raph, thanks for your kind comments. To be honest after having done my research on the issue, I obviously now have an opinion on the situation and who are the bad and not so bad guyes in Venezuela today. Looks like the constitutional court ruled out wednesday an early referendum and that Jimmy Carter is proposing a reasonable constitutional-based outcome.

I hope the "opposition" won't try to escalate the crisis, that the lockout will cease (it's not a strike as it is commonly understood, the bosses closed the shops and factories, part of the employees are still paid...) and that a democratic and constitutional vote will end this dark story in August without too much blood spilled.