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    58 views30 pages

    Dismembering and Remembering The Nation

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    victor rada

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    | Dismembering and Remembering the COMPARATIVE Nation: The Semantics of Political Violence in Venezuela STUDIES IN oe SOCIETY AND —— HISTORY AN INTERNATIONAL QUARTERLY CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS y04179 91206-0196 8500© 198 Sac Cpe Say oS a Ky "san oovealts POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN VENEZUELA. 28) rmcived scat atertion. All too taguemy the explanation of violence it ‘uated wih he ietiieation ofits cases, its fori accounted Toe By funciona is anton ie see a nseumntl ens; llece be educed to 1 pactcl tool used by opposing social actors in pst of cont eds “Whether uewed as 2 case, fc, © insrunent, violence is geteclly sumed rater thn examine in ts oncremess. Life tention ipl oi Specie manifestations, othe way i effects we iseparbly reed to te ‘means rough which exerted and 1 th msuning frm dele: ‘ent an inerpettion. In connat,typolgia apache ha pete ‘coespendence bween pes of sees sd fom of vee often eg. ‘ze he opty of valence ye lw ight ofthe store depth ond sei. ‘9 of i saietaons Moment poll vilence may apse sateringl sila inthe gn coutome and in be ser piality of the desacton te fat Yet hese ‘moments ven those repre as sontneons oubrs shiped by each ‘cl parle history and myths of elective hen and ae enetgzed tp sedimented nsoure of teats tothe cols In catgut he ‘lll the “spasmide vew of popular ste” BP. Thompson wares Suan viewing popular protest as spl rection increasing pies, as fis were the susmusie vosponse fo economic stall th wal of om hive rer han neon) isi aget (1971 Jats te nt Ae esponse fo hunger, te repression i ot simply x mean o coal popular uot. Seeingly spontaneous popular ction develops hugh he mace of shred undestntings ste enunciation of rvel statements Ina falar Som, while de at's ue of force es mean oct unset eas vision of the natal dering of soit ta i based on gotan ‘elitons of domination, The immediacy and apparent naturalness of mores of collective vileace may conceal thi Intenlorlty and scaly on: strc signiticace, Violence i wielded and ceistad In he Kom of ssiy’s distintive sey: When becomes a foe in eartending efor t fiom on eters 8 given vision of rr it simultaneously i-oders and secre etaihed lndesandings and arrangements. Aggreson becomes inepnble from ttansgesin, the rape of concept! and pysial boundaries indvsble ‘fom the covsiction of new oters of signieance. Vileace pushes the limi of he permis pening up spaces where customary xn expected Tse ta it re patanges Slur sn cont moi en eet tet ooh eg nae em 290, FERWANDO CORONIL, JULIE SkURSKL Imemnings and prcices re bought together in vprecsdened ways, Juminating bison trl Lnésepes in» fas, and leving behind the opaque omy of ungrarpbl erie In the icf meting tht ve lence conceives, he ferry of mations aa the corey of people become privileged mediums for soranizing the Boy pit and foe by onirling the movemeat of persons and eas wii the ation’ ater ‘nd cultual space, Stazments othe elestty andl imeribed upon fn made trough he body, se becomes amu fr searing wets of ‘ower. The Body if dean shed in eaten o ave ey r= Sitios and to wengedelly from. Individual ography and collective history seem momentary wie, assay andthe body bree each hrs ‘Conzuding collective memries and ieing accounts of an uncertain eset shape thse eas. In ls paper we exarne to cols between the sate and popular sector in Yeneusa and expe be ming and repr scala of events repre at he ine ws land ia hat nation’ iy, ‘We leat these conti inthe content of hl akg as they wee cond ‘ined at once by acolo legacy ab a ordering of wl caitalit reons. AS he hidden tard of finance capil aed he visible band of inllectnl fashion ech th indeterminate bores of he poster np of the wold, the conioars of his landscape reves the hold of tesfored alo relains inthe age of postealonal empires.” ‘The outbreaks of colecive violeve and chil ure analyas tee were responses svial-econoe anaarmaton tht inte lst two decades have cstapted the buss ef the pops pole! system based upon pe. ‘lever