Venezuela's Chavez widens attack on opposition media

herekitty · #1 05-30-2007, 11:22 AM

Venezuela's Chavez widens attack on opposition media - Yahoo! News

Quote:

By Christian Oliver Wed May 30, 7:52 AM ET

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday called opposition news channel Globovision an enemy of the state and said he would do what was needed to stop it from inciting violence, only days after he shut another opposition broadcaster.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans marched in Caracas in a fourth consecutive day of protests over Chavez's closure of the RCTV network - a move which has sparked international criticism that the leftist leader's reforms are undermining democracy.

State television showed hundreds of government supporters marching in downtown Caracas celebrating Chavez's decision.

"Enemies of the homeland, particularly those behind the scenes, I will give you a name: Globovision. Greetings gentlemen of Globovision, you should watch where you are going," Chavez said in a broadcast all channels had to show.

"I recommend you take a tranquilizer and get into gear, because if not, I am going to do what is necessary."

He accused Globovision of trying to incite his assassination and of misreporting protests over the closure of RCTV in a manner that could whip up a situation similar to the coup attempt against him in 2002.

U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said Washington called on Venezuelan authorities "to reverse these policies that they are pursuing to limit freedom of expression."

Since coming to power in 1999, Chavez has won the support of the nation's poor majority with a multi-billion dollar social spending program, financed by the nation's oil revenues, that helped him win a landslide re-election last year.

But his critics say his moves to centralize power, politicize key institutions like the military, judiciary and oil industry threaten democracy. He is forging a single governing party, ruling by decree and considering abolishing limits on how many terms a president can serve.

CLASHES OVER CLOSURE

Given this trend, political analysts had considered the existence of a critical media as the principal safeguard against Chavez following the lead of his communist mentor Cuban leader
Fidel Castro.

After RCTV's closure, Globovision is the last main opposition media in the
OPEC nation, but it does not have nationwide coverage.

Chavez has had a long-running feud with opposition television channels, which openly supported a coup against him in April 2002 and refused to show the massive mobilization of his supporters that turned the tide back in the president's favor.

RCTV's closure on Sunday has led to intermittent clashes between protesters hurling bottles and stones and police firing rubber bullets and tear gas.

The mayor of metropolitan Caracas, Juan Barreto, said up to 187 people had been detained during the protests, mainly students. He said 19 police had been hurt, one surviving a shot to chest thanks to a flak jacket.

Globovision Director General Alberto Ravell told Reuters the charges against his channel were "ridiculous" but added he was worried by the government's offensive.

"If this government, with one stroke of the pen, closed the oldest television station in the country (RCTV), that has been on the air for 53 years, how will it not be able to shut this station which is far smaller," he said.

"This is a country with a single party and a single trade union. Now it appears there is going to be a single channel."

Chavez told Venezuelans to be on alert in case protests turned into a coup attempt against him. He called particularly on the poor shantytowns to repeat the support they showed for him during the coup attempt of 2002.

"Be alert, on the hillsides, in the shantytowns," he said.

(Additional reporting by Brian Ellsworth and Arshad Mohammed in Washington)

kesh · #2 05-30-2007, 11:29 AM

oh noes how is everyone gonna watch Quién Quiere Ser Millonario?

how much is a million bolivars worth anyway?

HighClassHo · #3 05-30-2007, 12:10 PM

I think they are on a steady road to a dictatorship. It's weird, dictatorships had ended on latinamerica.

I love his anti american stance, LOVE IT, but when you start censuring the press, that's it.

The world is rotten and everything starts over and over and over, the same bullshit, and it's beyond me. I can't do anything about it.

herekitty · #4 05-30-2007, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighClassHo

I think they are on a steady road to a dictatorship. It's weird, dictatorships had ended on latinamerica.

I love his anti american stance, LOVE IT, but when you start censuring the press, that's it.

The world is rotten and everything starts over and over and over, the same bullshit, and it's beyond me. I can't do anything about it.

agree with most of this.

This story also reminded me that US is just better at hiding our censorship of the press. We do it too, it's just not as open here.

never was · #5 05-30-2007, 10:58 PM

i actually think chavez is on some sort of slow self destruction, like he enjoys coups made against him so he sought of encourages them along. im only half-joking, because his leadership is the sort that needs a lot of friction and animosity. i mean i am not a huge fan of the guy outside his entertainment value, but i find it funny how everything he does is massively scrutinised (and righty so), yet the 'opposition' launch violent coup attempts which arent really mentioned. overall, he is more progressive than the guys he took over from, he just looks like he is in danger of becoming a bit too like his mate fidel. i wonder what would happen if the bbc or abc openly supported a right wing coup in their respective countries? i would assume the whole organization wouldnt go, but a lot of the people would.

i did laugh at the US govt guy complaining about dictatorial tendencies in a latin american country though; what a keen sense of history he must have...

