There is no hiding the fact that last Saturday’s march in rejection of the new Education Bill has unsettled the regime’s nerves. In the span of one week, the regime has jailed 12 peaceful protesters, including tonight the jailing of the “Prefecto” of the Metropolitan District (The highest civil authority below the Mayor), as the Government continues searching for Oscar Perez, one of the organizers of last Saturday’s march, who will be charged for nothing more than…organizing it.

And while the only person charged in the attack of the Cadena Capriles reporters is at large, released on his own recognizance, al of these people are being sent to jail, including Prefect Richard Blanco, being sent to the Yare jail, the same one where Hugo Chavez was sent to after his 1992 bloody coup attempt.

And this is now state policy as clearly oulined and defined by the ineffable and fascist Prosecutor Luisa Ortega, who threatened to jail those “citizens that march for any motive”, altering peace with the only purpose of destabilizing the Government. Truly remarkable fascist logic by the person in charge of defending the country’s laws.

In fact, as if this was not enough Ortega suggested that marching and protesting may even be considered civil rebellion, which carries a penalty from 12 to 24 years.

Of course, when a peaceful opposition march is attacked by Chavistas hiding at a school (on a Saturday?) in San Cristobal, nothing happens. This does not create panic or fear. I imagine in the Prosecutor’s fascist mind, the marchers deserve the treatment. It’s the new “Double Way” of XXIst Century Facism in Venezuela.

And as if this was not enough, even passive criticism of the Government is now being persecuted, as in the case of the medical doctor who dared suggest that four people had died from swine flu at her hospital and may be charged with “providing false information…which may cause panic or anxiety in the population”. (She is not the first one to question Venezuela’s numbers on swine flu which are considered to be statistically quite low)

This is all aimed at intimidation: Organize a march, you may be sent to jail, speak against the Government, you may be sent to jail, write criticizing the Government, I may be sent to jail.

It’s a new phase, the criminalization of protest and dissent, a continuation of the dictatorial and fascist ways that the robolution has been implementing more and more as its popularity drops and the economy coems apart at the seams.

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