Author: Michel Baljet

"I am Michel Baljet, a Dutch journalist and researcher. My travel has taken me across continents and into conflict zones, where I was regularly in the right place at the wrong time. I am driven by the desire to discover the truth and provide impartial reporting, even if that means immersing myself completely in the most challenging landscapes of our society. I am currently in a period of medical rehabilitation. Despite this temporary setback, I remain resolute in my work, using this time to write about current events and share thought-provoking pieces from my extensive archive. As always, I stand ready to dive back into the wonderful waste heaps of our society as soon as I am able to do so again.
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Analysis: Venezuela is terminal

The end of Venezuela's "revolution" is in sight. The demand of a large part of the people to be freed from a hopeless existence and unbearable suffering is increasing. But what is the alternative?

On to a military state

Like former President Chavez, who eventually died of cancer, his country is incurably ill. Soon, Venezuela will also be put out of its misery. It is still unknown whether this will be done through euthanasia, or whether a natural course will be chosen. Meanwhile, the demand of a large part of the people to be delivered from a hopeless existence and unbearable suffering is increasing. But what is the alternative?

Corruption is culture

Corruption in Venezuela is a culture handed down from generation to generation. It is in all walks of life and is the cause of much suffering. From Chavez who enriched himself into a billionaire during his presidency, to members of the Guardia National assisting in illegal smuggling of gasoline and food merchandise. But even before the revolution, corruption was a cultural legacy. For example, former President Raúl Leoni (1964) used $10 million of public money to have the driveway to his home refurbished, among other things, and in 2008 Wilson, a confidant of Hugo Chavez, was apprehended with $800,000 at an airport in Argentina. Over 22 billion was transferred to foreign bank accounts during Chavez's time. Half of this money has never been accounted for or recovered to date.

The worthless money.

Venezuela the country with the most oil reserves in the world is currently suffering from hyperinflation. Since July, the price of oil has fallen by over 42 percent, prices of products go up sometimes as much as daily and the currency is worth almost 30 times more on the black market than the government gives for it. In addition, shortages in basic products, medical products and spare parts are increasing. 

It is accepted that hours must be spent in queues for supermarkets, that there are gross shortages, and that, due to a shortage of medicine, for example, many people are dying unnecessarily. In between, the power of the military is growing and President Maduro's popularity is declining at about the same rate as the value of oil and the value of money. The largest banknote of the 'Bolivar Feurte' or the 'Strong 'Bolivar' today has a value of 45 euro cents converted.

December is going into the books as the most violent month of this year. Robberies, and with them fatalities, are on the rise, perpetrators are rarely caught, and when they are, they end up in the overcrowded prisons.

On to a military state

Things are not bad everywhere in Venezuela. In the military, for example, you'll be fine. Where in the rest of the country people sometimes wait half days at the supermarket the (higher) military know no food shortages. For a country that has not had a war in over 100 years, the government is investing heavily in the armed forces. In 10 years, the number of generals has grown from 50 to 4500 and Venezuela invests roughly $6 billion a year in new weapons (mostly from Russia with whom they made a deal for $4 billion in two years). This is separate from what Venezuela invests in new buildings and the like.

The life of a military man is not bad. Recently, when on Dec. 1 the entire country received a 15 percent pay raise, the military received a 45 percent raise. In total, over the past 15 years, military personnel have received over 500 percent wage increase received. In May the government bought 20,000 new passenger cars for military personnel while the normal people were only allowed to import 7 cars for the entire country in August. Where many construction projects are at a standstill, military personnel are being offered seaside housing (3,000 homes this year) and where no bank is lending anymore, military personnel can get a 100 percent loan through their own military bank on a car or home financing.

In between, the political power of the military is also growing. For example, currently 1/3 of all ministers and half of governors are military or ex-military. This also includes the current vice president.

War has not known Venezuela for the past century, so President maduro does not need his 300,000-plus troops and 400,000-man militia for that. These are currently being used to nationalize "capitalist" companies allegedly run by the "economic terrorists" and to violently contain demonstrations. There may not have been a war all this time, but the army has been involved in a coup d'etat (attempt) seven times in the past 50 years . With the choices of investment in the military, Maduro clearly shows where his friends are.

Journalists

Of course, with repression such as is going on in Venezuela comes the curbing of press freedom. Venezuela rose to 2nd place last year as the country most likely to be attacked or killed as a journalist. In this, Venezuela graces the list under list leader Ukraine but wins the battle with China and Libya. While Maduro continues to claim that most of the press is not owned by the government, recently almost all newspapers have been bought by the government or friends of the government. Paper shortages have forced other newspapers to stop printing. Critical journalists are fired, jailed or intimidated. Media outlets with a critical tone face sky-high fines and are branded media terrorists. A bill is ready in which the coalition party will have the power to issue press cards. Maduro also knows how to deal with nasty Twitterers. Last year, at least seven ended up in jail.

