Zebra 3 Report by Joe Anybody

Friday, 11 September 2009

sept 11
Mood:

chatty
Now Playing: just had a great vegie lunch
Topic: Venezuela Trip

we were going to be doing a winter soldier event today but Chaves is returning so no one would of gone to it

we were still thinking of doing it but their onsite organizer had passed away yesterday so that led to a cancellation

we are all having a great time

we visited the ministry of education today ...i filmed him speak to our group in a very fancy office...

and now we just got back from a vegan lunch

Chavez arrives today and we are joining the crowds who are going to watch him drive by

I love their politics here

I am inspired by their social values and the importance they put on Humans before capital

it is super cool

it is smoggy ...and humid.... they drink most their liquids warm

TP is rare in many bathrooms ...better bring your own

no one puts tp in the toilet ...due to bad plumbing

no one from our group has gotten sick...just a little burned out

they have shoddy electricity ...wires exposed etc...and I do see some compact fluorescent bulbs in many places but it has much room for improvement

many people are selling stuff on the streets all over

they have phone call cell phones all over too

its a person sitting with a stack of phones ..that you just pay for your call

last night a lady let me and the lady organizer go into her own apartment to use her phone to call the states ...for free..wow ..

nobody has any video cameras unless we are near or at a TV station...they are rare

I am having a great time...if it wasn’t for the interpreters i would be lost

we are staying in a barrio which is a poor part of town ...

hope all is going well in the states

I return on a 8.20 am flight on Monday

LOVE - SOLIDARITY

joe anybody September 11 2009

Posted by Joe Anybody at 12:45 PM PDT

Updated: Tuesday, 15 September 2009 5:18 PM PDT

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Thursday, 10 September 2009

We visted a homless encampmnet today
Mood:

happy
Now Playing: we are seeing great ideas in action for people power and respect
Topic: Venezuela Trip

we went to a homeless occupation

it is called no roofs

we met the organizers walked around and seen buildings that have been abandoned ...and thus were take over by the homeless community in organized ways

they have the permission from the government to use these places for the social benefit of the community

one building had 24 families

another had 47 people in it

a old lady who lived in one of the rooms invited us in to see her place ...she was so sweet...i have it al on film

I have over 25 hours of footage collected...plus other in our delegation are filming too.

I am getting by with not much Spanish ...but our interpreter is soooo good... sorry for the bad spelling here ..I’m typing fast and they close in about 10 minutes

i have been drinking lots of good juices ...coffee is like shots of espresso..... milk is usually warm ...at least when we have cereal at breakfast its never cold ...¿

I was very inspired by the homeless NO ROOFS project...lots of neat stuff .... for example ...they also have local created business right in the near vicinity of these encampments... providing work...textiles ...food ... shops...juices ...

it’s hot here humidity is high , and its stuff ...no rain not much wind

I’m learning and having fun as well ...WOW

I return with everyone on Monday morning

peace out

Mike )joe anybody(

Posted by Joe Anybody at 4:31 PM PDT

Updated: Tuesday, 15 September 2009 5:21 PM PDT

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Wednesday, 9 September 2009

Wed in Caracas
Mood:

incredulous
Now Playing: man this is great ..i am learning so much!
Topic: Venezuela Trip

its Wednesday...and in the morning im running off to a homeless ¨camp where the homeless have taken over in numerous places ..empty buildings

its not like in America, where it gets you in trouble...they actually prove it serves the community and the government then supports them

I’m busy every day .... it is really fun

we have to lock ourselves in at night ...crime i guess is bad

I am doing great ..eating three meals a day ...and learning allot

Today we went to an area )barrio( where the police were kicked out of

we couldn’t even bring our cameras or phones in side the community

They are an armed revolutionary named La Piedrita...we seen no guns

but they have them in case )america( pr someone attacks them

they were very friendly...and asked us why we in America don’t want peace and support our war and imperialist government...why we allow our government to oppress others and why we don’t rise up to do anything about it...it was very educational...I’m loving all the viewpoints

I have been on a community radio station talking about the media and the reason independent media is doing what the corporate media wont

