¡Los mirones son de palo!
¡Los mirones son de palo!
That’s a popular Venezuelan saying. It literally means that the onlookers are made of wood/sticks. The phrase is usually used during gambling games like dominoes or truco (or any other card game). It is a strong warning for anyone trying to coach a player who is about to lose some money. Even if there is not much money involved or even if there is no money at all, an onlooker meddling with a play or strategy is considered ((in gambling circles) a capital offense, serious enough to provoke ugly fights that may end tragically.
It is usually easier for the onlooker (without the pressure of the player or with an advantageous view) to anticipate certain outcomes and see or plan a better course of action. If the onlooker has experience and happens to be a good player, the frustration and sense of impotence usually makes them make some mistake and say what no one wants to hear. Gambling is not the only scenario in which we are compelled to be the mirón de palo. We play that role in many other aspects of our lives.
For immigrants who have fled their homelands and see their host toying with political decisions that would surely make them lose, it is particularly frustrating to play dumb. Nobody wants to be seen as an ill-omened bird or a prophet of disaster. However, some experiences should not be discarded a priori, especially if people expect different results by doing the same thing that caused a disaster someplace else.
Venezuelans around the world face the dilemma of playing the mirón de palo. They were not heard in Argentina, Perú, or Chile. Chances are they will not be heard in Colombia. Colombians will choose shortly between the lesser evil, unfortunately. Not an easy spot to be, especially for those who have seen populism and promises of social justice unfold.
It takes defeat to build character. There is winning in losing if lessons are learned, but in politics, like in dominoes some hands can be unpredictable, especially if you’re not a good player or the opponents are shrewd. Sometimes it takes an onlooker to give you a hint to avoid a greater loss, if only those onlookers were not of sticks.
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