GUAJIRA PENINSULAR

WEST FROM GUARERO: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5

The highway cuts across the Guajira peninsular. This is indigenous territory, a dry land of sand dunes and scrub. Sun shines. A creeper spills pale blue flowers over thorn bush. The Honda runs perfectly. We are freed from Venezuela. I am immensely happy.

JUDGEMENT

GUARERO, VENEZUELA: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5
I traveled through Venezuela at a critical time in the country's history - the referendum. As a result, my Venezuelan BLOGS contain a surfeit of politics and insufficient action. This is a final observation. As always in Latin America I am enraged by the monstrous disparity between rich and poor. This is particularly so in a major oil producer awash with petroleum dollars. Oil companies and their allies in the oligarchy were criminally irresponsible. Revolution is their deserved reward.
Only the type of Revolution is in question.
Chavez?
I don't believe so.
Chavez is a megalomaniac drunk on power.