I think I’m the only one in Venezuela with a video camera

I will write again soon

______________________________________

below is a list of what we have been doing

Friday: peace rally against war (esp about Military bases in Columba)

Sat: Recycled containers made into a media center for the community then went to a TV station ¨Tiuna El Fuerte

Sun: met Charlie Hardy author at our hostel ...then we went to the Art Museum and met Eca Gilinger and she talked about Venz history, and then to the Vale Arriba neighborhood which was the rich part of town ...we are staying in the poor part...we went by the US embassy on our bus

Mon: we went to a occupied factory ..they took back from coke a cola Ëje Gramoven¨ took a tour and seen community groups working and networking (many women are involved ) they gave us a nice lunch too, then we went to :CATIA Tv station and met the community organizer who say your camera is a weapon ...he was cool we got a complete tour

Tue: we went to AVILA TV station for the youth ...the to a community radio station ..then to a CAMPASINO organizing office

Wed; we went to Sonse 23 community radio station and to the armed no police LA Piedrita camp

got to go internet is closing down now

Posted by Joe Anybody at 4:16 PM PDT

Updated: Tuesday, 15 September 2009 5:26 PM PDT

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Tuesday, 8 September 2009

Monday in Caracas
Mood:

cool
Now Playing: Having a great time in Venezuela
Topic: Venezuela Trip

Hi everyone

I’m in a internet cafe at 8:30 pm Monday

ALL IS WELL

SOORY FOR FAST TYPING

UPDATE IS ALL GOOD

I HAVE LOTS OF VIDEO BY NOW

WE WENT TO A OCCUPIED FACTORY

I HAVE BEEN TO A RADIO STAION AND WAS BRODCASTED WITH OTHER IN OUR GROUP TOO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY (IT WAS COMMUNITY RADIO)

I also have been to 2 TV stations and we seen some cool media grass roots activism

We met People from Association of Columbians living in Venezuela

we met some more folks latter from the Local Campasino Network

we are busy all day

The Venezuelans love us

We had no water in the hostel this morning ...latter it was back on ...that’s how it goes here

I’m doing real well ...and am learning so much

I will try to write more in the morning

peace

Love = Solidarity

Posted by Joe Anybody at 6:12 PM PDT

Updated: Tuesday, 15 September 2009 5:28 PM PDT

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Saturday, 5 September 2009

Saturday morning Report from Caracas
Mood:

incredulous
Now Playing: Friday "Anti War Demonstartion" and TV stations
Topic: Venezuela Trip

Well.... I’m at an internet cafe this morning (Saturday) .. our WIFI is not connecting at the hostel. I may not have spell-check and I only have a half-hour here. The first day we went to a protest (peace demonstration) against the military bases in Colombia...there was about 4,000 people there, allot of folks had red shirts.

It was full of energy. People clapping, bands singing, ...speeches.... they had a big stage... TV cameras etc... our group is networked through the peace network here so we made it to the front...and then we (4 of us) made it to the stage. Benji Iraq Vet, Gerry Vietnam war resister, Andrew activist...and me with my camera...We were all on stage with 50 other people... we had a chance to speak.

I just filmed...it was a powerful ... The crowd cheered. they loved us. Our folks on stage spoke out against "Imperialism and War¨ we stood in solidarity ...... We had people thanking us latter on the streets...That night Benji & Josh ..both Iraq veterans were on the national TV speaking out against war and US Imperialism. Nothing slanderous...but a powerful message against the failed US policies, and the use of Armed Forces on other people. Those two were on 2 different stations, that evening.After the demonstrations, we went to a small cafe and had lunch...chicken burrito and Pepsi for me...then we drove to a community media studio ...we got the complete tour.

The media studio was a using¨ "recycled containers" like big railway cars to make offices and studios for filming recording.. they have a big mobile stage on a flat bed trailer...they have trucks with cameras and recording equipment...plus a big outdoor stage that they were actually filming a show on when we were there.

They are using recycled materials and government money to run the studio...it was a big open concrete area that used to be houses before the change in the "Metro" streets project for that area. We are in a 3 story nice clean house in our hostel.