The end is in sight

Many have seen a default coming for a long time but do nothing about it. Besides the fact that confidence in the revolution is still high, the protests specified moment did not help either. Critics and opposition leaders were arrested and the people settled for repression and gave up the fight.

While Venezuela had the lowest financial rating ever got, the queues for supermarkets got bigger, the money less became worth but, the price of products becoming more expensive by the day and crime only increasing, state TV continues to repeat the highlights of the revolution.

To make matters worse, last week Venezuela's best friend went strange with the country's greatest enemy. Cuba and America appeared to have spent 18 months secretly negotiating mutual ties. It seems this also came as a surprise to Maduro. He had to follow the news via CNN.

The question is not whether the Venezuelan Revolution dies, but when it does. We will not have to wait long for it; indeed, it is likely that something will happen in the first quarter of 2015. There is no solution to hyperinflation, falling oil prices and mounting debt.

Since the current opposition leaders are detained or currently under criminal prosecution by the current government, and thus the opposition has been driven apart, a political alternative to the current government seems impossible at this time. Chances are that Chavez's daughter, Maria will make a bid for power, but it is more plausible that "the powerful military" will make a bid for full power, with all its consequences.

I do not foresee a quick solution to the current problems in Venezuela. Because of the entrenched corruption and different powers, it will take a long time before a new "real" leader will rise up and show guts enough to fight the disease called "Corruption.

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From unemployed hipster to UN Security Council member

Maria Gabriela Chavéz, the daughter of Hugo Chavéz, was recently appointed to the 15-member UN Security Council. This is the first job in Maria's life. How did Maria go from party girl, to member of the UN?

Maria Gabriela Chavéz (34), born March 12, 1980, is one of the five children of former President of Venezuela Hugo Chavéz. In the years before Chavéz's death from cancer, Maria was considered a "First Lady. She had a leading role in Chavéz's life. Maria, who dropped out of her first degree program for unknown reasons, then finished studying journalism. She spent the rest of her 34-year existence living her Paris Hilton-like hipster lifestyle with world travel and partying. As of Jan. 1, she is part of the UN Security Council -as one of 15 members- and will spend the next two years co-deciding on issues such as Ukraine, ISIS and terrorism.

The rice queen

Uncontroversial Maria is not. Most recently, she was linked to import corruption from Argentina, earning her the nickname "the rice queen. By keeping the price of imported rice artificially extremely high, she is said to have made millions while Venezuela's food shortages mount. There are voices saying that one of the reasons for her appointment to UN is the additional diplomatic immunity she gains from her position.

Her home, the palace

Image: Instagram

Unlike Jacqueline Kennedy (wife of assassinated President J.F. Kennedy), who left the White House within two weeks of the assassination (without having an alternate home address), Maria has continued to live in the presidential palace "La Carsona. As a result, current President Maduro lives in the vice president's house on an army base.

While Venezuela is burdened by huge deficits, hyperinflation and growing crime, the palace where Maria is staying has a swimming pool, cinema, gym, dance hall and bowling alley. Maintenance costs are around $300,000 a month. She has been living there for more than 15 months. Several complaints have already been filed by neighbors due to noise pollution from parties held at the palace. In addition, a number of delivery services no longer want to deliver food due to unpaid bills.

Maria's sister, Rosa Chavéz, coincidentally the wife of the current vice president of Venezuela, also lives in the palace "La Carsona.

Jetset

In addition to using the palace, Maria still uses the president's private plane and the presidential security force, which numbers 5,000.

The UN Security Council consists of 15 members. 5 permanent members and 10 non-permanent members appointed for 2 years. To get on the Security Council, Venezuela has needed the support of many of the South American countries. Her seat on the Security Council will most likely be next to that of Venezuela 's arch-rival America. As recently as 2006, Chavéz made then-President Bush out to be the devil. When it became known that Chavéz was suffering from cancer, it was alleged that America gave it to him.

The power of Cuba

With close ties to Cuba, much of Maria's input is expected to come directly from the Castro family. The international studies department at the University of Venezuela recently publicly rejected Maria's appointment. In addition, many critics question whether she is the right person in the right place.

Other rumors circulating are that Maria's appointment may be a promotional ladder, as Maduro's popularity is declining considerably, to around 30 percent. Once Hugo Chavéz expressed in an interview on national television that someone from his bloodline will become the new leader of Venezuela.

Social media rock star

Maria is a rock star on Twitter and Instagram. With nearly one million followers on Twitter and large numbers of followers on Instagram, she played a big role when her father was president. Many of her tweets include selfies with celebrities, parties, pets and, of course, those with her father Hugo Chavéz. Time will tell if she is cut from the right cloth for her first job. 

