Chavez Criticized on Apparent Media Censorship
Private media companies from across the Americas have accused Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez of stifling press freedom in his country. This is in response to his reported attempts to shut down Venezuela’s Globovision television channel, one of only two left that are still critical of his administration.
The accusations were brought up by the Inter- American Press Association (IAPA). Chavez called the accusations a “manipulating media campaign”. In response there was a pro-Chavez rally held in Caracas, and attended by several hundred people. The IAPA claims the rally was government organized and sponsored.
This comes after a long history of tension between Chavez and most of the western democracies, particularly the United States. Heated words have been exchanged between President Bush and Chavez. Bush has accused Chavez of sponsoring terrorists, and has said that Chvez’s social justice agenda is nothing more than a ‘thirst for power’. In return Chavez has called Bush a terrorist, as well a “the devil”, and “a donkey”, and ‘Mr. Danger.’
Chavez has also warned that although he finds it hard to think of a worse president than Bush, communication between the two countries could become even worse should McCain be elected. He has said that ‘”McCain also seems to be a man of war.” He has said that after the elections he hopes the new president,who ever they may be, will be willing to regain “the level of relations we had with ex-President Clinton.”
Personally, I’m kind of ambivalent about Chavez. A lot of his people seem to support him, and he’s trying to stand up to bully nations (like the US) and it seems, usually looks out for Venezuela’s best interests foreign policy wise. I don’t think most of Bush’s attacks have any relevance, since he pretty much calls anyone he doesn’t like a terrorist. ‘Terrorist’ is to Bush what ‘gay’ is to most of America’s teenage population – a descriptor used to put down something one doesn’t agree with.
Despite what Chavez appears to be doing for his people, it does look like he has a lot of media censorship, and there certainly aren’t free elections. A dictatorship is a dictatorship, regardless of good things the dictator does.
-Reggie
Chavez ‘stifles Venezuelan media’ (BBC)
Chavez condemns ‘warlike’ McCain (Al Jazeera English)
Bush lashes out at Chavez (Al Jazeera English)
Justina said,
March 31, 2008 at 11:28 am
I am a North American living and teaching in Venezuela. From my observations of the Venezuelan press, the accusations about President Chavez censoring the media is nonesense.
In the town of Merida where I live there are more than 15 newspapers on sale everyday, the vast majority of which are owned and written by those opposed to Chavez. They are free to write whatever they want, including patiently erronious attacks upon President Chavez.
In contrast, in my home state of Hawaii, there are only two major newspapers, both of which are corporately owned and neither of which publishes factual news about the atrocities being committed by the Bush-Cheney government. Censorship in the U.S. is conducted by financial means, only a few very wealthy corporations own newspapers and television stations.
Small independent newspapers are being put out of business by the recent massive increase in postal rates, which our FCC contineus to allow the pernicious consolidation of our media. The Bush-Cheney government is now attempting to allow big media to control the internet so as to eliminate free access for all.
Western media is largely controlled by the right wing whose publish only their own, highly censored, version of the news. It is a joke that they have the gall to criticise Venezuela.