Three ladies (younger than me) come by to fix breakfast and cook our dinner. Its cool and good food. Today we are maybe going to an opposition party protest. Don’t know the details but sounds like it will be interesting. We have an interpreter with us all day and he is really good...other in our group can speak pretty well to help us get around... we stay in a group most of the time.I had a lady tell me on camera to¨" tell Obama that capitalism isn’t working ...and that socialism is the answer" we are treated by folks here "really well" ....NOT one bad word or comment directed at us... just smiles!

I feel the energy here and the people are wise to their struggles for empowerment...it is cool....w e had a couple local guys stop by last night and party with us ...drinking beer till 1 am...and just sharing and listening to music etc....

The busses and cars drive "all over the road" with motorcycles zipping in between and all around honking their horns. Its insane ....I seen no accidents... but its is crazy... no one stops for red lights...very little police on the streets... almost all the busses and cars are really rugged broken down looking.... smoky exhausts etc... the trips around town are bumper to bumper...

I will be writing latter ...we are trying to get the WIFI up and runningthe weather is sultry... hot/warm....all the timeSo far I have four hours of video collected....

I will write about today latter tonight or in the morning.

¿joe anybody

Posted by Joe Anybody at 8:26 AM PDT

Updated: Wednesday, 30 September 2009 3:36 PM PDT

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Thursday, 3 September 2009

9:15 am
Mood:

not sure
Now Playing: delay
Topic: Venezuela Trip

I have 15 min to take a quick shower, before my ride shows up this morning

Im still in Portland ...?... There was problems with My Name Spelling

So I was not able to board...untill a exchange (fix-it) was done. Now I have my new ticket (I hope) .... I was up all night and when I didnt make the flight whith everyone else.... iam sooo tired right now.

Josh is flying out at thesame time as me ...(I think) and Benji flies out tomorrow... well I'm off to a bumpy start ...but Im still going.

Posted by Joe Anybody at 9:15 AM PDT

Updated: Thursday, 3 September 2009 9:47 AM PDT

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At 2 am I wonder if I ever told ya ...
Mood:

chatty
Now Playing: Average Joe heads for the airport in 1.3 hours
Topic: Venezuela Trip

it's 2am

Im having a tall cold beer and getting all my camera gear into one bag *yikes!

And trying to get some music on my i-pod for the road trip

thanks soes ou to "all you who know who you are" for all the help everyone pitched in and this is gonna be cool...

Did I ever tell you all that Hugo Chavez is one of my Hero's?

read more here ...its older stuff ...but I'm sharing what I got

http://home.comcast.net/~sittingbythepool/HEROCHAVEZ.html

Posted by Joe Anybody at 2:16 AM PDT

Updated: Thursday, 3 September 2009 2:35 AM PDT

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Wednesday, 2 September 2009

Leaving at 6:00 AM
Mood:

chillin'
Now Playing: Im leaving in 10 hours
Topic: Venezuela Trip

Im not packed ..hey I will be ...I still got 10 hours

I need to shop ...get clothes ready ...errr I mean wash some clothes...

Charge all ny batteries and get all my reading material, video stuff ready

I had better not loose <or have stolen> any of my stuff as I am traveling

I need to update my blog ...(Oh) thats this one.... post a tweet on my two twitter accounts, update the pdx venezuela website...maybe post a note on the two FaceBook pages one is mine one is the group...then hit a quick message on Portland Indy Media....

zzzzzzzzzzz!

Well that said ...I gotta get BUSY !!!! (*hey the phone is ringing)

(my daughter just called to confirm picking me up at 4am)

Soilidarity = Love

Posted by Joe Anybody at 8:00 PM PDT

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Monday, 31 August 2009

3 day countdown
Now Playing: Heading out of the Country with a Peace & Media Delegation

3 days till we leave for Venezuela

Posted by Joe Anybody at 4:11 PM PDT

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Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Honduras and the USA air base
Mood:

loud
Now Playing: Mainstream Media and the facts of USA in Honduras occupation
Topic: WAR

The Coup and the U.S. Airbase in Honduras

Written by Nikolas Kozloff, CounterPunch

Zelaya, Negroponte and the Controversy at Soto Cano

The mainstream media has once again dropped the ball on a key aspect of the ongoing story in Honduras: the U.S. airbase at Soto Cano, also known as Palmerola. Prior to the recent military coup d’etat President Manuel Zelaya declared that he would turn the base into a civilian airport, a move opposed by the former U.S. ambassador. What’s more Zelaya intended to carry out his project with Venezuelan financing.

