Barbiegate: Could a toy bring Chavez down?

Apparently, Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez can find the time to ponder about the toys that children should be using to play.

Last Sunday, on his weekly program "Aló Presidente" (Hello President), he expressed his contempt for Barbie and Ken, saying that these toys represent "a disgusting stupidity" and proposing endogenous toys instead, which, in his own words, would be wood rocking horses and “llaneros” (Venezuelan cowboys) for boys and rag dolls for girls. According to Chavez, Barbie and Ken are imperialism products that alienate children, since little girls feel frustrated if "they don’t look like Barbie".

Leaving aside any consideration about Chavez’ management skills of relevant issues and concerns, which obviously are nonexistent, and Chavez' own doll fun fact, we can be sure that he’ll be firm in his intention of imposing a unique point of view, his, since he considers himself the sole interpreter of the people. It appears that this controlling trend will continue in the future, leaving history and reality apart in order to reach even the most private aspects of citizens’ lives.

Will the Government act on these ideas? That is what Venezuelans are asking themselves these days. Will be American toys importation prohibited by Xmas? What have Mattel and the rest of toys manufacturers to say about this?

I’d like to see how kids will react to this year´s good old Gramp gift, who last year gave them that Tickling Elmo they have been asking for so intensely each time he brought them to the Sambil (one the most popular Caracas' mall) and this year decide, being a loyal "chavista", to obey and fulfill Chavez´ desires by delivering wooden toys to his grandchildren, specially now when kids have very sophisticated tastes. I think that, having the freedom to make a choice, very few will follow Chavez’ line of though, even his staunchest supporters, because deep down opposing to the States per se feels very unnatural in a country where the American way of life is still a closer concept that communism.

The truth regarding this story is that maybe every Venezuelan woman has played with these toys in their childhood. I know for sure that my sister and cousins did, as well as my mother and aunts. Maybe it has to do with every girl dream of becoming a participant in the most famous beauty pageant of the country: Miss Venezuela; maybe not. I also have seen every Christmas how adults (parents, grandparents, you name it) look forward to gift kids whatever they want (as long as they can afford it, of course) since that has been always the holiday spirit.

How could you pretend to change that overnight, such a profound thought? I don’t think that the Government is naïve at all: the historical evidence is there and they know the answer for sure: there is a fixed core, a fundamental set of believes and feelings that cannot be touch without causing a great reaction in people. Knowing this, it becomes obvious that Chavez now has to decide whether he goes that “extra mile” in order to bend wills everywhere in the name of the Revolution, or better wait a few more years to see results from more subtle ways of persuasion.

Family and tradition, what happens when you affect them? Would this apparently silly situation become Chavez’ biggest faux pas yet? I don’t think that an eventual embargo on toys not complying with the President’s criteria would arise national turmoil caused by rioting anger parents who cannot get what their kids want, since people have confronted worse situations without unrest. But, since this is, by far, the most surreal period that Venezuela has lived, anything is possible. I have to admit that thinking of Chavez as the President overthrown by a Barbie doll is, at least, very therapeutic.

We´ll have to wait in order to see the final outcome, but in the meanwhile, we are sure that “El Comandante” will keep worrying Venezuelans and entertaining the rest of the world with another jewel of enlighten wisdom. As we write this article probably Chavez’ staff is coping with the implementation of his boss’ orders, wondering if Woody, the cowboy from Toy Story, would qualify as a “llanero” or not.