herekitty · #6 05-30-2007, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by never was

i actually think chavez is on some sort of slow self destruction, like he enjoys coups made against him so he sought of encourages them along. im only half-joking, because his leadership is the sort that needs a lot of friction and animosity. i mean i am not a huge fan of the guy outside his entertainment value, but i find it funny how everything he does is massively scrutinised (and righty so), yet the 'opposition' launch violent coup attempts which arent really mentioned. overall, he is more progressive than the guys he took over from, he just looks like he is in danger of becoming a bit too like his mate fidel.

i did laugh at the US govt guy complaining about dictatorial tendencies in a latin american country though; what a keen sense of history he must have...

it's interesting, in case anyone doesn't know me, I'm about as far from a fan of the Bush administration as you can get, but this first paragraph you've written could almost be about Bush. That is, his every move is (rightfully) scrutinized these days (should have been long before) but his opposition from within this country has traditionally been ignored. Of course, there were no coup attempts on him that I'm aware of, but they did make a movie about the one on Chavez. & obviously, Bush is about as progressive as my grandmother so that part doesn't apply to him.

But yes, I actually find myself agreeing with HCH here when he says everything starts over and over. It doesn't seem to matter which side of the political spectrum a person falls on, dictatorial tendencies do not appear to discriminate.

I would laugh at anyone in the US govt complaining about dictatorial tendencies in South and central America too if it weren't so tragic. I'm afraid I just can't do that yet. I might never be ready to do that actually. Not even if it wasn't mostly our fault.

creez · #7 05-31-2007, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kesh

how much is a million bolivars worth anyway?

it's the money alejandro gave me to produce el Topo.

never was · #8 05-31-2007, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herekitty

But yes, I actually find myself agreeing with HCH here when he says everything starts over and over. It doesn't seem to matter which side of the political spectrum a person falls on, dictatorial tendencies do not appear to discriminate.

I would laugh at anyone in the US govt complaining about dictatorial tendencies in South and central America too if it weren't so tragic. I'm afraid I just can't do that yet. I might never be ready to do that actually. Not even if it wasn't mostly our fault.

it's laugh or cry for me i suppose.
i think the reason it doesn't discriminate across the political board is that the state tends to centralise power, so no matter what political beliefs a leader may have, when they embrace a 'personal style' of leadership during which they become more closely identified with the actual state apparatus, things hedge towards the dictatorial. it's the logic of late modern states i think

HighClassHo · #9 05-31-2007, 02:33 PM

Venezuela is slowly moving to a centralized goverment. I think he's going to abolish mayors and stuff. He's a dictator time bomb.

longshot · #10 05-31-2007, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighClassHo

I think they are on a steady road to a dictatorship. It's weird, dictatorships had ended on latinamerica.

I love his anti american stance, LOVE IT, but when you start censuring the press, that's it.

The world is rotten and everything starts over and over and over, the same bullshit, and it's beyond me. I can't do anything about it.

THAT'S what totalitarian means. Chavez is no better or that much different than GWB. It's 'permanent revolution' - but the poor stay poor -- like a 'caste' of po' folks who are meant to stay so angry and desperate that they will fight -0- for charismatic half-truthers like Chavez. there's a larger picture. It's no fun, though.
There's almost no real difference between Socialism and Capitalism. One hand washes the other - and capitalist Dictator Bush and Socialist Dictator Chavez BOTH rely on the ignoranceo fthemasses -- as a military industrial complex. All their belligerent talk sells guns and other military supplies. So much for 'one big union.'

never was · #11 05-31-2007, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by longshot

There's almost no real difference between Socialism and Capitalism. One hand washes the other - and capitalist Dictator Bush and Socialist Dictator Chavez BOTH rely on the ignoranceo fthemasses -- as a military industrial complex. All their belligerent talk sells guns and other military supplies. So much for 'one big union.

the only difference is between the differences they see in the respective roles of the state and the market,

Cyclona · #12 05-31-2007, 10:43 PM

OH MY GOD - I seriously don't have time to go on a diatribe about this. But the station which Chavez FINALLY revoked the license on was privately owned and the owners are anti-Chavez. They would routinely broadcast to overthrow the DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT of Chavez, which, whether or not you like his politics, is EXACTLY WHAT HE IS - DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED!! It's akin to ABC or NBC broadcasting newscasts which tell viewers to overthrow the government of George W. Bush! It's LUNACY! The station in question would also CALL CHAVEZ A MONKEY and make other racial remarks routinely because he's not a white, puppet president who lives in Miami!! Chavez could have cut them off ages ago, but he simply didn't renew their broadcast license.

Cyclona · #13 05-31-2007, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighClassHo

Venezuela is slowly moving to a centralized goverment. I think he's going to abolish mayors and stuff. He's a dictator time bomb.