For years prior to the coup the Honduran authorities had discussed the possibility of converting Palmerola into a civilian facility. Officials fretted that Toncontín, Tegucigalpa’s international airport, was too small and incapable of handling large commercial aircraft. An aging facility dating to 1948, Toncontín has a short runway and primitive navigation equipment. The facility is surrounded by hills which makes it one of the world’s more dangerous international airports.

Palmerola has the best runway inHonduras

Palmerola by contrast has the best runway in the country at 8,850 feet long and 165 feet wide. The airport was built more recently in the mid-1980s at a reported cost of $30 million and was used by the United States for supplying the Contras during America’s proxy war against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua as well as conducting counter-insurgency operations in El Salvador. At the height of the Contra war the U.S. had more than 5,000 soldiers stationed at Palmerola. Known as the Contras’ “unsinkable aircraft carrier,” the base housed Green Berets as well as CIA operatives advising the Nicaraguan rebels.

More recently there have been some 500-to-600 U.S. troops on hand at the facility which serves as a Honduran air force base as well as a flight-training center. With the exit of U.S. bases from Panama in 1999, Palmerola became one of the few usable airfields available to the U.S. on Latin American soil. The base is located approximately 30 miles north of the capital Tegucigalpa.

In 2006 it looked as if Zelaya and the Bush administration were nearing a deal on Palmerola’s future status. In June of that year Zelaya flew to Washington to meet President Bush and the Honduran requested that Palmerola be converted into a commercial airport. Reportedly Bush said the idea was “wholly reasonable” and Zelaya declared that a four-lane highway would be constructed from Tegucigalpa to Palmerola with U.S. funding.

In exchange for the White House’s help on the Palmerola facility Zelaya offered the U.S. access to a new military installation to be located in the Mosquitia area along the Honduran coast near the Nicaraguan border. Mosquitia reportedly serves as a corridor for drugs moving south to north. The drug cartels pass through Mosquitia with their cargo en route from Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.

A remote area only accessible by air, sea, and river Mosquitia is full of swamp and jungle. The region is ideal for the U.S. since large numbers of troops may be housed in Mosquitia in relative obscurity. The coastal location was ideally suited for naval and air coverage consistent with the stated U.S. military strategy of confronting organized crime, drug trafficking, and terrorism. Romeo Vásquez, head of the Honduran Joint Chiefs of Staff, remarked that the armed forces needed to exert a greater presence in Mosquitia because the area was full of “conflict and problems.”

But what kind of access would the U.S. have to Mosquitia? Honduran Defense Secretary Aristides Mejía said that Mosquitia wouldn’t necessarily be “a classic base with permanent installations, but just when needed. We intend, if President Zelaya approves, to expand joint operations [with the United States].” That statement however was apparently not to the liking of eventual coup leader and U.S. School of the Americas graduate Vásquez who had already traveled to Washington to discuss future plans for Mosquitia. Contradicting his own colleague, Vásquez said the idea was “to establish a permanent military base of ours in the zone” which would house aircraft and fuel supply systems. The United States, Vásquez added, would help to construct air strips on site.

Events on the ground meanwhile would soon force the Hondurans to take a more assertive approach towards air safety.

TACA flight crash at the Toncontín airport

In May, 2008 a terrible crash occurred at Toncontín airport when a TACA Airbus A320 slid off the runway on its second landing attempt. After mowing down trees and smashing through a metal fence, the airplane’s fuselage was broken into three parts near the airstrip. Three people were killed in the crash and 65 were injured.

