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In reply to the discussion: Venezuela looks to S.American leaders as toll hits 20 [View all]Zorra
(27,670 posts)25. Venezuela is not Ukraine
Venezuela's struggle is widely misrepresented in western media. This is a classic conflict between right and left, rich and poor
The current protests in Venezuela are reminiscent of another historical moment when street protests were used by right-wing politicians as part of an attempt to overthrow the elected government. From December of 2002 through February 2003, there was strike of mostly white-collar workers at the national oil industry, along with some business owners. The US media made it look like most of the country was on strike against the government, when, in fact, it was less than one percent of the labor force.
The spread of cell phone videos and social media in the past decade has made it more difficult to misrepresent things that can be easily captured on camera. But Venezuela is still grossly distorted in the major media. The New York Times had to run a correction last week for an article that began with a statement about "The only television station that regularly broadcast voices critical of the government " As it turns out, all of the private TV stations "regularly broadcast voices critical of the government". And private media has more than 90% of the TV-viewing audience in Venezuela. A study by the Carter Center of the presidential election campaign period last April showed a 57 to 34% advantage in TV coverage for President Maduro over challenger Henrique Capriles in the April election, but that advantage is greatly reduced or eliminated when audience shares are taken into account.
Although there are abuses of power and problems with the rule of law in Venezuela as there are throughout the hemisphere it is far from the authoritarian state that most consumers of western media are led to believe. Opposition leaders currently aim to topple the democratically elected government their stated goal by portraying it as a repressive dictatorship that is cracking down on peaceful protest. This is a standard "regime change" strategy, which often includes violent demonstrations in order to provoke state violence.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/04/venezuela-protests-not-ukraine-class-sturggle
The current protests in Venezuela are reminiscent of another historical moment when street protests were used by right-wing politicians as part of an attempt to overthrow the elected government. From December of 2002 through February 2003, there was strike of mostly white-collar workers at the national oil industry, along with some business owners. The US media made it look like most of the country was on strike against the government, when, in fact, it was less than one percent of the labor force.
The spread of cell phone videos and social media in the past decade has made it more difficult to misrepresent things that can be easily captured on camera. But Venezuela is still grossly distorted in the major media. The New York Times had to run a correction last week for an article that began with a statement about "The only television station that regularly broadcast voices critical of the government " As it turns out, all of the private TV stations "regularly broadcast voices critical of the government". And private media has more than 90% of the TV-viewing audience in Venezuela. A study by the Carter Center of the presidential election campaign period last April showed a 57 to 34% advantage in TV coverage for President Maduro over challenger Henrique Capriles in the April election, but that advantage is greatly reduced or eliminated when audience shares are taken into account.
Although there are abuses of power and problems with the rule of law in Venezuela as there are throughout the hemisphere it is far from the authoritarian state that most consumers of western media are led to believe. Opposition leaders currently aim to topple the democratically elected government their stated goal by portraying it as a repressive dictatorship that is cracking down on peaceful protest. This is a standard "regime change" strategy, which often includes violent demonstrations in order to provoke state violence.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/04/venezuela-protests-not-ukraine-class-sturggle
I find it very disturbing that so many DUers are supporting another RW coup attempt in Venezuela. It's like cheering on a Teabaggers coup of our government.
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Yes, they are. But the overwhelming majority, despite current problems, are far better off
Zorra
Mar 2014
#48
No kidding. No sneaky kittens on that one. Would help put the situation into proportion. n/t
freshwest
Mar 2014
#54
Do you agree with Maduro that the Obama administration is behind the problems in Venezuela?
Zorro
Mar 2014
#14
And 'anticipatory orgasms' in common parlance is a sexual faux pas, I think. I don't think DUers
freshwest
Mar 2014
#53
Why is it always the CIA? Why not the Koches. Exxon, Chevron, whoever? Why a middleman?
freshwest
Mar 2014
#18
Maduro is in way over his head. He needs no help in running his own country into the ditch.
Ikonoklast
Mar 2014
#11
All of this in one year... It wasn't that crazy under Chavez, was it? TIA. n/t
freshwest
Mar 2014
#19
Chavez was a national hero, and the RW had no real possibility of a coup while he was
Zorra
Mar 2014
#23
Compared to Chavez, Maduro is a big step down. It's too bad when a country depends on one leader.
freshwest
Mar 2014
#24
I'd prefer to let President Maduro explain it to you, in detail, in his own words.
Zorra
Mar 2014
#52
"I'd prefer to let President Maduro explain it to you, in detail, in his own words."
EX500rider
Mar 2014
#61
Observing that they did not have sufficient governmental infrastructure or regulation - and it can
freshwest
Mar 2014
#28
The demonstrations aren't going to stop. The ones doing the killing are wearing uniforms
MADem
Mar 2014
#31
"The latest fatalities were a police officer who succumbed in hospital to a gunshot wound..."
Comrade Grumpy
Mar 2014
#39
Yes, and the previous eighteen (correction 21) were students and their supporters.
MADem
Mar 2014
#40
Here's two more dead: A National Guardsman and one of those motorcycle guys.
Comrade Grumpy
Mar 2014
#70
Maduro has told the colectivos (the armed motorcycle guys who shoot the students)
MADem
Mar 2014
#72
Chavez paid the bills, and thus had fewer problems keeping the shelves stocked, at least somewhat.
MADem
Mar 2014
#30
This is what I always thought. They could train their people to do everything. There should be no
freshwest
Mar 2014
#55