petroleum and Mining) Rafael Ramírez, and Vice-president Elías Jaua would air for hours that it was an accident, a gas leak. Still, 36 hours later, the old presidential candidate entertained doubts about the cause. Again, he was close to proclaim it as proven sabotage. He refrained from doing it. Nonetheless, from the hideout of the TV toady, charges of destabilization, terrorism and sabotage were unreasonably launched with the presidential blessing. They think they have not been laid bare after 14 years of inefficiency and neglect of the most critical areas in Venezuela. Let me cite some of the remarks that have been made since Saturday. To begin with, there is the confession in the Report of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining, whereby it is certified that in 2011, only 19% of maintenance works in the country refineries was completed.  Particularly, the Paraguaná Refining Complex was due to have nine maintenance works last year, with only two being conducted, presumably for lack of materials and the appropriate logistics. / Ramírez promised on Saturday that "in a 48-hour term," ended on Monday, the refinery would be back to normal. Iván Freites, the president of the trade union of the Paraguaná Refining Complex, encompassing Amuay and Cardón refineries, harbored doubts as to such forecast. "He, who tells that the refinery will restart operations in two-day term, does not know the processes. A refinery is not a teapot." / The first report supplied to the caudillo by security agencies reads: "An accident caused by failures in gas handling." Oddly, the firefighting automatic shutdown system would not start up as soon as the leak was detected, but after the blast. / It is feared that the regime will manage to hide all of this. This was the case of, namely: Antonini's  suitcase stuffed with US dollars; Conviasa crashes; the explosion in Cavim; contamination in River Guarapiche; the ordeal in Yare, El Rodeo and La Planta prisons; the events of Pudreval; the mafias of cement and rebars and their high-ranking accomplices. / While they ascertained on Monday that there were no missing people, it seems that they are indeed. / Since Friday, some flights from the Las Piedras airport were delayed in the face of "the strong smell of gas coming from Amuay." / They urgently requested from Citgo the firefighting foam that was lacking in Amuay. It came from Atlanta. / At Isla Refinery in Curacao, there are increasing fears, also for lack of maintenance. / Former Pdvsa employees who work now with transnationals were sought on an urgent basis and offered a handsome remuneration in the light of the emergency, for them to help curb production related damages. I learned this very Monday that three of those who worked for Halliburton are already in Amuay. The order was: "Do not say where you come from." / Quite a few dollars are wasted to mount refineries in Vietnam, Syria, Brazil, China, the English- and French-speaking Caribbean, Cuba, Nicaragua and elsewhere, but nothing would be invested in improvement and maintenance accordingly. / Le Monde spelled out the hoary and unsafe conditions of Venezuelan facilities. / Plundering in crumbled stores was "censored" to local media. / A senior employee told me that unfortunately this Pdvsa is rather concerned about housing, food, Cubans of Mission Barrio Adentro and the president's reelection one more time. Nobody worries about the lack of spare parts, whether something is not working, or about a leak. Red continuity is most important. / I had a look at the pictures taken by some workers on Saturday morning; I am certain that there will be news about a larger amount of victims. RIP...

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