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Venezuela: The powerless 'monopoly' millionaire

Dutch hotel owner in Venezuela Frank is fretting. He would like to return to the Netherlands, away from the corruption and hyperinflation. But it can't be done.

Image: Guy Van den Branden

He sits quietly but looks ahead somewhat confused and sad. In his - self-created - safe environment, he ponders his opportunities, or rather, his lack of opportunities. He is now the king of the world with his hotel, staff and piles of money bills, but outside these walls he is a poor Dutchman, whom we will call Frank for now. Years ago, when Frank invested his millions earned from his discos in Brabant in Venezuela, he couldn't believe his luck. Now that the country is in crisis and slipping, he wants to leave with his daughter. But it's too late.

Frank is getting older and is somewhat forgetful, sometimes so much so that I fear he is suffering from dementia. But the memories of those days are still there. The young wild years, doing everything God had forbidden. The most beautiful girls, the friendliest people, being able to go really far away and disappear into the jungle for a time.

But now many of his friends and acquaintances have left decaying Venezuela and others have died. Sometimes from natural causes, but also from drug shortages or crime. Ideally, Frank would also like to leave himself and his daughter back to the Netherlands, but his riches from here are worthless there. Frank: 'I am a monopoly millionaire.'But trading in dollars and euros is officially forbidden

Twenty times as much for the same money

Venezuela is going through a major crisis. Giant inflation of almost 64 percent and deficits on almost everything you can think of. Crime and high corruption are raging like a hurricane over the country. Where the government of Venezuela values the exchange rate of the dollar at just over 6 Bolivars, you currently get almost 130 bolivars for it on the black market, more than 20 times its original value. Two weeks back this was hovering around 100 bolivar, but now the black market seems unstoppable. The bolivar you earn can't be exchanged for dollars because that's government-run, and certainly not at the government-established exchange rate of 6 bolivar.

In addition, because of the shortages, you can't get rid of them either; there is almost nothing to invest in. There are no new cars anymore and building materials are scarce. If anyone sells anything at all, they often want dollars or euros for it and certainly not Bolivars. But trading in dollars and euros is officially prohibited.

An empty lot, that's where it started. After his snack bar and other businesses in Venezuela, he was ready for something else. In the following years, his millions - earned in the Netherlands - flowed into the construction of his hotel. Through his ignorance or perhaps his naiveté, he lost much of his money to empty promises. Now, twenty years later, he is still building his hotel. At least, he is trying to. Twenty rooms have been operable for years, and five more are still to come.

His hotel is luxurious, especially by Venezuelan standards. The smallest room costs half a Venezuelan monthly wage per night. Due in part to lack of competition, his hotel is full almost every night, especially on weekends. Cleaners, night watchmen, builders, receptionists, cooks and his family are on the payroll. Love with his wife has been far from what it used to be for some time. He has a daughter and adopted son.

The dangerous Venezuela

The beautiful hotel is an oasis of calm in polluted, dangerous and "on the verge of collapse" Venezuela. Within the fences in bubble he created he has everything. Within the almost unimaginably beautiful surroundings, he lives well.

I have known him for six months now; over a beer on the street or a whiskey on his rooftop terrace, he talks bluntly about his life. Problems he has managed to put into perspective. The -by Dutch standards- bizarre situations now seem normal. Frank: "I have to carry a gun when I want to take my daughter to school. But for him it is enough. 'Junk and garbage everywhere, everything is broken in this country. And the increasing crime rate.' He wants to return to his Netherlands. In doing so, however, he runs into a few problems.

His hotel should be run by his adopted son. 'I can't even go on vacation. I have to be here, otherwise it won't be anything here,' says Frank. Dutch money he no longer has. 'What am I supposed to live on? I haven't built up any pension, and I've been away from Holland for a long time.' His Venezuelan monopoly money is not convertible and therefore worthless in Holland. And then his daughter, the real love in his life. She is quiet, shy, and speaks a little Dutch. But studying in Holland, in another world by herself, is that wise?

Tourism no longer exists

'Everybody robs me and drains me, everybody wants to get richer from me.' That has become somewhat Frank's thought about the people of Venezuela. According to him, everything has worsened with the advent of Chavism and will eventually lead to an apocalypse of Venezuela.

Sometimes he calls me in a panic. 'Go fill up there is no more gas.' Or, 'Michel watch out I think they want to rob you.' He is sometimes somewhat panicky. It's something that has grown into him over the past few years.

Foreign tourism has virtually ceased to exist in Venezuela, and with it the arrival of dollars and euros. Only the rich Venezuelan who can afford a vacation remain. Isla margarita looks empty and dilapidated compared to the vacation paradise of 15 years ago. International airlines hardly fly to Venezuela anymore because the government has not paid bills to the airlines for a long time. Government non-payment of bills occurs in all sectors. This is one of the reasons for the huge shortages on medicines, food and other staples.

