Jimmie Angel is one who defends
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
Carolina Maffia
Photo Armando Rivas



The leadership of Guyana Viva described as an outrage to continue "changing the identity of a people" Ciudad Bolívar .- The political organization called Viva Guyana to a Guyanese no longer accept the changes that "presidential whim" are made the identity of peoples.

The statement was made after President Hugo Chávez asked the majestic waterfall known as the Angel Falls are renamed Kerepakupai-Meru, its original Indian name.

Ines Leon, a spokeswoman for the organization, was explicit in questioning the president's decision by whim, only because it was discovered the majestic waterfall by the American aviator, Jimmy Angel.

He said that although so ancient that has been settled in that community Pemon natural park, "was Jimmy Angel when circumstances and eventually landed in the zone to make it known to everybody."

"El Salto Angel is mankind's natural heritage since 1994, and was discovered in 1932," he recalled.

He said that the world's highest waterfall is 980 meters, of which 800 are from falls in length, that are configured as the main tourist attraction.

Defense popular
"Even when we have to continue to accept the changes to our whims identity, culture and folklore," he said the leader, who appeals to the sense of the adjective Guiana and cultural sensitivity and social support to preserve the identity of this people.

He stressed that the changes are sufficient landmarks name, referring to the hydroelectric power station "Raúl Leoni" Guri, whose name was changed to "Simón Bolívar" and the town Raúl Leoni, Angostura now, so he invited the Guiana on a crusade for the preservation of heritage values, culture and identity.

It is possible that the replica of Jimmy Angel's plane at the airport in Ciudad Bolivar is removed, then the position taken by the Government.

"Jimmie loved to Venezuela"

California .- The niece of U.S. adventurer Jimmie Angel said he was saddened that President Hugo Chávez has decided to rename the Angel Falls, highest waterfalls in the world, the original indigenous appellation.

This drop of water got its present name in honor of American pilot, who discovered the rest of the world from his plane in 1933.

Karen Angel, Angel's niece who is in charge of Jimmie Angel Historical Project in Arcata, considered that the name should remain the same because it was he who announced to the world cataracts.

"Jimmie Angel loved Venezuela and its people. Undertook missions to help the indigenous Pemon Kamarata Valley, "said Karen Angel in an email. "My position has always been that Jimmie Angel Falls unveiled to the world, and therefore the 'discovered' in that context."

The waterfall, one of the major attractions of the country, is 979 meters (3,212 feet) and a continuous fall of 807 meters (2,648 feet).

Chavez: "One could say that was the first who saw from a plane ... but how many millions of indigenous eyes saw, and I prayed. "

Karen Angel said pemones living in the area does not use the name that Chavez has selected. She says that recent studies using the name Angel Falls or other indigenous name, Churún-Vena.

"(Chavez) should want people outside to go see the falls," he wrote. "Tourism to the falls is the main source of income for pemones. (AP)