The fall of the Berlin Wall never escaped my memory. Later I wrote a paper about it during college and looked up at the library for every single magazine published between October and November 1989. What struck me the most is that during October Honecker was just talking nonsense all over and somehow the media were hinting or predicting that such outcome would occur inminently, due to their extensive coverage of East Germans flocking to the West through Hungary.
I yearn for the day when the invisible border walls of Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela fall apart as it was the desire and legacy of Simón Bolívar. His dream was promptly destroyed a few months before his death. We should also be the same country, not through military invasions planed by our senseless leaders but rather through the slow and steady economic growth, tariff-free example of the European Union. But our caudillo politicians on the three sides will never let this heretic idea get a hold on our populations. It is ironic that, on this celebration day for humanity, the politicians from the Northern portion of South America are more interested in getting entrenched in power through possible fratricide war than in intertwining our economies and populations.
Rubén Rivero Capriles
Caracas, November 9, 2009
Comments:
Well writ, Ruben! Change surely comes albeit slowly. I'm sure the situation you have mentioned in South America will require the same sets of circumstances surrounding the event of 20 years ago... all you need is the right catalyst to effect it...It seems that everyone is always itching to escalate the situation to a level from which there is no turning back. Pretty much the pre-text for how the US now finds itself mired in Iraq and Afghanistan... Everybody talks about diplomacy but would soon rather take up arms... what can one do to convince them otherwise... (from Daniel)
I enjoyed reading your post very much. As you described the situation it appears so self-evident that what Bolivar desired makes sense. The culture is the same and there are no real geographical obstacles. This is a prime example of how the Players impede the natural flow of events and just make life difficult for all concerned for no apparent reason other than it suits their purpose to keep everyone unhappy and divided. I feel we have much in common and share a passion to free people from tyranny. (from John)
A lovely and heartfelt plea for sanity in this madness. I am from Serbia and
in my part of the world, the Balkans, the populations believe only membership of
the EU will save them and have lost all faith in local politicians. I'm not
sure the EU is the panacea but it is certainly better than the current
situation. We will be forced to better ourselves, to innovate, trade and behave in
a more neighborly way. Still I believe the main purpose of the EU is to provide a powerful new
"country" to throw some weight around the world and are not really interested in
the majority of the European population. Thanks for your blog. I find your your writings about Venezuela very
interesting. (from Ivan Petrovic)
