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| quote: | Originally posted by George Smiley
As for the media, that's your second mistake. You claim it is being "systematically shut down". Nonesense. Absolute garbage. What you are referring to is the decision by the government (who have every right according to law) to not renew RCTV's licence for the channel 2 frequency, because they wanted to use it as a public channel as that frequency can reach more homes than any other. RCTV can continue to broadcast on cable or satellite, and has therefore certainly not been "shut down" as you mistakenly claim. The case of RCTV is what your media base their accusations of "media censorship" on. Not true. The opposition control most of the media and they are allowed to get away with activities that would see them in jail in your country (they organised and plotted the 2002 coup ffs!)
Back onto your claims about Chavez "consolidating power". You don't even know there was an opposition boycott in the last elections. Can you see why, an opposition desperate to seize power (by a military coup no less) might want to boycott elections? It is so idiots like you can suck up the media lies about Chavez undemocratically seizing power by "placing" his supporters in Parliament. If there were only pro-Chavez parties standing in elections, tell me how much of a control would Chavez have? 100% - democratically. This is a dirty ploy by the opposition, just like the decision NOT to take the government to court over RCTV (which they probably could have won) as they are trying to create the impression in countries like America that Venezuela is a dictatorship, and if you are any indication of the gullibility of the average American to suck up all the bullshit fed them by the right-wing media then it just makes the undemocratic opposition in Venezuela's job that much more easier... |
Come now. Chavez's consolidation of power in the Venezualan Presidancy is far more insidious than even Bush's consolidation of power in the executive branch ... and that says a lot. Are we saying that because Chavez has a mandate due to elections that he has the legitimacy to do what he's doing??? Let me remind you that Bush has a democratic voting mandate to make decisions so does that mean his consititutional erosions are legitimate? Do you really think that adhering to semantics of "not renewing a liscence" holds up to a fair assessement of what is actually going on?? Chavez has been one of the MOST anti- democratic advocates of south america over the past decade and evidence for that is not hard to find. Or are the concerns expressed by the EU, humans rights watch, etc., all baseless? This isn't even close to being the first crackdown on the opposition by Chavez.
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Ch�vez changes channels
May 29th 2007 | CARACAS
From Economist.com
The president closes a critical TV station
Reuters
IN THE ultra-modern, digital newsroom of Radio Caracas Televisi�n (RCTV), a message taped to a room-divider reads: �If you�re looking to buy consciences, ours are not for sale�. RCTV�s journalists are unable to broadcast their news programmes in the normal fashion since the channel was taken off the air just before midnight on Sunday May 27th. President Hugo Ch�vez decreed last December that there would be no more television concessions for what he calls �fascists� and �coup plotters�. His supporters argue that the concession expired on Sunday and was simply not renewed. The channel�s owners and staff, along with many human-rights organisations, see the move as revenge for their critical editorial line.
Channel 2, where RCTV had broadcast for more than half a century, is now home to a new government-run channel. Gone are Venezuelans� favourite soap operas, the world�s longest-running comedy show, �Radio Rochela�, and a breakfast talk-show called �The Interview� that has earned its outspoken anti-Ch�vez host, Miguel Angel Rodr�guez, a stream of insults and threats from sources supporting the president. Polls suggest that an overwhelming majority of Venezuelans oppose what they consider as interference with their choice of viewing.
On Sunday and Monday many took to the streets, and to the airwaves�or at least, those that are still open to dissenting voices. That means, primarily, Globovisi�n: the 24-hour news station is the only remaining anti-government channel. Students from Caracas�s main universities, and others across the country, braved tear-gas and plastic bullets from riot police. They were joined by journalists and, in a remarkable show of solidarity, by soap stars and news anchors from RCTV�s rival, Venevisi�n. Its boss, Gustavo Cisneros, caved in to government pressure several years ago and removed anti-Ch�vez commentary and news items from his station.
Mr Ch�vez won re-election last December, after nearly eight years in power, with more than 60% of the vote. Since then, he has taken a sharp turn to the left, in a bid to install in Venezuela what he calls a �21st century socialist� regime. But many of his own supporters oppose the closure of RCTV. The second-largest party in his parliamentary coalition, the social-democratic Podemos, refused to attend a recent session in support of the decision. Party sources say that not one of its legislators agrees with the closure of RCTV. International reaction has scarcely been more encouraging for Mr Ch�vez.
On Monday the European Union expressed concern that the non-renewal of the concession took place without any open competition for a successor. Germany called on the Venezuelan government to respect the principle of press freedom. Non-governmental organisations such as Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists have all condemned the move. Carlos Laur�a of the CPJ called it �a predetermined and politically motivated effort to silence critical coverage [which] sets a chilling precedent.�
RCTV, along with Venezuela�s other TV channels, are not without blemish. In April 2002, when Mr Ch�vez was briefly ousted in a coup attempt, they blacked out news of protests that helped to restore him to power. And their role as behind-the-scenes power brokers has often distorted their coverage. But the government�s growing number of media outlets, both broadcast and print, pump out an unremitting diet of pro-Ch�vez propaganda, belittling and even slandering opposition figures on a daily basis. Moreover, the government holds all the regulatory powers, as well as controlling the Supreme Court, whose rulings seldom challenge its interests.
Has Mr Ch�vez made a significant miscalculation, which could affect his apparently firm grip on power? Enrique ter Horst, a lawyer and a former UN deputy high commissioner for human rights, says Mr Ch�vez remains strong but that, �he clearly overestimated his forces in this case�. The circumstances �open a new chapter� in the country�s political crisis.
Mr Ch�vez seems to have two options: a further crack-down on dissent, or to ease up on the revolutionary accelerator. A legal move on Monday to prosecute Globovisi�n for allegedly hinting that the president should be assassinated, by Venezuela�s information minister suggests that the government does not plan to climb-down. If so, tension is sure to rise.
http://www.economist.com/world/la/d...FTOKEN=40151358
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