distibation snd fave chllenged he stungtons tat a ong ssid. These cos became nol pot it te redefinition of the Alicouse of decay, as doin! an opps fre lake ove the Insertion ofthe events od thei inpetons, The tit confi. aa ‘scr that expressed the deepen ees of he potest mol deve "pnent an tne arening of he ola! system, ova thee ie "598 preside electoral campsig. I appeared fa ernved fom the ote ‘ac and splay of polit, yet ks message was czesed x national polite tuleace,Fources lige om te bode ova of Apa wee kl ot (October 29, 1888, on «remote cate vans on the Arica River diving {ile cae he vllges were geri hlled by i rope in an aed galt i tec Co i ptte i an POLIFICAL VIOLENCE IN VeNRZUBLA 391 acount: Opponcascoateaded tht he goverment brigade hd ambushed Sd inguin the inocet vcs at away of eet the appearance f+ ‘Mbverive threat fo teen, Electoral competion permite hese un {eum tobe ampliid wad valdted win center per: Ae seu ‘saied protest, the milly ecourer was publ eedtieed se Am: ro msace on atack op anoceatctizen who 9 retetionamparo) oit wate ilonce andthe maniplnion of sppesrance "The second cons, lasing from Febunty 270 March 3, 198, as a0 un socil ping in esponeo which be goverment eed ass fre by oficial cout, 277 people ed: by wna tite, ove 1,000 pple ‘ete kil, Ths event ced crams frtion withthe oto’ s ‘apd economic decline and is poltical ani econo eorupton. I wat ” Tee previous masiaes had ot cealed a public ‘uty in part bcate they ivoved Coloma or nets year) Vere ‘lin lft and Bose they int tee place ding eletral pid Ech confrontiton Ihara athe presdeas inae asthe defender of ‘ear among dere sectors of the population “The ruben ofthe oppston account of me td heir buses was that a ‘wom who epitomized the calculated menipulaon of power conecel is Inuiky network of strongman det to President Lasiehi—hit longtine mites, lanes Ife. Her elatonship to him aed er extensive potent inisnce cool! notte mectione inthe pes he Seretry of the Pree exer det pressures onto mada) bu were widely ecogaied.Atough ‘he fomally held he minor pst of Secretary to he Preset, she a beso cea gue fe adnstaon* or those wih power she ld the key tointsencing desvon about government ppoinient ea investments For thos witht power, sh was dintor of present aor ft pron sharable even atin the bars, not unlke Eva Peso, Her dsebuon of Patronage was ted clsoly tothe socwng of plies! coavol and tothe Feprenion of tert She tue the DISIP ber spi! prove, nueslag the spoinient of ts deeiors and mintining lose inks os commander of peritions, Lape ise, ad is aly, General Cane Aas, Cs a 368 FERNANDO CORONIL, JULIE sKURSKE incl that though x combination of patronage and survllnce she a consute 2 fd of power tht extended ties fla the upper lees of connie and pla activi plying a olen Lsinsi's abit lence dsert and to Sustain he appearance of coasn 9 hs poi ‘The oppostn's arcsains about espns fo ihe Apo masse made unepkee reference to this eli. The susne eit of the Am fro massacre, seemingly Tocused onthe abuses of an incon ne gence uni, plicated the specif ats through which power sexed ding tis ‘simiaisraion, Win the opostion, opinions difeeé as 0 whether thete forms were limited fo the adninsraon ce wheter tel tion af power fa ote the tenure ofthe Last peseney were a sake ‘The Cee of Power Occuring at a time of poll aston, the Amparo maser jo in ferpreive schemes, prowking 2 sense of indignation anon Seto of te ‘bon populice ordinary united in tbe ae of vr people and nclined to believe neustons of ter cimiality In protest sais the gover ren's coverup, sealed demenstaens occured ding Noveber In (Caacsand ar moje sie, many of which ent in propery detain ‘and police vnlerce, A linge semonsraton in Caracas, The Match fr Lie (Coverber 10), bought together «ede speci of gowns, sing puppet 0 suet teatro dept he mater, fs mach downto f Congres. Inte emerping conesnory nteretation, be goverment wa th oppressor ‘nthe poeho the inocent vit. A cesendo of potest, a whiea Chit tin tase groups ans activi clergy were wos, cet image fhe Aaparo fishermen as Symbols of a mayred pueblo, They aricultd x wily ci ‘ealatingeppstion view: The Amparo vitims stand for alo The a desamparador: forsaken, without legal potion, righ, or cre ies > let st ay pa pe i ne Ageia da