Through the eyes of a sick man

World Social Forum Closing Ceremony
see all photos »

My partner and I were in Caracas for the World Social Forum of 2006.

Given the left wing press on Venezuela, particularly Chavez’s socialist allegiances, concern for the poor and stance against US oil interests, we had expected something more akin to a socialist utopia. This was perhaps foolish but while aware of the countries poverty we had the impression that social infrastructure had been put in place to render life a little more tolerable than what it actually is.

Least welcoming

A talk on Independent Media
see all photos »

In Caracas we found people to be the rudest and least welcoming of all the places we have been to in Central and South America. This is possibly because in Caracas, more than any other place, poverty is so grindingly bad that being kind to white, bleeding heart westerners just isn’t a high priority. Another explanation is that they assumed we were American. That most foreigners were in the city for the World Social Forum, with the intent of in some way working together to improve the state of things, didn’t seem to have any impact.

Puppet Performance at the Social Forum's Youth Camp
see all photos »

Admittedly, I was very sick during my time in Caracas. This may have effected my perception of things substantially.