In the wake of the tragedy Honduran officials were forced at long last to block planes from landing at the notoriously dangerous Toncontín. All large jets, officials said, would be temporarily transferred to Palmerola. Touring the U.S. airbase himself Zelaya remarked that the authorities would create a new civilian facility at Palmerola within sixty days. Bush had already agreed to let Honduras construct a civilian airport at Palmerola, Zelaya said. “There are witnesses,” the President added.

But constructing a new airport had grown more politically complicated. Honduran-U.S. relations had deteriorated considerably since Zelaya’s 2006 meeting with Bush and Zelaya had started to cultivate ties to Venezuela while simultaneously criticizing the American-led war on drugs.

Bush’s own U.S. Ambassador Charles Ford said that while he would welcome the traffic at Palmerola past agreements should be honored. The base was used mostly for drug surveillance planes and Ford remarked that “The president can order the use of Palmerola when he wants, but certain accords and protocols must be followed.” “It is important to point out that Toncontín is certified by the International Civil Aviation Organization,” Ford added, hoping to allay long-time concerns about the airport’s safety. What’s more, the diplomat declared, there were some airlines that would not see Palmerola as an “attractive” landing destination. Ford would not elaborate or explain what his remarks were supposed to mean.

Throwing fuel on the fire Assistant Secretary of State John Negroponte, a former U.S. ambassador to Honduras, said that Honduras could not transform Palmerola into a civilian airport “from one day to the next.” In Tegucigalpa, Negroponte met with Zelaya to discuss Palmerola. Speaking later on Honduran radio the U.S. diplomat said that before Zelaya could embark on his plans for Palmerola the airport would have to receive international certification for new incoming flights. According to Spanish news agency EFE Negroponte also took advantage of his Tegucigalpa trip to sit down and meet with the President of the Honduran Parliament and future coup leader Roberto Micheletti [the news account however did not state what the two discussed].

Needless to say Negroponte’s visit to Honduras was widely repudiated by progressive and human rights activists who labeled Negroponte “an assassin” and accused him of being responsible for forced disappearances during the diplomat’s tenure as ambassador (1981-1985). Moreover, Ford and Negroponte’s condescending attitude irked organized labor, indigenous groups and peasants who demanded that Honduras reclaim its national sovereignty over Palmerola.

“It’s necessary to recover Palmerola because it’s unacceptable that the best airstrip in Central America continues to be in the hands of the U.S. military,” said Carlos Reyes, leader of the Popular Bloc which included various politically progressive organizations. “The Cold War has ended and there are no pretexts to continue with the military presence in the region,” he added. The activist remarked that the government should not contemplate swapping Mosquitia for Palmerola either as this would be an affront to Honduran pride.

Over the next year Zelaya sought to convert Palmerola into a civilian airport but plans languished when the government was unable to attract international investors. Finally in 2009 Zelaya announced that the Honduran armed forces would undertake construction.

In 2009 Zelaya announced that the Honduran armed forces would convert Palmerola into a civilian airport.

To pay for the new project the President would rely on funding from ALBA [in English, the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas] and Petrocaribe, two reciprocal trading agreements pushed by Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez. Predictably the Honduran right leapt on Zelaya for using Venezuelan funds. Amílcar Bulnes, President of the Honduran Business Association [known by its Spanish acronym COHEP] said that Petrocaribe funds should not be used for the airport but rather for other, unspecified needs.

A couple weeks after Zelaya announced that the armed forces would proceed with construction at Palmerola the military rebelled. Led by Romeo Vásquez, the army overthrew Zelaya and deported him out of the country. In the wake of the coup U.S. peace activists visited Palmerola and were surprised to find that the base was busy and helicopters were flying all around. When activists asked American officials if anything had changed in terms of the U.S.-Honduran relationship they were told “no, nothing.”

The Honduran elite and the hard right U.S. foreign policy establishment had many reasons to despise Manuel Zelaya as I’ve discussed in previous articles. The controversy over the Palmerola airbase however certainly gave them more ammunition.

Nikolas Kozloff is the author of Revolution! South America and the Rise of the New Left (Palgrave-Macmillan, 2008)

Posted by Joe Anybody at 12:01 AM PDT

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