rans te cart mere pee ome sarc ait camel cereome cogs 2 oe ree SEAS tae oe heroes naa Sm Sat cite cae po Siceatsiacean siamegoemmes camera ‘Rerun, Spr Con nd ar etd Mail Co ec ot EE es EES Sheva oemyertinn aaa Sih sierra or rseme gene se banire cadens ge eee oe taney een ‘Thay ae ontnay people, pain in 2 system of inverted values. They are ating of govertment aniplan: deceived, wed, ad discarded. “The Auparo mater resonated ia he public iagiatin wth the found sin tale iia ntti onthe Linn: the Araca River nthe fale of Apu, th inves frontier sud by foe, ctr of savagery, ad thekelpesnee of the polo ne fac of psoraze power. Many people ivee lek to rel te event Galegos's aoveL>* The daa of Doda [irharaappeced to hve bon reenact i Amparo, but who played what ‘ole inthe ls? Wa he CEIAP a representative of te a rw repessiv tol ike Dot irbr's tsi? Were theme a he enoo baba ber tives oF imocem people ofthe publ, pewonfesbons of Mariela? Ws ‘lane teeth rtless Dota ‘Barbra and Preset Lasieh her st missive love, Laenza Barquero? Or wee they the reeset fev iz- ing oles Seno Lizard, this daa? Oe was Walter Mrgez oe Carlos ‘Andrés Pee the ication of Sonos Luzado? Or wis he ase ely? ‘Counter inteprstatons of the massacre challenged oot just he al version of evens but the goverment’ eapscy to costa sown ine “Totghoot He frie, te Lusi admunsaton fa relied on abceing rely to minimis pbc supp. Wr confronted the debt crs by denying tht rss exo anced Sate exendtres win Vesela’ incratonal eserves, consuming them etely By te end of bis sins ton, Thrugh policed propaganda focused onthe presen’ able peta iy, the anon rari the pi th he state's pte le ‘wold remain urate bua report by Amnesty Serational delivered to the government in July 1988 porto the Amparo masscre documented the ‘Mniniraton’s ecaltg suppression of pla potest and is constant polie an liary violence ais he poor The sate rprodoed ever ‘tore overly ils fal image asthe protect ofan aracie pelo, wile silening eis 5 “subversives.” By the end of Lusioci's iministsion, dvinging resources made the isos of sbundoace ad progres incesingy feats. The Apo mas secre octrod not the hopeful dava of pevedalrfaled grown wen aia Rarbore was weten but ity years tes, when ret ad eredbliy tere ring ot forthe protextint mode f rational development. With ‘out projet to feed the promise of natal development or te pacing ‘tates of ndvdslopwand obi te plz space of te uate sik ray te 4), (0, ona SA al gas ad camnd ong oe fr by pil ome omy Yr ng ne Freee geteay i bela Bons See ges Sot ‘ily cera my of thom swe octeh Silage mee Me 310 FERNANDO COROMIL, JULIE SKUREK {o a parochial stem. The treat of fining the path of histo progress ‘ste had bosom rea fo th czas forthe atin. Ont intepretation of the Amparo masssere suggests thatthe Vener sine assed autho na teeta mode, contin dria whee lt reenact the evizing mth of he Sate a the erp. Thi sie User the representation ofthe illusion of represen the eles on the conoid tason between fat and appearice, between ation 1 ‘evidence and dite foreonfting information, and ths on he wlig eso allo cracks the prfermance toed! th aac of uti Teargrows ot ofthese cracks © Asin detective ovis in woh eta ces ss let behind in dro indtc reading th vile mak fw in the misrpresetaons of polis reno necesito be tested fl, but sgn tobe depts asnendne™ he Great Tun When Caos Andes Péex was elected on December 4, 1988, min, incl ing opposion leas, Believed be would store te tll bond been Tear and pubis tenons aikage si backed lie list term of ofc sw provider wealth abe living stars and establish \erezela ar of Lain American eeosomicintepatin. The despite ses inks to carptioa an othe de, he reeset for one cut of cllestive memory te Bolivarian promis tat the sat would ble er sei jsice and ecnomi independence, The eetral eumpign had raised the ‘ope tat is presidency woul signal an ead retroresson, a reopening of the onion o prowess “The ser onerfowed its bed” (EL ro se sls de ts made) was the Idlpe of an pion rice te newspaper El Nacional March 1989, escring the outpousng of peopl nto testes outer cis ding Sve days of popu unrest und ot tat shook Venez between Fees: sy 27 al arch 3, 19895" Thove eves conte te sost massive Wel asthe most volt suppres urns promt in Vesela histor: On ‘ebrury 27, 1989, mses of people tok ove the sees of most of the pseu Se cry tals gen ae eee ae ee se ene See es aad aS hehe siete tru pet fos a eter neice ‘fren a npc tence pn Sees ‘rowenta fam, We an Rs Sarco ote as ‘Eh mete gun hear ecg es ri nc vo the an ay eh ae POLITICAL WlOLENCE WW veNEZUELA. 