Posting Limitations

When I was posting in China, I used this blog to share my general experience living in such a different country.  I wasn't offering journalistic reporting or analysis of any kind.  I was just sharing my Western perspective on life in an Eastern country.  That being true, it is no surprise that I had very little to say while we lived in the U.S.  My Western perspective on life in northern Virginia is not particularly notable.

I've been writing again since we came to Venezuela, because my life has become more interesting and also because Venezuela is becoming increasingly interesting.

But here's the trouble.  Even though I do not in any way speak for the United State government, I am a member of the embassy community here and my publishing my analysis of the daily or weekly news is dangerous.  Even publishing the facts is an iffy proposition, because many things that I see as fact are points that the Venezuelan government would choose to disagree with.

All that as a preamble to my weekend update.

Everything opened again yesterday, with the possible exception of places primarily serving alcohol.  Remember, this is a completely dry country until Tuesday.  We ran errands and ate at restaurants and the day felt just like any other.  The same is true for today.  The only noticeable different is the many Venezuelan flags which have appeared from front gates and windows, all flying at half mast.

The government has set April 14th as the date for presidential elections.  From what I hear, the elections last fall were a surprisingly quiet affair.  We are hopeful the same will be true this spring.  Many from the opposition complain that Maduro and the current government leaders are violating the constitution and will not offer a truly democratic process on April 14th.  In answer, the government promises not the let the country down.

It is best if I don't offer my opinion, and even better if I don't present my position as fact.  I'm afraid this will make my posting much less interesting for me over the next month or so.  But I have no real interest in raising the attention or the ire of the Venezuelan government, and with the recent expulsion of two American diplomats from the embassy here, I think I'd better take that possibility seriously.