Venezuela took "a step backwards", say Latin American newspapers

[Bacchus39]

Source: El Universal

Brazilian Jornal do Brasil asserted that the Venezuelan ruler's decision on RCTV was "a slap on Latin America's face" and regretted the fact that "the stable democracies in the region, including Brazil, were unable to prevent another hazardous demonstration of contempt for freedom."

In an editorial headlined "Another stair", Uruguayan newspaper El País said that
"neo-totalitarianism" is a form of government that is beginning to spread "dangerously" to all Latin America. For this daily, President Chávez did refuse to renew a license for Radio Caracas Televisión because it "was not submissive."

Paraguay's ABC Color daily front page, headlined "Chávez kills freedom in Venezuela", claimed that the discontinuation of RCTV entails "a turn towards totalitarianism."

La Prensa newspaper from Panama said that President Chávez "is about to become an autocrat" and that the two remaining powers in the Venezuelan state, that is, the Legislature and the Judiciary, bowed silently down to the move against Radio Caracas Television.



Read more: http://english.eluniversal.com/2007/05/29/en_pol_art_venezuela-took-a-st_29A877079.shtml

---

on the other hand, Cuba's state run propaganda service Granma, supported the move.

[BootinUp]

1. I would think that has to hurt a little. n/t

[Robbien]

2. Fauxnews hated the move. They sent a big crew down to make sure

the story was covered with the appropriate fauxnews slant.

One less rightwing propaganda outlet in the world. Fauxnews is devastated.

[Bacchus39]

3. I don't watch Faux, thanks for the tip though

a full spectrum of news organizations appears to be condemning this action.

[Robbien]

5. A full spectrum of MSM news organizations are in sync

condemning the action. Yes.

The full spectum of Indy media is also in sync praising the action.

I tend to believe the Indy media.

[barb162]

8. I didn't see the European press praising Chavez over this.

Including such "left" publications as the Guardian, BBC, Le Monde, etc.

[killbotfactory]

24. We should back Chávez (Gaurdian)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/venezuela/story/0,,2087738,00.html

[barb162]

27. Guardian UK: "Chávez attacks another private TV channel"

This piece from the Gaurdian doesn't appear all that supportive.


"Chávez attacks another private TV channel
· Venezuelan president continues media purge
· Station denies incitement and defends free speech

Rory Carroll in Caracas
Wednesday May 30, 2007
The Guardian


Hugo Chávez condemned Venezuela's last remaining opposition-aligned TV station yesterday, two days after pulling the plug on another critical broadcaster. The president called cable news channel Globovisión an enemy of the state, and accused it of fomenting violence and attempts to assassinate him.
"Enemies of the homeland, particularly those behind the scenes, I will give you a name: Globovisión. Greetings gentlemen of Globovisión. You should watch where you are going," he said, in a speech all stations were obliged to air. He accused it of distorting reaction to the closure of RCTV, a network which closed on Sunday after the government refused to renew its license. "I recommend they take a tranquiliser, that they slow down, because if not, I'm going to slow them down."
Tens of thousands of mostly youthful protesters have marched through the capital, Caracas, and other cities for four days chanting slogans accusing the government of drifting towards Cuba-style authoritarianism. Clashes with police have left dozens injured.
State TV depicted the marchers as vandals and fascists. Most private networks, which allegedly have been cowed by the government, ignored or played down the protests. Globovisión, in contrast, depicted them as a battle for free speech and blamed the police for the violence.
snip
http://www.guardian.co.uk/venezuela/story/0,,2091017,00.html

[killbotfactory]

28. It's not all that negative, either.

"which allegedly have been cowed by the government"

is that similar to "some people say"?

[DFW]

34. The most supportive (of Chávez) piece in the Guardian is by.....

Colin Burgon is Labour MP for Elmet and chair of Labour Friends of Venezuela.

Well DUH.

It was more of a guest editorial than the paper's stance. I know the political
editor of the Guardian, and she is not a Chávez apologist (nor a Blair apologist).

[barb162]

29. Le Monde against Chavez

translation of Le Monde editorial

President Hugo Chavez ordered the disappearance of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV), the principal television operator of Venezuela. Friday May 25, the army received the order of the Supreme Court to take the control of the buildings and installations of RCTV, in order to “ensure a serene transition” with the official chain which will replace it.

