Updated
Some days ago the Chinese in the Venezuelan city of Barquisimeto marched to protest the lack of security in the city. They had been the target of numerous kidnappings and other crimes for quite some years now but the murder of Jian Kong Zhen, a young entrepreneur, was the last straw.
Those Chinese are usually people who do not find their way in places such as Shanghai or Guandong and look for opportunities abroad, whether it is in Lesotho, in Venezuela, in Spain or Sweden. The Chinese government usually keeps a low profile when it comes to its citizens abroad. Chinese expats tend to build upon very close networks and solve their issues without too much publicity. It really has to be pretty bad for them to protest in a foreign country. We are talking not about Venezuelan citizens of Chinese origin but mostly Chinese people who have been just some years in the country. Even they got fed up and decided to protest.
And now notorious minister for tourism, Alejandro Fleming, says there is an international campaign to create a negative image for tourism in Venezuela. In his "Bolivarian-military" logic, the fact US citizens are among the most frequent foreign tourists to Venezuela is paradoxical.
A Chávez honcho does not seem to understand the US is the most populated country in America, its population has a high income level and it is absolutely normal then that it would represent one of the main sources for tourism in any American country. What Alejandro Fleming does not seem to grasp is that US tourists - or German tourists or tourists from most of the world - are less likely to visit Venezuela than almost any other South American country.
It seems Alejandro Fleming hasn't taken a normal bus after 8pm in Venezuela. Actually: I don't think he ever took a bus in safe Europe, where he was driven in a nice Mercedes while he stayed there as ambassador for Venezuela.
If Mr Fleming took a bus in Venezuela after 8pm or if he really were to walk around after 8pm without his bodyguards he would know why even the Chinese are protesting in Venezuela.