Inspection for a free room

A government inspection comes regularly to Frank's hotel, but not so much for compliance checks. Of course, they know how to find something to negotiate. Reason for today's inspection is that tonight one of the directors of immigration is in the area; the inspection is purely to force a free room. Which they will get. "What else am I going to do? That's how it often goes at his hotel. Building and housing inspection come because the mayor needs a free room. Police come because a chief needs a free room. Guardia national comes because a general needs a free room.

The future

Things are not looking good for him. The government is not on his side. On the one hand, he is lucky that what is his is still his. It wouldn't be the first time the government has confiscated a hotel, golf course or other what they consider "capitalist entertainment" and made it state property. Last week, President Maduro once again raised taxes on luxury goods by between 15 and 50 percent. In addition, it does not look like the government wants to throw open the currency market in a fair way anytime soon. For now, to keep the people calm, Maduro has raised the wages of the simple man by 15 percent and those of the military by 45 percent.

But inflation is rising, prices are rising fast. And Maduro is losing the simple man. His popularity has fallen to 30 percent. It is also not a question of whether Venezuela, and with it the bolivar, is going to hold out, the question is: for how long?  

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Eddy is dead, tortured and burned alive

I have known Eddy for about six months, my friends for more than 10 years. Eddy, a German man with a beard who was regularly called Santa Claus by children. He was not liked by everyone. He was gruff, stubborn and opinionated but had a genuinely good heart. Eddy is no more; he was horribly murdered. And as with 96 percent of the 25,000 murders every year, this murder will never be solved. Indeed, after his murder, he was also robbed by people in the neighborhood and the police.

In recent years, Eddy lived in Ocumare, a coastal village that has recently suffered greatly from the decline in tourism. His life before that, he had traveled all over the world, and there were many stories about that over a beer. Eddy was well known in Ocumare and somewhat infamous. Eddy dealt in meat and cheese, investing money where it was needed.

25,000 murders a year

Now Eddy is dead; last Saturday they tortured, robbed and set him on fire. Eddy is not alone. In Venezuela, 25,000 people were murdered last year (these are official figures, unofficially the number is higher). 96 percent of these cases are never solved. In the first 10 days of this month, 151 people were killed in the city of Caracas alone. These are only the official figures of corpses that actually arrived at the morgue.

That's where Eddy

In my town there is one 50 km road that goes through the mountains to Ocumare. Sunday morning there was a bike ride which meant I arrived in Ocumare hours later than planned. On the way, the cars of the CICPC (investigation police) and some kind of funeral car were already approaching us. There rode Eddy.

Crime scene investigation.

When I arrive at his house, the police have already left, the gate is still locked but forced on the right side in such a way as to create an entrance. There are people in and around the house. Together with a friend of Eddy's who is already there, I decide to send everyone off the property and have them guard the open gate.

A career in the police was never for me but my distrust of the police investigation here gave me no other choice. I set out to investigate.

The house is a havoc, stuff is everywhere and the fire of the previous night has done its work, it is still warm. Clothes and mattresses are scattered everywhere. But immediately you notice that all valuables are gone: TV, security cameras and 6 motorcycles are nowhere to be found.

The night of the murder.

The perpetrators took their time. They entered through the front door which was protected with a lattice fence. Part of the fence was removed. They found Eddy in one of his bedrooms. The much blood on the floor tells me that they then dragged him to a storage closet. This closet, a kind of large safe in the middle of the house was where Eddy stored everything. His money and other valuables. This is the closet where Eddy was doused with gasoline and set on fire. The adjacent kitchen is full of clothes and paper, little of what was in the closet is left, the fire here got so hot that everything was charred and melted away.

Not only the cameras but also every trace of the security recorder is gone. Among the clutter I find another photo album, and some notes. I decide to take them for his sister, who is currently trying to come here from Germany. 

Late Saturday, neighbors heard Eddy screaming for help. By the time they arrived, it was too late. Neighbors along with the police tried to put out the fire but to no avail.

The corrupt police

Almost all of the missing items were taken by the police "For further investigation." For example, his six motorcycles normally located on the other side of the house were neatly parked in front of the house to be taken away for "investigation" by the CICPC. The cameras were also bolted from their normal spots for examination. Eddy's family will never see this stuff again - it is the early Christmas bonus for the gentlemen of the CICPC.

The morgue

It is late afternoon and I decide to travel back to Maracay, to the morgue where Eddy lies. I hope the body can give me some more clues. The case is sensitive with the police, firstly because it involves a foreigner and secondly because the threats against Eddy in recent years were known to the CICPC but nothing was done. After bribing the person at the morgue, a bag from the cooler is pulled toward me. What is in the bag is not Eddy but a charred piece of meat that has been burned at a high temperature. A body part is missing, possibly lost when they moved him. This was not the last image I wanted of Eddy, but unfortunately it is reality.

