Why don’t you shut up? / ¿Por qué no te callas?

It’s a very Bourbonnic declaration but probably one of the worst mistakes in the Spanish international relations. Why didn’t you shut up? We (Spanish) can say to our Chief of the State. We know how Chávez is like and what he wanted in the Iberoamerican Summit and he just did it. But, did the King know what he was doing or not?

In any case, almost none has said anything about if Chávez is right or not about accusations (not even the Popular Party). I don’t have classified data nor special reports but everybody knows when the coup d’état occurred, the unique countries who recognized the new government were Colombia (with the conservative Alvaro Uribe), El Salvador (the neo-liberal Francisco Flores), Spain and USA. Don’t forget when Miguel Angel Moratinos said in “59 Segundos” of RTVE in 2004 (the national broadcaster) that the former Spanish government was responsible (in coordination with the republican US government) of the attempt of coup d’état. So, there are more than inklings but nothing really trustable although a very hot potato for the current social-democrat government. And I wouldn’t want to add anything to this question.

Referred to national pre-electoral battlefield, it’s very clear PP is using this to attack the government (along with anything useful, whatever it was). Probably jealous by the diplomatic success in Chad, now they have found a new chance to criticize again. I would like to be impartial but it’s impossible with its “dirty strategy” of “No to everything from the government” and “everything goes in the way to re-conquest the power”. But, if the government explains what happened in 2002 and tells the truth, the democratic credibility of PP could decline so much when elections are so near.

And finally, does the Don Juan Carlos know the repercussion of all this? Would he want a break up in the relations with Venezuela or his behaviour was only a bad-tempered reaction? Anyway, I don’t go to praise him because everybody knows internally he didn't act correctly whatever we think about. And if the relations with Venezuela get worse, Venezuelan people is going to suffer more because this incident can give more reasons for the radicalization of the Bolivarian Movement in that country what means practically more power to Chávez. In my opinion, the government should 1^st calm everybody (PP, King and Chávez) down and then redefine its international policy with Venezuela in order to keep our interest safe there and the Venezuelan people’s welfare. A smart strategy and serious arguments can defeat irrational critics. Don’t forget Venezuela (check this information in Spanish from the Foreign Affairs Office) is a high-growth country due to its oil and it has been experimenting dramatic social changes that can modernize its social and economic structure (for better or for worst). This moment, as other energetic crises, is another opportunity for oil-producer countries to improve its future if they don’t commit the same mistakes as then and Spanish companies can take advantage and be part of it. So, let’s do things better and together.

Elgaine de Balliers.