Bolívar Exhumation Continues to Cause Stir

In a post last month I wrote briefly about Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's decision to exhume Simón Bolívar's remains. This bizarre action continues to draw the attention of international press. Late last night, the New York Times featured the story on the front page of the online edition, and cited several possible reasons for the exhumation:

The exhumation could serve multiple purposes. If Mr. Chávez can say Bolívar was murdered in Colombia, he could try to use that against Colombia’s current government, with which Venezuela’s relations are cold, while reinforcing his longstanding claims that Colombians and others are plotting to assassinate him.

It would also allow Mr. Chávez to rewrite a major aspect of Venezuela’s history. The president already closely identifies himself and his political movement with Bolívar, renaming the country the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, his espionage agency the Bolivarian Intelligence Service and so on. Portraits of Bolívar hang alongside Mr. Chávez’s in federal government offices.

This country’s intelligentsia fixates on Bolívar’s legacy and the use of Bolívar not just by Mr. Chávez but by rulers stretching back to the 19th century. (go to original article here)

Like the above quote, the following cartoon, published on July 24, 2010 in the Spanish paper El País, also references Chávez's increasing obsession with Colombia:

The cartoon description reads: "After breaking ties with Colombia, Hugo Chávez seeks advice from his mentor Fidel Castro:"

Hugo Chávez (left): "Hey Fidel, how have you managed to stay in power so long?"
Fidel Castro (right): "I didn't unbury Martí."

Cartoon Artist: Erlich

Of course, the cartoon Castro is referring to José Martí, one of Cuba's national heroes. It appears the cartoonist believes Chávez's move may backfire -- if it hasn't already.

This ongoing controversy reminds me of the book Death of the Father: an anthropology of the end of political authority, edited by John Borneman. The book looks at Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan and East European Communism, and offers a compelling discussion on the death of political leaders and how that death is represented (think of the embalming of Lenin, for example, or the execution of  Mussolini and his lover).

I am sure we will continue to hear a lot about Colombian-Venezuelan relations, as well as Hugo Chávez, especially with the release of "South of the Border," the new Oliver Stone documentary on leftist Latin American leaders.

Hugo Chávez Has Bolívar's Remains Exhumed

Caption:
"Venezuela. President Hugo Chávez gets quite a surprise when exhuming the remains of Simón Bolívar."

Artist: Erlich
Appeared in El País (July 18, 2010)

Hugo Chávez has always exalted certain figures -- Che, Castro, Simón Bolívar -- in political speeches. In fact, he is the self-proclaimed leader of the "Bolivarian Revolution." But the news that he has exhumed the remains of Simón Bolívar is a bit over the top. Public exhumations and burials of former national heroes during one's time in office always seem to augur an increase in state control; often, they are an attempt not to remember, but conveniently forget, certain aspects of the past for one's own political gain. The question "who owns the bones?" comes to mind. In this case, the particular "father-son" drama being played out is quite intriguing. If Chávez can claim that Bolívar was murdered, it will no doubt help him justify his "revolution" even further and provide him with more photo opps. for the sort of public, melodramatic weeping he enjoys, even on Twitter!

In the cartoon above, it would appear that we are looking at the skeletonized hand of Bolívar, giving Chávez the middle digit. This is because although Chávez has exalted Bolívar's image throughout his time as "President," many say that Bolívar would not have shared the former's policies.

From: BBC News

17 July 2010
Venezuela's Chavez exhumes hero Simon Bolivar's bones

The remains of South American independence hero Simon Bolivar have been exhumed in Venezuela to determine the cause of his death nearly 200 years ago. 

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ordered Bolivar's tomb be opened because he suspects he was murdered.

Most accounts maintain Bolivar died from tuberculosis in Colombia in 1830.

Mr Chavez announced the exhumation of his hero on Twitter, saying he "wept with emotion".

"What impressive moments we have lived tonight. We have seen the bones of the Great Bolivar!" he tweeted from the national pantheon in Caracas.

"That glorious skeleton must be Bolivar, because his flame can be felt. Bolivar lives!" he added.

'Important discoveries'

 More than 50 experts including criminal investigators and forensic pathologists have been examining the remains to see if Bolivar was the victim of a conspiracy rather than disease, according to Venezuela's attorney-general, Luisa Ortega Diaz.

"We have important discoveries that will be announced to the nation at the appropriate moment," she said.

The exhumation comes as Colombia has accused Venezuela of tolerating the presence on its territory of the main Colombian leftist groups, the Farc and the ELN.

Relations between Mr Chavez, an outspoken socialist, and the conservative government of Colombia have deteriorated in the last two years.

Mr Chavez has rejected Colombia's accusations.

Known as "the Liberator", Simon Bolivar led the 19th Century revolutionary war against Spain, winning independence for Venezuela and several other South American nations.

The Venezuelan president claims him as the inspiration for his "Bolivarian" revolution, though some historians say Bolivar would not agree with Mr Chavez's socialist policies.