Just before his death I had him on the phone; we were to meet the next day.

(This article previously appeared on Blendle)

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Voluntarily incarcerated in Tocoron, Venezuela's most notorious prison

Tocoron is Venezuela's most notorious prison. There are hundreds of deaths every year and really anything can be had there. Weapons, cocktails and even a crocodile can be found within the walls. I willingly allowed myself to be locked up there.

Normally, the access road to the prison that overlooks an open field is deserted. This morning, however, when I arrive with my motorcycle at 7 a.m., the road has been transformed into a veritable boulevard. I park at a sort of secure stall built up for the day and leave my helmet, phone and other belongings with the same people.

It is still early and the gate of the Tocoron prison will not open for at least another hour. Me and my fixer decide to have coffee at one of the temporarily erected restaurants.

7500 prisoners

My fixer is a Venezuelan guy around my age. He has been detained "inside" for a year a relative convicted of armed robbery. Soon he will be my guide, when I will have myself locked inside the walls of Tocoron.

Tocoron is notorious. Hundreds of people a year die there because of violence. Originally the prison was built for 900 prisoners, but today it holds more than 7,500 prisoners, spread over several areas.

To avoid hours of queuing and checking for cash, we decide to bribe the Guardia Nacional (who guards the outside of the prison). Soon, after handing over our ID, we are inside without a check. This will be the last time I see a guard today, because from this point on, guards and authorities are no longer welcome. They will even be shot if they do try to enter.

El Niño Guerrero

Tocoron is led by captives with El Niño Guerrero, or "the Pran," in charge. The feared leader has been keeping the strings tight within the walls of his city for the past several years. He is respected and even considered an icon by many.

El Niño Guerrero and the Pran are nicknames of Héctor Gabriel Guerrero Flores. On Aug. 30, 2012, he and 14 of his accomplices escaped from Tocoron. Later, he was arrested again. However, because he used a fake ID during his arrest, it took three weeks for authorities to figure out that they had already detained the country's most wanted criminal. Upon his return to Tocoron, his iconic status meant he was welcomed with open arms.

As I walk in after the Guardia checkpoint, I enter a boulevard of sorts. I pass a square with live music and a DJ, a swimming pool under construction and several restaurants, stores, bars and a dentist. In front of me, an electrical company made up of prisoners is working on an electrical pole.

Nothing in prison happens against the will of El Niño Guerrero. Therefore, should I do something stupid, it is a problem for my contact inside the walls. Therefore, I am kept under close watch and photographs are taken for me.

Pistols and machine guns

Everything you can think of is available within its walls. From food to electronics and from drugs to weapons. The latter are carried openly within the walls of Tocoron, from small pistols to large machine guns. Every now and then you will see the Pran or his brother riding by on the motorcycles imported exclusively for them.

Tocoron is considered one of the most violent prisons in Venezuela and perhaps on the continent. It soon becomes apparent, then, that the Venezuelan government's claim that all of the country's prisons are disarmed is false. Official figures of the number of deaths per year are not known, but in 2012, according to leaked figures, it would be a good 600.

Crocodile

El Niño Guerrero loves animals, so as we walk further into the prison grounds, we pass a zoo with dozens of types of animals in cages-including a crocodile-and a horse run with about six adult and two younger horses. My contact likes horses so we hang out there for a while.

Slums

The prison consists of different parts. You have the flats at the beginning of the compound, then a giant slum and finally a tent camp. Your status within the walls determines where you end up. The tent camp is actually a small prison within the prison; there is even a fence around it.

My contact lives in the slum, which doesn't really live up to its name because it is one of the better places to live. Hundreds of structures covered in plywood and corrugated iron form streets and neighborhoods. The thin wooden storage boxes in which new Bera engines are transported make up 80% of the building materials.

Three by three

As we walk through the alleys we are closely watched by the armed boys in the checkpoints. My contact's "house" is about three by three meters and is shared with another person. Besides a bed and a clothes rack, he has the luxury of a small air conditioner and a TV. In the corner of the room is a bucket that serves as a toilet, the place is damp and teeming with vermin. This will be my room for the next few nights.

The place is damp and teeming with vermin

We walk around some more and my contact introduces me to some people, shows me their baseball field and we eat something at one of the dozens of primitive restaurants. What strikes me is that even things that are hard to get outside these walls because of the crisis in Venezuela, such as shampoo, oil and bread, are sold here in abundance.

