It all started with a World Cup...

Exile is sometimes simultaneously both good and bad. Last month has been more on the bad side of my pseudo-exile*.  My independence always weighed more than patriotism, though I probably became more patriotic over the years, while becoming so detached from any state that I fought each fight that convinced me to fight for. 

As a journalist I witnessed so many movements challenging authority, some won, some were repressed, some died, some changed to the dark side...but I missed the only movement I have always dreamt of, a heterogeneous urban apolitical uprising against injustice, born in my city. 

As it grew, I became more anxious and sad that I was not a part of it. The moment I settled down in a place with a job, a man, a dog, and an awesome apartment that was built with so much love and memories, people finally decided to react to the ongoing repression. 

I often think that an uprising of that magnitude would happen over here, as it almost did in early 2000, lasted until 2006, and suddenly disappeared in this continent. I fought for indigenous rights, land reform, labor, environment, abortion, gay marriage...Imagine my sense of feeling useless and far when there was a fight that actually was mine. 

A wise man told me that it is not what or who you fight for, principals count. Still think he invented this thought because he once went through what i am going through now and wanted to feel better about it. 

Over the last 3 weeks i came to accept my situation and i am capable of doing at this moment. Tweeting, writing, and thank god of those Brazilians who started a similar movement right here in my arms reach, i am once again observing a brother/sister who is fighting for rights, and i am here to report on it as i always do. 

Hasta la victoria siempre! 

Venceremos! 

* I am not exiled, yet, it is an unconventional immigration, immigration for education and experience, not for economical reasons. I decided to go back a couple of times, if only something like this happened right then, i probably would have moved back. Kismet! as we say in Turkish, mine seems to be on this side of the hemisphere. 

World without Hugo

Charismatic and controversial, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was without a doubt the most influential Latin American leader of his generation. 

Our paths crossed for the first time in Canada, during the Presidential meeting of the Americas. I was a university student protesting the meeting, he was a recently elected President, the only among 37 that were inside the building who stand tall to US's new foreign policy, the FTAA...this movement later became my Master's thesis. I did not know back then I'd almost owe my career to Chavez. 

He was inspired by Latin American (Venezuelan) independence hero Simon Bolivar, and was a true son to Fidel Castro. When I lived in Cuba I saw him quite often, he visited Fidel, attended May 1st ceremonies, protests against the US, concert, what not.  While the oil prices rose in the world, he got richer, richer and richer. He nationalized the private oil industry in his country. He started distributing his money to the poor and those who needed a lot. Such as Cuba. He became in a way Cuba's savior. Cheap oil from Venezuela rescued Cuba's failing economy. Cuba paid its debt to Venezuela by sending  thousands of health workers, teachers, athletes, etc  to support  Chavez's social project for the poor. Venezuelan students flock to the island to study. Poor and unhealthy were treated in Cuban health facilities. Venezuelan and Cuban people became allies. Cuba once again was not all alone in the world. 

Since Hugo Chavez came to power in Venezuela in 1998, left-wing leaders who struggled to win elections in this continent started to become more and more popular, they began finding it hard to lose. Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru - all voted in left-wing presidents of varying shades, all inspired to some degree by Hugo Chavez.  World called it a s"pink tide" in Latin America.  Chavez's policies were more on the bright dark pink, rest of them did not go as far as him. They did not have to. Brasil chose a different path with Lula. Lula pulled his country from deficit, debt and corruption to become world's 4th strongest economy, so prosper that they lend money to IMF and to Portugal.

Chavez and his best friends/allies President Evo Morales of Bolivia, Rafael Correa of Ecuador and Fidel Castro even started an alternative economical front called ALBA, "a bolivarian alliance for the Americas" , an economical block that will help member countries to prosper and grow without depending on international funds or development programs with hidden agendas. Aside from ALBA, The Union of South American Nations (Unasur) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) were all founded as part of the drive for regional integration. While Chavez was building institutions and blocks, my Master thesis was growing with new information and novelties. When I graduated, there was a left-wing south american spring was dominating the world. 

After I moved from Cuba, I thought I would not see much of Chavez, but i was wrong. He became a good friend of Nestor and Cristina Kirchner in Argentina. He bought millions of dollar worth bonds to save the country from its economical crisis. Nestor became a heroic president, thanks to him. After his death Chavez mourned together with entire nation. Today we are mourning for Chavez. It is a very sad day for Latin America indeed. 

He also became friends with actors and directors. Sean Penn and Oliver Stone, his close buddies even made  a movie about him.