Reading this made me realize once more how close poverty and violence can be. The guerrilla groups were formed at a time when the Cuban revolution and communism was thought to be, by some, models of a life of equality in a country with so much poverty. But their civil war, which has lasted over four decades, has not come close to that. Like the Cuban revolution, it has led to generations of violence, death and the violation of human rights. Lara uses stories of different guerrilla groups and the paramilitaries. When you listen to each view, you realize how horrible the "ends justifies the means"-attitude of these groups have been. The paramilitary groups appeared as a form of defense of poor farmers (but also rich land barons and drug lords) against guerrilla groups who killed, kidnapped and looted in the countryside to fund their cause. Massacres have been common, and done by both guerrilla and paramilitary groups. For groups who were created with the illusion of eliminating poverty, how could they end so many lives? They have resorted to long kidnappings, and even rounding up a town in a church and setting them on fire.
As a Venezuelan, I am especially touched by this story. Though Venezuela has been the "rich neighbor" of Colombia and other countries in the Andes Region (the north area of South America) because of its oil wealth, we have not solved poverty. On the contrary. Poverty increased during the peaceful years of the second half of the 20th century, as the Venezuelan government reaped the wealth of oil more than ever before and the country enjoyed the peace and freedom of democracy, in a time when most of South America was dominated by dictatorships.
And under Chavez, for all his talk of ending poverty, wealth, economic progress, and most importantly, human rights, have struggled. Chavez has used oil wealth to give away money, but hospitals and public schools have little funding overall. He is a savvy communicator, and picks a handful of pet projects to put money into and film in his weekly radio and TV show. But it breaks my heart to see so many young people still so far from being able to start a real, prosperous career, and start a family later in life. Teenage pregnancy is higher in Venezuela than some sub-Saharan African nations.
But most of all, this book me makes me think how Chavez and his so-called socialist agenda is also tied to violence and a lust for power, much like guerrilla and paramilitary leaders in Colombia. He is a good friend of the guerrilla, which he purportedly funds and sends arms to. He also believes in violence, and has political prisoners, dead protesters and closed TV and radio stations to show for it. The saddest and most enraging for me is to think that his real end is not so much poverty, but power. He has said he will rule until he is over 100 years old. His family already controls much of the country, including businesses... no complaints of capitalism and "neo-liberalism" there from him.
Violence can never be a means to an end. Equality is a beautiful end to aim for. But instead of using violence as a mean, how about creating opportunities by not spending on pet projects inside and outside of Venezuela, corrupting the army to stay in power, and imprisoning the opposition? How about funding all schools and hospitals, and not just the ones manned by Cuban doctors, who put aside the talent of Venezuelan doctors? Education, health and incentives to the private industry should be the means. I pray to see that day in Venezuela.
*The book is about the Colombian civil war and does not mention Chavez
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