Discotheque Tokyo

Later that evening we meet up with some people I met earlier that day. We meet at Tocoron's nightclub called "Tokyo. Over some cocktails, we talk about their lives inside the walls. Some have been here for years, others are just there. Behind us, the DJ plays music, and standing inside like this, this disco is indistinguishable from a disco outside the walls.

When we go to sleep I share my bed with another while two more prisoners lie on the floor next to me. Before I fall asleep I hear some gunshots nearby. I ask myself what happened again.

Banco Nacional de Tokyo

In the morning I decide to go out before the others. In the alley I sit down among the mud on a small plastic chair. I look around and think about how dangerous it is here. What if there's a fire and what if you get really sick.

Around seven o'clock we walk again. Over breakfast, my contact tells me about the dentist, the prison bank "Banco Nacional de Tokio" and the other businesses that have sprung up on the property over the years. Within its walls, Tocoron is a self-contained city including garbage collection services, a remodeling company and an electrical maintenance company.

The brother's house

Near the entrance to the compound are two large apartment buildings. In the walls of these buildings are hundreds but hundreds of bullet holes, on the buildings armed prisoners stand guard. Most of the bullet holes occurred after a battle a few years ago between El Niño Guerrero and a rival who believed that power should be divided. In an eight-hour battle with pistols, machine guns and grenades, that rival was then eliminated.

Today the apartment is the home of El Niño Guerrero's brother. When I walk into the apartment, it begins to feel like a prison. It is dark, chilly, and the fences make it real. We are watched intently downstairs by the two inmates with machine guns who make up the first checkpoint. The more stairs we climb, the greater the scrutiny becomes. The brother lives on the top floor in a kind of cell-connected multi-room apartment. It is not the nicest place to sit in Tocoron, but then he sits there for the statement, "Only one is in charge.

Amusement Park

I am invited to a barbecue, and we walk along the promenade toward the other side of Tocoron. The promenade, meanwhile, looks more like an amusement park. Prisoners dressed as jesters, sometimes on stilts, are walking around, and balloons and other things are being sold to visitors. Behind us is a dental office, and in front of us the prisoner-run electrical company is working on wiring. A poster from the "Banco Nacional de Tocoron" explains how inmates can transfer money from outside the prison.

During the barbecue, I talk with El Niño Guerrero's father and his sons. He is proud of them. Within the walls, they garner respect and they clearly hold the power. Food and alcohol abound, there is a lot of laughter above all, business is good for El Niño.

Two days after my visit, I read in the newspaper that another person has been killed in Tocoron. Two weeks later, El Niño's brother is released.

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Photo report: Coloctive vs. CICPC (police) - The next day

On Oct. 7, a "shootout" ensued between members of a colectivo and the CICPC (police) in Caracas. This is remarkable because the colectivos never actually have a problem with the police. But that day was different. Some media did not even mention the incident others spoke of 3 or 5 dead, including the leader of the colectivos in Caracas (Odreman), who was a close friend of the politician (Serra) who died last week. Odreman predicted in a statement less than 30 minutes before his assassination what would happen that day. Residents of the apartment guarded by the colectivo speak of being robbed by the police. Reason for me to travel to Caracas yesterday to see what had really happened.

The headquarters of the colectivo is a basement of a 28-story apartment. The colectivo guards this flat; residents pay a 400 bolivar security fee per month for this purpose. The flat is a few blocks from the center of Caracas. When we arrive, the door is closed.

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Across the street the police are ready waiting for what is to come (or not)

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On the sidewalk of the bullet-hole-filled front door is still blood from the day before.

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Let's see if we can get inside to take a look behind the door.

Residents of the apartment speak of the police having robbed them of money, equipment and food during their shootout. Adults and children were allegedly beaten. They take me to show the damage. That means 28 floors by stairs because the elevator doesn't work.

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Statement of robbery :

They find a key for me to open one of the two parts of the basement. The part where some of the colectivos lived. It is indicated that here has already been partially cleaned yesterday. Still, I overtly find traces of yesterday's firefight.

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The kind of Human Rights Watch arrives. Together with this delegation, a representative of the residents, police and a colleague from Venezuelan media, we take a look behind the shot-up front door.

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Residents speak of at least 8 dead. I have not (yet) been able to get a response from the colectivo's. My gut says that this story is not over yet and that after the deceased are carried to the grave, we can expect a reaction of what happened on October 7. Why the police have changed their course of action and are targeting colectivo's like this for the first time in years remains a mystery at this point.

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Who is Carvajal aka "El Pollo" and why does Minister Timmermans order his release?