He FUCKING IS NOT. He will retire at the end of his term. Chavez has instituted a system of participatory democracy which has given voice to the MAJORITY of the population who are poor (why - Vzla is an oil rich country!!!) and have been ignored for decades upon decades. 80% of the Vzlan population live in poverty, ie slums, which LINE the mountains when you enter Caracas. These people have JOBS, the make the Vzlan economy function they are the working class. He has acknowledged indigenous peoples in the consitution, given power and voice to women, created free healthcare clinics in th barrios, instituted literacy programs for the street kids and illiterate adults - what with OIL MONEY! How fucking shocking!!! he is spending Vzlan oil money on the Vzlan population. Is THAT SO FUCKING TERRIBLE AND THREATENING TO ALMIGHTY BUSH????!!!!
WAKE THE FUCK UP ALREADY.

How come NO ONE gave a rat's ass when white, puppet Vzlan presidents were in power year after year, siphoning off oil money so them and their friends & family could have multiple yachts, multiple homes in various countries, ridiculous wealth. WHY? Because that kind of corruption in South American countries is ENCOURAGED by the United States. God forbid if an elected South American government actually invested in their own goddam country!!!

herekitty · #14 05-31-2007, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyclona

OH MY GOD - I seriously don't have time to go on a diatribe about this. But the station which Chavez FINALLY revoked the license on was privately owned and the owners are anti-Chavez. They would routinely broadcast to overthrow the DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT of Chavez, which, whether or not you like his politics, is EXACTLY WHAT HE IS - DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED!! It's akin to ABC or NBC broadcasting newscasts which tell viewers to overthrow the government of George W. Bush! It's LUNACY! The station in question would also CALL CHAVEZ A MONKEY and make other racial remarks routinely because he's not a white, puppet president who lives in Miami!! Chavez could have cut them off ages ago, but he simply didn't renew their broadcast license.

Aren't there laws against calling for an overthrow of the govt which would prevent them from making such statements in the first place?

I don't live in Venezuela so I don't know what to believe exactly, however, I take issue with your characterization of the situation as being akin to US stations calling for the overthrow of Bush. Bush was not democratically elected.

Cyclona · #15 05-31-2007, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herekitty

Aren't there laws against calling for an overthrow of the govt which would prevent them from making such statements in the first place?

I don't live in Venezuela so I don't know what to believe exactly, however, I take issue with your characterization of the situation as being akin to US stations calling for the overthrow of Bush. Bush was not democratically elected.

Venezuela is divided between pro-Chavez and anti-Chavez. The PRO-Chavez are the majority, but they are the poor. The Anti-Chavez are the elite, wealthy people. THAT is why the great majority of Vzlans who have LEFT Vzla all slag Chavez, because they have money and could buy an airline ticket/move away. The elite are accustomed to a lifestyle of privilege and the things (free healthcare, participatory democracy, breast milk banks, microcredit, communal gardens) Chavez has instituted threaten that privilege.

There are laws, but the private individuals who own tv stations don't give a fuck. The opposition in Vzla doesn't even have a party name (for ex. Republicans, Democrats in the US) they just hate Chavez, they cannot get it together enough to engage the process ie, form a proper party and offer up a candidate to challenge Chavez, they just hate Chavez blindly. They want their old culture of entitlement back. THEY WILL NEVER GET IT. The population has been educated. Chavez prints literature and gives it away (Don Quixote, Garcia Marquez) for free.

I must point out that in the unsuccessful coup of April 2002, the first thing the opposition did when they temporarily overthrew Chavez, was to ABOLISH THE VZLAN CONSTITUTION!! IE. an attempt to remove people's rights. Oh like that was a good idea.

And hahaha yeah Bush...democratically elected.....NOT!

I don't live in Vzla either, I'm in Canada. The media is quite skewed over here as well, which is even more shocking to me as we are supposedly more socialist than the USA. But anyway I've been to Vzla lots and the changes I've seen are truly unbelievable, anyone who tells you Chavez is bad or a dictator, they are clearly from the elite minority and want futilely, their old privileged lifestyle back.

herekitty · #16 05-31-2007, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyclona

I don't live in Vzla either, I'm in Canada. The media is quite skewed over here as well, which is even more shocking to me as we are supposedly more socialist than the USA. But anyway I've been to Vzla lots and the changes I've seen are truly unbelievable, anyone who tells you Chavez is bad or a dictator, they are clearly from the elite minority and want futilely, their old privileged lifestyle back.

I never believed he was bad or a dictator before now. I'm not even sure what I believe now, but I am uncomfortable with the way he handled things. It seems there are lots of people protesting against his shutting the station down too, and I wonder why that is. Surely if the elites are too lazy to form their own party, they wouldn't be out in the streets nearly causing riots?

Cyclona · #17 05-31-2007, 11:18 PM

Globovision should have stuck to what they did best which was to broadcast soap operas. Instead they chose to insult the government year after year and continue to make racial remarks towards Chavez and just go too far. They were NOT neutral. Chavez is acting completely within his rights to revoke the licence. He knows exactly what he can & can't get away with, he will always follow the constitution. Globovision is owned by a gangster Cisneros and he's just a last bastion of the old privileged ways.