The non-renewal of the concession of RCTV, created fifty-three years, deprives a popular public of its favorite programs. Serials, spectacles and humor constitute the essence of its programming. The identification with these programs encouraged part of the abandoned elements of Venezuelan society to express their complaints with the authorities via the microphones and cameras of RCTV. This role an echo chamber for their dissatisfactions undoubtedly annoyed the Chavez government as much than the programs of information and opinion devoted to the opposition.

None the charges carried by the president against RCTV, in connection with his role in the missed coup of 2002 or the oil strike of 2003, was the subject of a debate in front of a court. The Supreme Court was solicited by RCTV whereas Mr. Chavez had already announced his decision, irrevocable. This political decision reduced pluralism and increases the concentration of audio-visual tools within the hands of the government. Whatever the administrative or legal arguments called upon by the president, it is a hard blow carried against the freedom of expression in Venezuela.
snip
http://daniel-venezuela.blogspot.com/2007/05/le-monde-against-chavez.html

In French:
Censure à la Chavez
LE MONDE | 26.05.07 | 12h26 • Mis à jour le 26.05.07 | 12h26
Le président Hugo Chavez a ordonné la disparition de Radio Caracas Television (RCTV), la principale chaîne de télévision du Venezuela. Vendredi 25 mai, l'armée a reçu l'ordre de la Cour suprême de prendre le contrôle des bâtiments et installations de RCTV, afin d'"assurer une transition sereine" avec la chaîne officielle qui va la remplacer.



Le non-renouvellement de la concession de RCTV, créée il y a cinquante-trois ans, prive un public populaire de ses programmes favoris. Feuilletons, spectacles et humour constituent l'essentiel de sa grille. L'identification à ces programmes a incité une partie des laissés- pour-compte de la société vénézuélienne à exprimer leurs doléances aux autorités via les micros et caméras de RCTV. Ce rôle de caisse de résonance des mécontentements a sans doute autant gêné le gouvernement Chavez que les programmes d'information et d'opinion consacrés à l'opposition.

Aucune des accusations portées par le président contre RCTV, à propos de son rôle dans le putsch raté de 2002 ou la grève pétrolière de 2003, n'a fait l'objet d'un débat contradictoire devant un tribunal. La Cour suprême a été sollicitée par RCTV alors que M. Chavez avait déjà annoncé sa décision, irrévocable. Cette décision politique réduit le pluralisme et augmente la concentration de l'audiovisuel aux mains du gouvernement. Quels que soient les arguments administratifs ou légaux invoqués par le président, c'est un coup rude porté à la liberté d'expression au Venezuela.

snip
http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3232,36-915304@51-897252,0.html

[EFerrari]

18. Yes, the Bushbots check in. n/t

[RL3AO]

4. I wonder if Chavez will be at the stadium booing the U.S. soccer team when we play there in June?

[Robbien]

6. Chavez couldn't care less

The comments he makes about the US are just one liner sound bites taking up less than a half second a day of his time. He spends the majority of his time on his country's issues and seeking ways of lessening world poverty.

Of this game you speak, Chavez will be cheering on his people the way that you would be cheering on your people.

[Endangered Specie]

7. I don't suppose you have his timecard?

[Robbien]

11. The US is more interested in what Venezuela is doing

than vice versa

The US doesn't like that Venezuela is going away from using the dollar as the basis for oil. The US is using every single issue in Venezuela as a way to stir up worldwide controversy where the issue is local. If Venezuela is busy fighting off US intervention, it cannot keep setting up programs which the rich elite can't get their hands on.

Can't have an upstart southern country using oil profits for giving power to the masses when the US is busy making sure laws are changed taking away power of the masses and giving it to the rich elite of the world.

[silverojo]

21. Ah, yes, Chavez the benevolent dictator

A dictator is a dictator, and you can kid yourself all you like. He just slams Bush to make the rest of the world cheer, "Hell, yeah!" and ignore how he's truly stripping his people of their freedoms.

[Chemical Bill]

36. Chavez has been elected several times.

Calling him a dictator exposes the weakness in your argument.

Bill

[mediawatch]

33. I hope so

I will be booing the opposition

[barb162]

9. Latin American newspapers are right

[nerddem]

10. careful

that kind of logical reasoning can be dangerous around here when it comes to speaking against uncle hugo.

[IndianaGreen]

25. El Universal is a Latin version of NY Post

Nice to know where you stand. It certainly isn't on the side of the proletariat.