Not many people had unfettered direct access to Hugo Chavez. Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios aka "El Pollo" (the chicken) did have this. As head of the military intelligence service, he had unlimited resources at his disposal to accomplish his goals. In recent years, several pieces of evidence have surfaced showing that Carvajal had ties to the FARC and Colombian and Venezuelan cartels in addition to using military personnel to transport drugs. Last week, at America's request, Carvajal was arrested in Aruba. Meanwhile, Timmermans yesterday -against a ruling by Chief Judge Yvonne van Wersch- ordered his release and Carvajal has since returned to Venezuela where he has been received as a hero.

Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios was head of the military intelligence service and a confidant of Hugo Chavez between 2004 and 2009. Carvajal was involved with Chavez from day one. In 2008, among others, Carvajal and several others were accused by America of supporting the FARC with the transportation of Drugs, this was denied by Chavez at the time. The disclosure from the Americans came a day after America's ambassador was forced to leave Venezuela because of the U.S. Embassy's alleged involvement in supporting the opposition to Hugo Chavez. Among other things, Carvajal is suspected of having given false identity cards to members of the FARC and Cartels, preventing drug seizures, supporting the transportation of drugs. In addition, he is alleged to have ordered the murder of two people.

Last week, at the request of the Americans, Carvajal was arrested in Aruba with the request for extradition. Carvajal was on his way to Aruba to be installed as Consul General. He was traveling with a diplomatic passport but did not yet officially hold the position of Consul General. Immediately after his arrest, Maduro and the government of Venezuela reacted vehemently to his arrest. Holland was said to be breaking the law. Venezuela immediately took sanctions by banning all air traffic from the islands to Venezuela and vice versa. This sanction was reversed the same day. In addition, the government of Venezuela stepped up the pressure by threatening more sanctions and sent the navy to Aruba.

On July 25, Magistrate Judge Yvonne van Wersch ruled that Carvajal did not enjoy diplomatic immunity, saying "she would not be pressured by anyone and stood by her decision." Carvajal remained detained.

Yesterday, Carvajal was released from the KIA prison where he had been held for the previous four days. During a press conference last Sunday, Aruban Minister of Justice Artur Dowers and Chief Public Prosecutor Peter Blanken announced that Dutch Foreign Minister Timmermans had ordered Carvajal's release. In addition to the release of Carvajal -because he will enjoy immunity- it was immediately decided that he is a persona non grata and will not be welcome in Aruba for the rest of his life. This ruling goes right against the ruling of Chief Judge Yvonne van Wersch; it is unclear at the moment how Timmermans made this decision and/or whether he was allowed to make it. Whites called Timmermans' choice "Surprising."

Carvajal was immediately picked up by a private plane after which he was met upon his return home by his own family n Maduro's family. He was received as a hero in Venezuela

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Venezuela: San Antonio prison: Drugs, sex and... Salsa

On Isla Margarita just outside the capital city of Porlamar stands the San Antonio prison. From the outside it looks like a -gate locked by guards and -the fence watched by snipers-, like any normal prison in Venezuela. Appearances are deceiving.

Once you are through the gate there is no trace of what you normally find in a prison. In this little paradise over 2,000 prisoners live like gods. Guards you do not see, from the gate the prisoners are in charge. In charge is "Teófilo Rodríguez" aka "El Conejo," a former drug trafficker.

On weekends, the gate is open and outsiders (family, friends and visitors) are welcome to visit people or use the pool, nightclub or other facilities offered by the prison.

The government recognizes the problem but fights for their position within the prison system. Corruption does not help them achieve their goal here. As an example, only 2.5% of the people who complete subsidized studies to work in prisons actually work in prisons. The remaining 97.5%.... who usually find jobs in the private sector or in the criminal circuit.

San Antonio is no exception among the prisons here in Venezuela. However due to the large overpopulation of prisons (as many as four times in some prisons), and the lack of control, it is estimated that at least 1% of all prisoners die from violence on an annual basis.

In between, the minister in charge of prisons and former drug trafficker "El Conejo" maintain an intimate and personal relationship as seen on a surfaced photo

San Antonio has everything you can find in a small town in Venezuela, actually more than that. A swimming pool full of girls in bikinis, with people on the edge sipping imported whiskey, a restaurant, a BBQ and a nightclub. The cool air-conditioned cubicles have satellite dishes, flat screens and every other piece of equipment you can think of. You have a hairdresser, a store and the trade of illegal drugs and modern weapons.

Giovana Vitola and reporter for SBS dateline recently published a reportage made with her iphone about San Antonio. The 12-minute reportage is worth checking out. view

(Photo from SBS dateline)

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Venezuela: more and more less

The shortages in Venezuela are beginning to take on extreme proportions. Besides the shelves of stores getting emptier and emptier, the price of what is still there getting higher and higher, production is at a standstill in many areas due to a shortage of raw materials. A solution? It is not yet in sight.

The "No hay" or "None" sign is still displayed in front of the gas station as I drive past the long queue in front of it. They are lucky because a tanker truck has arrived with gasoline, but you will have to be patient for a few hours until you get through the queue. I guess they leave the "no hay" sign up for convenience because after today it could be some time before the next truck comes.