34t ain’ major ces, partial ince eapa region, pteinginressing ees and oong stores.» Once the goternaet recover rk pry Ingshoc, i respondd withthe nnpenion of soesiutonal uments aod 9 storm of ales Thousands were woubded and usted ante ol deh ‘oll ached 277. Unofiilexistes whch siservess fom many ede ‘culated conical, bovever, estiaaod thre were wll over one tot sand ata, No comparable soci upessal inte ofthe extent ofthe ooing othe Feros of thereon, ha taken pace in contengoraty Lal Aisin response fo a evonomi ase ple. The ttl emer of ape reported bien dierent posters occuring betwen 976and986intiteen ‘ous ws under We uae the a cient ingle cena bse he 1984 ris in te Dominean Republic vAichcsimed ity lives (Wan 1989188). Whit he ovale IMM riots were Frequent cing this span, secordingto Walton hy gery grew out egnisd poet chassis {nd demensuaton, and ey ends tel cet tgs, hpi and business. The Venezuelan cits, howcer,ddsacemexefromerganizedfferts slthouph icy were receded by yeas of spud confctsinceineties,end the looting was aimed at a bod range of business, encompassing Stet ‘venders and moder supemaskes, workshops and fects. “The events tu soak su etholy abd fagiesed the sei tetory so disrupted exblsedintepretiv shees, sisting the elo foil td opposon forts fi tem with 2 name. Ofc! douse neutaly labelled the conflt 27-2" and "he event lo rcron). The tame “the longer solely cle a he sation outer edges but had beeen ‘alae, tring into the eteces ht ingle the eouney with por people ‘Wherever there were people athe rggins—the marinles—a hens seen. Caras, once te sbowease of deny, pete Fagen bythe slums that suru i axel a hy those tt gow Tike wld gras i he Tull airs tht crt te oy “he elie contone the Cactred body pole by eruncising is ove contitry reltionsip tthe pueblo, depeniag ston! dvsons wile ‘lig forte restoration of unty. Th Defense Mater deste he emoval fale elements athe see ta pins ald fr renewed som ‘cation wth th poke. Employing the pte ter ole dcore, fe leader ofthe Chistian Democrat pry, exresiest Rael Caer, ‘eprimanded th ration pli! laden for having stn lf om the pelo who tel who live, who sometimes express thmelves in at impression, and sometimes lok fr forms of exresion that bode barbarism, bat that mst be understood. We hae ores communica ion wth ines” Santa 19895135. (As viens provoked a cetendo of fer, he Miniter of Defense General Italo Aiegro became the pattie heo inthe retblabment of onder His “ape express a combiation of aut ad sympatetic cancers and 0 invoke democrat pencils as he rasa for mls seton made hin the ersrtction of thee! ede forthe mrt fete. By ete os tere with an the media had defined th sab andl a = Sisunce as sibreson, suppressing ‘ntl seprr of rltary and pce Shute, Alleges slag face speared on mapzie coves ad se Anat cua ie, eas ceaeanwapaatep Fi (geet sg anus bd Ses wo POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN vaNEZUELA 389 loprd ple opinion ellen poplar As i Ban's coon leery. guest wat 2 time for gneas not pelicano! peer of «poplt ne "A the moment official constr trl eosond in the ions ssceat towards modem, theteing images of the people as seages— ‘vetoing rivers tht underage one, peaitve force tt books natal progress, bars muses hat ssl property md eon ade vsence "int them sem accepbl, neces. The deth ofthe us was mile to appar inconsequential inscribed inthe coese imugination toh images of he poor ax an anonymous mass of sven tf foe die ‘dein garbage bags, a if the por, neath 8 ie, were one es. Discov by ow me, te anv oben 8 ah at aig 0 tg sar of ner, hay teed to ronnie eee “Tey pad am na os wis pe oe lng fo te peta ied ‘ce Aun ont ial wrens The Spats, tach arya Tea echt ne down al, pale them fh copa tn inner or oe ot vido y Bai “Tle odin, of whom wee chien, wre ase jn the Ro Gagne Doe often Ape, ev ha ft Calon Se, “Thode oft ens we fed oa ae Al ts ed Des alae en {nts ind eer uted Macro nian pal econ

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