[mitchum]

30. ...wing

[killbotfactory]

12. I also support television stations which incite violence and the overthrow of their own government.

Free speech is absolute.

Let's turn ABC over to the KKK while we are at it. Haven't heard from them in a while. They need a voice on public airwaves, too. We wouldn't want to stifle debate in this country.

[Imperialism Inc.]

14. Careful. That kind of logical reasoning can make the heads of the

single-issue trolls explode.

[David__77]

13. The media are wrong. They don't want to be held to account.

They want to be able to serve the oligarchy and dominate the publicly-owned airwaves as well. One state in the region has said "no," they will not allow a station to advocate fascist coups that killed innocent people, acting as an arm of Nazi-style politics, and at the same time win concessions from the government.

How do you smash fascism? With swift and decisive force!

[Mudoria]

16. Oh brother

:eyes:

[Skink]

15. Chavez is kind of the Elliot Spitzer of the South.

[ohio2007]

17. Panama's La Prensa should be shut down next

These peronal attacks, calling him an autocrat, are fighting words.....thier days are numbered also
/sarc

[medicis]

19. the media

the media sheep are bleeting. And the NWO pigs do the herding.

[Flanker]

20. Nearly all of the Latin American media is decidedly

Right wing, the original poster in particular has bafflingly recommended El Tiempo which is colombia's biggest paper and its owners have family ties to the right wing Alvaro Uribe govt.

Ironically the link provided is from a Venezuelan paper.

[Bacchus39]

23. right, a paper from Venezuela would typically carry news about Venezuela

wouldn't you think?

el Tiempo is Colombia's biggest paper, and so what? aren't they allowed to have a biggest paper?

[Bacchus39]

26. p.s. political affiliation of newspapers in article according to World Press.org

a favorite tactic of the Chavez and Castrophiles is to impune any source that is critical yet oddly accepting State run newspapers as gospel.

in this thread another poster stated that El Tiempo from Colombia is a right wing newspaper insinuating of course biased reporting.

well, I read newspapers for latin america for news and not their editorials I typically do not seek out their political affiliation prior. Having been to latin america I am familiar a few of the larger ones but not too familiar with their political affiliation.

so I thought some investigation might be in order. from World Press .org:

http://www.worldpress.org/newspapers/AMERICAS/Colombia.cfm (to see the other countries type in their names)

El Tiempo
(Centrist), Bogotá
http://www.eltiempo.com

(note in the original thread I posted, the article said that neither Colombia nor Chiles main papers commented. neither approval nor criticism)

1st, the source:

El Universal
(Centrist), Caracas
http://www.el-universal.com/

now the ones listed:

Prensa Libre
(independent), Guatemala City
http://www.prensalibre.com.gt

Jornal do Brasil
(Conservative), Rio de Janeiro
http://www.jb.com.br/

ABC Color
(Independent), Asunción
http://www.abc.com.py/

La Prensa
(Independent), Panama City
http://www.prensa.com/

El Siglo
(Independent), Panama City
http://www.elsiglo.com/

La Nación
(Centrist), San José
http://www.nacion.co.cr/

El Universal
(Conservative), Mexico City
http://www.el-universal.com.mx/

La Tribuna
(Liberal), Tegucigalpa

El Comercio
(Centrist, largest circulation), Lima
http://www.elcomercioperu.com.pe/

La República
(center-left), Lima
http://www.larepublica.com.pe/

El Comercio
(Conservative), Quito
http://www.elcomercio.com/

El Diario de Hoy
(Conservative), San Salvador
http://www.elsalvador.com/

Clarín
(Independent, mass-circulation), Buenos Aires
http://www.clarin.com/

Granma Internacional
(Communist Party weekly), Havana
http://www.granma.cu/

p.s. and remember this when reading articles from those who like to cite Prensa Latina

Prensa Latina
(Government-owned news agency), Havana
http://www.prensa-latina.org/

[IndianaGreen]

22. This is the salsa version of GE's Jack Welch and Faux's Rupert Murdoch talking about press freedoms

Published on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 by The Los Angeles Times

Hugo Chavez Versus RCTV

Venezuela’s Oldest Private TV Network Played A Major Role In A failed 2002 Coup.

by Bart Jones

RCTV ran nonstop ads encouraging people to attend a march on April 11 aimed at toppling Chavez and broadcast blanket coverage of the event. When the march ended in violence, RCTV and Globovision ran manipulated video blaming Chavez supporters for scores of deaths and injuries.