After an hour of driving on the pothole-filled road I run into the next traffic jam fortunately I can easily drive around it with my bike until I am stopped by the reason for the traffic jam. The road is blocked off with tree trunks and branches, behind the branches groups of young and old are protesting because they have not had water in their village for a long time, "no hay." When, after half an hour, the Guardia Nacional puts an end to the demonstration, I continue on my way.

On either side of the road, large hotels stand empty and dilapidated like small ghost towns. They show off like memorial stones that help remind you of the days of tourists who were once there but now avoid Venezuela or cannot enter the country due to a lack of planes. I doubt I shouldn't have filled up earlier today after all because so far I haven't come across any working gas stations. I stop at an alternative small family eatery on the side of the road, I don't ask for the menu because due to the shortage of products none of the eateries and restaurants handle a menu anymore. The meal of the day is chicken with rice and brown beans.

New cars and motorcycles have hardly been sold there for some time, and the price of used cars has tripled in few months, in some cases exceeding the original new price. The supply of parts is almost at a standstill and more and more cars are coming to a standstill on the side of the road because of that shortage. The lines for the increasingly rare battery sales spots are getting longer and longer.

Construction is at a standstill and where there is still construction it is harder and harder to get building materials, where you are lucky you pay the top price and for the normal man and woman this top price is prohibitive.

The minimum wage of a Venezuelan who does have a job is 4050 bolivar. With the official exchange rate this amounts to just under 400 euros per month, with the black market exchange rate where the euro is not worth 11 bolivars but 108 bolivars this amounts to 40 euros per month.

But with 4050 bolivars you have to make do. Recently the government raised the minimum wage by 30% however since then some prices have risen to as high as 300%.

When I walk into a supermarket I mostly see empty shelves or aisles full of shelves with the same products. Coffee, milk, water and oil I am not going to find here. For that I have to go on a scavenger hunt for a place without a "No Hay" sign and probably another long queue.

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Venezuela 1: The mothers are in charge.

When I got there it was fairly tame, yet immediately there was a tense atmosphere. People were on the lookout, some of the previous day's barricades were still there, and at the end of the street I could see the army's armored vehicles standing by. Still, my guide told me, today was quieter than usual: the counter-demonstrations last weeks have had their effect on people in the neighborhood. They are tired, but mostly scared. "What is a stick and tin we have against their weapons? We can't resist that!". As we pass the "military site" sign, we walk into the neighborhood where he grew up.

Earlier that day, I took a walk around the plazas in San Cristobal, Venezuela, engaging in conversation with several supporters and opponents of the current government. Emotions run high here when it comes to politics, but over a beer you can say (almost) anything. At a time like this, it doesn't really matter if you are for or against. Downtown, everything is relatively quiet and daily life, the market and everything else goes on as usual. `

My guide, (let's call him Eduardo) and I walk further into his neighborhood, he talks full on about the neighborhood where he has lived all his life, does sometimes lower his voice volume, and looks around when he starts to talk, for example, about his decision to want to leave Venezuela because of everything that is happening now and to flee to Colombia.

The neighborhood knows each other, and although there are relatively many criminals in Eduardo's neighborhood, relatively little happens. It's because of the so called "do not touch" - us knows us line that runs outside the neighborhood. What you do out there is up to you, but you don't piss in the neighborhood you live in.

As we walk through we hear the constantly approaching gunfire in front of us, I am told that this is a small uprising on the outer ring of the neighborhood. In between, they rebuild the barricades - removed by the army - and the fathers stand guard on the roofs of the house. We are told several times that it is not wise to continue. We regularly pass groups of busily discussing women.

Eduardo has guts, the student in ICT who has hardly interfered with what was happening in the neighborhood recently. For two reasons he states; "my sister who lives with me and my future" as an ICT student he is largely dependent on the government for work. Yet, he wants to show me everything and talks openly about the pros and cons and lets others from his neighborhood do the same.

I was glad that it was fairly quiet on the street this first evening, it gave me time to talk to everyone in peace there were also several times when I was reminded that these few days of rest (since last Thursday/Friday) was not a sign of weakness. "Sometimes it is better to withdraw for a while, only to come back stronger." Life in the neighborhood continues, but is at a standstill in some areas, some schools are closed and the supply of food was already difficult and is not getting any easier because of the barricades.

What struck me most is that "the mothers are in charge." The protesters do not easily flinch at anything but if mom says it's done, it's done and not otherwise. So far the mothers do not believe this so the demonstrations will continue, or not increase. If it is up to the mothers it is not finished with the resistance to what they see as a great injustice. The mothers, and with them their demonstrators, are far from tired.