Celebrate with Yoga

Chavez wins the election and I find a great yoga studio. Life is flowing like a sweet song. With Chavez as a shoe in for Reelection and none of the predicted opposition violence occurring some have called the elections "anti-climatic". I suppose one could say this but really the the success of this process was exhilarating. As one union leader said " More than an election it is an attmept to set into stone all the hopes of the Venezuelan people within this process. If it is possible to have an even distribution of wealth within Venezuela, with Chavez as our president that is our hope." Election night was political carnival, Chavez supporters flocked to the street to listen to his victory speech that he gave from the balcony of Miraflores, also known as the balcony of the people. The kind of enthusiasm and jubilation that you find only at sporting championships in the US but this was about great leadership and political ideals. The process has proved the stability of the country and the success of Chavez’s first full term. The CNE, which monitors the election here, is an independent branch of the government that has only become more independent with the new constitution instituted by the people and the Bolivarian government. Previously, past presidents used party officials to monitor the CNE but since Chavez this process has become much more accoutable. The CNE encouraged many election inspectors and international observers as well. The CNE and media here worked for a long time to make this a very fair election. It was an election impossible to steal because of Chavez's incredible popular support and the peoples commitment for democracy. Many nights when the opposition got loud and aggressive with fireworks and party slogans our Chavista housemates said "I am glad to see them expressing their ideas even if I do not agree". It was such an enlightened comment that came on the heels of my saying "those people are really annoying!" and it shows our Venezuelan hosts deeper appreciation for democracy.

It was an exciting few days before election day here. we went to many community television and radio stations to see how a truly free press works. They have an impressive amount of resources and staff that they offered up to us in order to get our footage out to the US. Vive TV is the largest community television station that expanded after the media blackout of the 2002 coup. Vive TV grew as a peoples media, with its mission to reflect the voices and concerns of everyday people. They air people from the barrios, farmers, indigenous people as well as provide media literacy with their “Latin American school for cinema.” This is a youth education component of the station and as one of the staff members explained “ We think this is a language everyone should speak, it is a strong language being used today and people can use video as a tool for their struggle.” The commitment to the ideals of participatory democracy are very strong at the station and it was an honor to work side by side with these people. Currently Vive TV has 400 staff and many volunteers! they have the most amazing editing suits about 15 of them, consisting of G5 computers, dual 17 inch monitors and editors in the wings available to help us any time we needed.


This is also the station that has almost around the clock sign language interpreters. you know the kind in the little box at the bottom of the screen? remember those days? I watched the interpreters working non stop while I was editing there, and sometimes that was the only way I could understand any of the news. Although of course the sign language is different most times it is still easier for me than Spanish. The interpreters work 3 hours at a time without breaks! We are a little more advanced in the States in this regard. I was able to meet a couple of them and I am planning on doing interviews with them for another project.

The night of the election we edited from 5pm until 12:30pm the next afternoon. we became delirious, this was the second night without sleep, the previous night our group stayed in the barrio without much sleep. We are still trying to post our rough first half hour video piece. Stay tuned.
One exciting thing that happened at Vive while we were editing on election night was a spontaneous takeover of the station by Chavez celebrators out on the streets. Vive had a strict policy not to influence the elections by interviewing people talking about who they would vote for. they only had people on air talking about the election process and if things were running smoothly or not. Meanwhile the streets were congested with Chavez supporters beginning an early celebration. over one hundred of these people came into Vive TV with a drums and trumpets and marched and cheered through the halls of the station. The sea of celebrators swept up Vive staff along the way and it became a television station of music, singing and dancing. People came to show their community station what was going on in the streets and to be recognized. They wanted the station to show what the majority of people were doing and not to maintain this stiff neutrality. It was so festive and hopeful and as I filmed the pure joy in peoples faces, I cried. Certainly there are times when I have glimpsed and really felt “Another world is possible” this was one of those rare magical moments.
Now that Chavez has won his second term many have greater expectations for him. I have heard several people say that they expect him now to make more radical changes in two primary ways. He must work to get the countries infrastructure functioning better (garbage, traffic, urban planning etc.) and people are expecting him to move forward with judicial proceedings against the 2002 coup leaders and lockout leaders. This caused such disruption to the country and many people who suffered want to see justice served by punishing those who committed crimes against humanity. Contrary to some mislead beliefs about Chavez being a dictator he never unilaterally punished anyone for those events of the coup and people want the impunity to end. Many slogans throughout the campaign emphasize how Chavez is one with the people. The people are the government. “With Chavez the people are the government” is a frequently seen slogan. People feel heard and valued and the power of that cannot be underestimated. It reminds me of a famous Gandhi Quote (was it Gandhi?) "there go my people, I am there leader I must follow."

I am very excited for Venezuela and the world, to have Chavez leading for his last 6 year term. I hope he can implement as many changes for good in that short time as Bush has managed for bad in his.

(details on yoga, barrio and culture blunders coming up...)