Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is coming to Puyo tomorrow. In fact, I am being kicked out of my hotel so that his entourage can stay here. Chavez himself will be staying at the hotel next door, and the Venezuelan gov’t has also booked a third hotel on the opposite side of my hotel.
As I was sitting here eating breakfest just now, five very big Venezuelan men and one woman came in and had a coffee. They are with the Venezuelan gov’t, the waiter Roger told me, and from the looks of them they in the security business. They smiled and nodded at me, but I also felt a little bit of suspicion. Do they think I am a CIA agent?
A Venezuelan gov’t plane landed at the airport where I work a couple days ago just to check the runway, then took off again.
Chavez will be here for four nights. The president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, wll be joining him for all or part of the visit.
As may of you probably know, I have long been fascinated by Chavez. I am torn about what I think. His militaristic posturing scares and repulses me. But I also appreciate the way he has opposed the Iraq War and U.S. Imperialism in general, and stood up for the poor, at least in theory. In any event, there is something monumentous about the fact that he is visiting this tiny town where I happen to be. I will keep you updated.
