really nice :)

I've been there, only a few days as a turist, but enough time to realize how complex things are over there.

On one hand Chavez has been the first president who created real social programs for the population using oil extraction proceeeds. On the other I found militar control and governative propaganda a little bit too suffocating for my "liberal" taste...

About the video: good work :-)

While much of the apparently large community of Venezuelan ex-patriots here in Panama is made up of wealthy individuals who fled with their assets, the several that I know are humble, good natured folks who work harder and more reliably than anyone I've ever seen in Latin America. They universally hate Chavez, and many were deeply saddened by the recent election.

I understand that things are complex down there, and that too many people were ignored and mis-treated for too long. The current regime is not 'the solution' however. I think the Hollywood celebrities hob-nobbing down there are especially ridiculous...there is little 'liberal' about an autocratic, all controlling government, whatever their social programs.

@kellar42 You can use the word "regime" for Cuba (and many other countries) not for Venezuela. I can agree that their democracy is imperfect (which one isn't?) but the majority of venezuelans is for Chavez and they voted for him.

An article worth reading: http://truth-out.org/news/item/12074-independent-observers-venezuelas-election-a-model-of-democracy

greetings people.

Thank you Vitaliy for correction on Cuba. I certainly won't tollerate such nonsense about one of the most democratic, revolutionary, nations in the world today where ordinary people are voted in and run the country. Yes, Ive been to Cuba blahblah blah but most importantly I have made efforts to understand the revolution and the peoples struggle- which is an international one. See

(*edit- i directed the above film in 2009/10)

OK Venezuela - critics should least allow people in Venezuela to decide their own sovereign future of their own nation - otherwise you have totally failed.

Im from Britain (I sent a video team to make this film, im the director/editor) but I am inspired by how ordinary people are now organising against neo-liberalism, capitalism and imperialism in Venezuela. It has taken many many many years to achieve this. If you are a capitalist of course you wont like it. Im sure Venezuelan capitalists hate it the most, and international banking cartels! Haha.

Im inspired to see so many open minded comments here tho - an understanding about Venezuela is building up around the world and this film is part of that fight. Bravo.

About the film technically.

xenogears - the audio was recorded into a external recorder 60% of the time, especially for interviews. It was a Tascam DR05 and the mic used is a Sennheiser cheap chinese copy of a 416. Other audio was recorded in camera - the top mic on the GH1 is really great for a built in mic! Better than the ones ive used on a Sony Z1 or EX1 I think.

The lenses used were Canon FD 50mm, a generic c-mount 25mm and Panasonic 14mm-45mm. We had a more lenses with us, including Canon FD 28mm and 135mm, but never got used due to hectic nature of traveling around and the 'crew' in fact being a one man team with an interviewer/journalist helping sometimes.

Tripod used was a EI-717C - which is very good by the way for about £220 ($300). Has a nice mini fluid head on it and its light and not too big, plus it extends quite high.

Any questions - ask away!! Technical or political - ill try answer! :)

L

@leftedit I love Cuba for many things (education, healthcare, etc. etc.) but when cubans will be allowed to leave the country and get internet access w/o asking for permission, or when judges, magistrates and public officials in general will not be under the strict government control, I'll call Cuba a democracy.

No hard feelings, I'm just a liberal :-) Please respect my point of view.

If they like it, good for them. The middle class and educated have been leaving the country, so that should help as well. :)

Cubans will have a simpler and more accessible system from January 2013 to leave the country (dont know full details but looks interesting). This was due to a popular referendum held a few years back where millions of people gave their suggestions for changes in society. If this is not democracy - what is (consider its meaning, 'people power').

Up until now the Cuban govt did not allow people to easily leave and enter due to people leaving the country for economic reasons once they have received their university level education (paid for by the state- which is not cheap). I.e. people going to work as a doctor in the US where you are paid $200,00 per annum and medicine is a business not a human right like in Cuba. The US can only pay its doctors this kind of money because it controls the medicine industry and the world economy. Etc. Cuba is a victim of this - which in itself is immoral and Cubans must defend themselves.

This phenomenon is known as 'brain drain' and effects all oppressed economies in the world and is a massive factor which fuels underdevelopment and distorting economies.

Also the US has the 'Cuban Adjustment Act'. I suggest you read into this before going off on one about points of view and what is and isnt democracy. Mexicans get a bullet in the head at the border, Cubans get a warm welcome (well, at least presented with that, which is actually a lie).

Surely they are all just undesirable Latinos, right? Wrong. You have to ask yourself why that might be. And whilst you do that ask why the US has held a repressive blockade on the Cuban economy for 50 years.

In regards to 'internet access without permission' - what do you REALLY know about this? This is not a fact. I know many people who go on Facebook from Cuba now, and I have friends who email me freely and we discuss lots. You do not need permission, but yes a war is being waged against Cuba every day by the right-wing Miami mafia in collusion with the US govt. I would not be concerned if they were monitoring activity but so far very little signs of this - infact the blockade repressed Cuban - blocking them from certain websites by default (paypal, ebay, youtube afaik).

Besides this, Cuba has been blockaded from real broadband access due to the illegal US blockade. They have had to access internet through a satellite system which is slow and has to be load balanced so universities and institutions get priority. Did you even know about this? Perhaps.

Go figure. Its the USA and Europe which are introducing the most repressive backwards internet legislation to control the flow of information. Not Cuba.

@kellar42 Yes the bridge coming from La Guaira to Caracas have many years has been redone. But if you think to come to Venezuela, be sure to have a very big assurance.

Dammit, those autocorrectors on android.. jejeje; yes is insurance.

Just talking about the Venezuelans I interact with everyday. I'm sure they're biased, they don't live in Venezuela anymore for a reason, but their stories are interesting, nonetheless.

@Tron

How media can dumb people. With all this "socialist dream" stuff.
Guys, you live in half broken capitalism that had been working only because good planning and good social programs, and now, due to fundamental issues both planning and social programs fail. Any further attempt to go with famous Austrian school recipes and it'll be just horrible disaster of enormous proportion.