Standoffs

Nora Soriño .

ILIGAN City–Let us cast our eyes for the moment to what happens far from us, not necessarily in a “galaxy far far away,” but to a land far from our shores. Maybe we can pick up some lessons there.

I’m talking of Venezuela. There was a brewing coup led by opposition leader, Juan Guaido (G). This was against sitting President Nicolas Maduro (M). G then called on the people specially the uniformed men to join him.

The latter however, well, most of them did not join G.  Only a few of the men in uniform joined him but most of  the ordinary folks, did.

The coup then flatlined, news reports say. Meaning, it went on a condition that is “near death.”

So M is still the President for the moment, although another coup is still in the offing. As in “if you don’t succeed the first time, try, try again harder.” Meanwhile, we are told that the people there,  are “reduced to lowest terms,” just like that process of dealing with improper fractions in our arithmetic days.

Venezuela was once a wealthy nation, with great resources of oil in their waters. But due to mismanagement of their leaders, it got to this point.

The people there have almost nothing to eat and many of them engage in desperate journeys now to get out of  their own country just to escape that situation.

The Central Bank of that country (I thought at first there’s no more CB there) is in a quandary as to what to do. With the inflation going by as much as 2,000,000 percent, well, what can banks do?  Relatively, in our own country, we are already very concerned if the rate of inflation is six percent!

Behind all these turmoil in this country are America and Russia, with several other countries siding with either America or Russia. So it is an American game even as it is a Russian game, too. The plot gets thicker and thicker then.

Maduro was said to be ready to flee then with the Americans ready too with their “transportation equipment” to take him out of Venezuela. He was then invisible for a few hours. Just like what happened to the Marcoses in 1986 where it is said that it was the American “equipment” that got the family to Hawaii. And people saying in jest that Ferdinand had thought all along  that it was in Paoay, Ilocos Norte they were being flown to.

Back to Venezuela. Suddenly, Maduro came out, with more than a thousand uniformed men. He even was seen dancing!

Poor Juan Guaido!

I related said happening to Dee, a good friend. And he said, “I thought you are for Guaido.”

“I was only relating what happened,” I replied. But maybe he understood my statement as siding with Maduro. The latter is 56, Guaido 35. So they’re still in fighting form.

We always side with the opposition, the underdog. Even if that country is far from us. (Although of course not many of us are following  what happens to a country like V; we couldn’t care less.)

Back to our country, to our city and the towns and cities near us. There is now some sort of standoffs in our country as the citizens now are  restless, though not necessarily as restless as that of Venezuela with many of them not eating properly anymore.

These  standoffs here are caused to a great extent by  the coming elections. Meaning, governance is at a standstill. We don’t seem to care for the moment  as our eyes are simply focused on the exercise come this 13th of this month.

In this city, the cry in one camp is: “Kinse diretso para segurado.” That’s from the “pulahan” camp of Mayor Celso G. Regencia.

From the camp of Rep. Frederick Siao, it says: “Pulahan ilisan tanan.”

What about the “green” team of lawyer Dino Quijano who runs for mayor along with lawyer Betsy Zalsos as his vice mayor?  Ah, well, hmmm, no comment for the moment as we’re still grasping for their battle cry… OK, we’re seeing green ribbons being tied along the city’s main streets, not very orig, I should say, but who cares anyway…

So, we’re waiting with bated breath.

It is said that this mid-term election is a referendum on the Duterte presidency. The latter still has good ratings, pundits say. So there’s a mad scrambling for Du30 to raise the hands of several candidates, be they vying for national or local seats.

Sara Duterte. The President’s “astig” daughter then raised the hands of the blue team, complete with vocal statements of support.

The red team of the mayor has to make do with Bato dela Rosa doing the raising.

The latter team say though that  it is really “no big deal” as to whether they’d been endorsed by the President or not. It is the people who has the voice, not the endorser.

Right, of course, and wrong, too!

So, let’s just wait for this standoff to end. For the end is in sight, unlike Venezuela where the standoffs go on and on and on…