After military rebels overthrew Chavez and he disappeared from public view for two days, RCTV’s biased coverage edged fully into sedition. Thousands of Chavez supporters took to the streets to demand his return, but none of that appeared on RCTV or other television stations. RCTV News Director Andres Izarra later testified at National Assembly hearings on the coup attempt that he received an order from superiors at the station: “Zero pro-Chavez, nothing related to Chavez or his supporters…. The idea was to create a climate of transition and to start to promote the dawn of a new country.” While the streets of Caracas burned with rage, RCTV ran cartoons, soap operas and old movies such as “Pretty Woman.” On April 13, 2002, Granier and other media moguls met in the Miraflores palace to pledge support to the country’s coup-installed dictator, Pedro Carmona, who had eliminated the Supreme Court, the National Assembly and the Constitution.

Would a network that aided and abetted a coup against the government be allowed to operate in the United States? The U.S. government probably would have shut down RCTV within five minutes after a failed coup attempt — and thrown its owners in jail. Chavez’s government allowed it to continue operating for five years, and then declined to renew its 20-year license to use the public airwaves. It can still broadcast on cable or via satellite dish.

Granier and others should not be seen as free-speech martyrs. Radio, TV and newspapers remain uncensored, unfettered and unthreatened by the government. Most Venezuelan media are still controlled by the old oligarchy and are staunchly anti-Chavez.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/05/30/1534/

[Imperialism Inc.]

31. U.S. government probably would have shut down RCTV within five minutes after a failed coup attempt

— and thrown its owners in jail.

Exactly. And that is exactly the point these single issue trolls never address. Just one time I would like to hear them come out and say it bluntly. That they think it is perfectly fine for media using the public airwaves to support a coup and to support a military dictatorship. Just be honest guys, so everyone can see what you are about. That you are pro-dictatorship. As it stands you guys have to realize that you look completely transparent and foolish. Just answer the question. Is it OK for media to openly support military coups and dictatorships?

[1932]

35. Or dropped a bomb on HQ, like they've done to Al Jazeera in Afgh. & Iraq.

[IndianaGreen]

37. What the trolls fear is that we might do the same thing in America

By not renewing the FCC license, we can get the peddlers of hatred, racism, homophobia, and intolerance off the public airwaves. All of the religious broadcasters, Rush Limbaugh, and all the other pukes poluting the public airwaves.

Faux News would still remain on the air because it is on cable.

[NashVegas]

32. RCTV Played an Active Role In an Illegal Coup

Even Reporters Without Frontiers acknowledges this fact.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=102&topic_id=2863640&mesg_id=2863640

The corporate media alliance, that included RCTV, had prior knowledge of the April, 2002 coup plot that was apparent from the front page of national daily El Nacional in a special day of the coup April 11 edition of the paper printed before it began and headlined: The Final Battle Will Be in Miraflores (the presidential palace). The same day, another daily, The Daily Journal (an English language paper), headlined on its front page (also printed in advance of the coup’s initiation): State of Agony Stunts Government.

In the days leading up to April 11, 2002, Venevision, Globovision, Televen and RCTV suspended regular programming replacing it with anti-Chavez speeches and virulent propaganda featuring strong rhetoric and calling on the Venezuelan people to take to the streets on that day they knew in advance had been scheduled for the coup. They blared it was "For freedom and democracy. Venezuela will not surrender. No one will defeat us." This went on continuously in tone and content practically announcing a call to arms insurrection on the scheduled coup date asking people to participate supporting the overthrow of their democratically elected president and government.

On April 10, one day before the coup, General Nestor Gonzales got air time on the major corporate broadcast media announcing the high military command demanded Hugo Chavez step down from office or be forcibly removed. The day following the coup, the dominant commercial media revealed their involvement in it, and on one April 12 Venevision morning program military and civilian coup leaders appeared on-air to thank the corporate media channels for their important role, including the images they aired while it was in progress, stating how important their participation was to the success of the plot. It failed two days later largely because of mass public opposition to it with huge crowds on the streets supporting their president in far greater numbers than those favoring the coup-plotters.

http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=14351

[killbotfactory]

38. nothing to see here

they were never charged, so their obvious guilt will have to be ignored.

:eyes: