Hugo Chavez's answer to Disney World: Libertador Land
Hugo Chavez is known for invoking the name of Venezuela's liberator, Simon Bolivar, in everything from speeches to his political movement. Next step in the Bolivarian revolution? A theme park.
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez is seen at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, on June 26.
Ariana Cubillos/AP
• A version of this post ran on the author's blog, Caracas Chronicles. The views expressed are the author's own.
Since its beginning, the Chavernment [Chavez government] has exploited Venezuelan historical figures for its own benefit. From action figures to cheap TV movies and even Chinese satellites named after them, Chavismo has always tried to push the narrative of a permanent struggle for independence into all walks of life.
So, what is left to do with the “Venezuelan heroes” theme? An amusement park, of course!
The Tourism Ministry announced that is working on the first stages of a new theme park to be located in Campo de Carabobo, place where the final battle of our fight against the Spanish is remembered. The park would be part of the so-called “Ruta de los Libertadores”.
At least, the idea sounds more viable than a Formula 1 circuit inside Caracas…
– Gustavo Hernandez Acevedo is a writer for Caracas Chronicles, the place for opposition-leaning-but-not-insane analysis of the Venezuelan political scene since 2002