Over the weekend the Venezuelan government under the autocratic rule of President Hugo Chavez shut down the one remaining independent broadcast outlet - the opposition television station Radio Caracas Television (RCTV). Twenty minutes after the station went off the air, its frequency was taken over by the official government network.
This is the culmination of a year of press oppression in Venezuela, including fining opposition newspapers for criticism of the government, arresting journalists on charges of 'defamation' for criticizing the government, the shutdown of opposition radio stations, beatings and harassment of journalists and photographers, and most recently, the assassination of an El Mundo photojournalist. Since Chavez was voted sole personal authority over the government and had the Venezuelan constitution rewritten to give the presidency additional powers, it has become increasingly difficult for those opposing him to speak out without placing themselves at considerable risk.
RCTV had been consistently critical of the Chavez government and of Chavez who had a particular grudge against the station for backing opposition forces which removed him from office in 2002. Other television stations had also opposed Chavez, but since his return to power they had excised any content critical of the president or government, following the editorial policies set by the government. The shutdown of the station was done by CONATEL - the Venezuelan state broadcasting authority - which had denied renewal of the broadcast license the station has held for 20 years. The decision to deny the license was endorsed by the Venezuelan Supreme Court which has been packed with Chavez loyalists.
The process of silencing the independent press began in March of 2005 with revisions to the Venezuelan criminal code which made it illegal to criticize or show disrespect for the president, the government or government officials. José Miguel Vivanco of Human Rights Watch observed that “by further criminalizing criticism of government authorities, these laws will restrict the public’s ability to monitor abuse by those in power.” Silencing the press serves the dual purpose of eliminating the most vocal critics and eliminating any coverage of further government abuses of power.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - troll
where's moonraven when we need her to reassure us that this is not tragic - ?
2 - tansi
Well written article, yet I wonder what the answer is for the people in Venezuela? Non violent activities or radical resistance ? Even a blind man can see that Chevez is taking the country down the slippery slope to a cuban style dictatorship. Of course it is pretty easy for me ,comfortable in the USA , to suggest what the poor and middle class in Venezuela should do!
Viva Freedom!
3 - Clavos
Well written, Dave.
I agree with troll; it WOULD be interesting to see moonraven try to justify this latest in a long list of Chavez' calculated moves to mold himself into a twenty first century Fidel Castro clone; and Venezuela into another Cuban-style totalitarian dictatorship.
"Bolivarian Republic" indeed...
4 - SonnyD
troll and Clavos: Bite your tongue. Be careful what you wish for because.... I don't even want to finish that sentence.
5 - Dave Nalle
Well written article, yet I wonder what the answer is for the people in Venezuela? Non violent activities or radical resistance ?
Based on what happened Sunday, the outcome for those who choose resistence is pretty clear, since the police attacked non-violent protestors.
I would imagine that the next step for Chavez would be to expell foreign journalists from the country. He's already silenced their local stringers and affiliates, but if reports keep appearing in international papers as critical as the ones coming out right now about the TV shut-down, he's going to realize he needs to limit the access of the foreign press.
Dave
6 - Lovebush
All this fretting about Chavez when the Bush gang of murdering warmongers are still loose in the White House. My oh my!
7 - Franco
Good article Dave,
IMO, For Chavez to be right, all the following have to be wrong.
Freedom for supporters of the government only, for members of one party only " no matter how big its membership may be " is no freedom at all. Freedom is always freedom for the man who thinks differently. ROSA LUXEMBURG (1880-1919).
The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits. No beast is more savage than man when possessed with power answerable to his rage. Plutarch [Mestrius Plutarchus] (45-125 A.D.)
Censors are people with secret attractions to various temptations… They are defending themselves under the pretext of defending others, because at heart they fear their own weaknesses. ERNEST JONES (1879-1958).
Thought that is silenced is always rebellious. Majorities, of course, are often mistaken. This is why the silencing of minorities is necessarily dangerous. Criticism and dissent are the indispensable antidote to major delusions. ALAN BARTH, The Loyalty of Free Men, 1951.
If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all. NOAH CHOMSKY, Guardian, 23 November 1992.
Laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be a spirit of tolerance in the entire population. ALBERT EINSTEIN (1879-1955), Out Of My Later Years, 1950.
Whenever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings. HEINRICH HEINE (1797-1856)
The tyranny of the many would be when one body takes over the rights of others, and then exercises its power to change the laws in its favor. VOLTAIRE (1694-1778)
Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to guard people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. DANIEL WEBSTER (1782-1852).
Honest difference of views and honest debate are not disunity. They are the vital process of policy among free men. HERBERT CLARK HOOVER (1874-1964), U. S. President, Speech, 1950.
A knowledge of different literatures is the best way to free one's self from the tyranny of any of them. Oscar Wilde (1882)
Since the general civilization mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people, by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations. JAMES MADISON (1751-1836), Virginia Convention, 16 June 1788.
Clavos, can't live with her or without her?
8 - Dr Dreadful
For the opposition, boycotting that last election must be seeming like a worse idea every day. Venezuela has been duly left with a parliament that rubber-stamps anything Chavez wants. You sow what you reap, I guess.
9 - Clavos
Dr, D,
It really doesn't matter that they boycotted (though I'm sure they ARE regretting it); Hugo Chavez would have found a way to consolidate his power anyway.
10 - Clavos
Franco,
Ironic, isn't it?
Props to you for finding words of Noam Chomsky's to use against Chavez. While reading the quote, I kept seeing Chavez bizarrely waving Chomsky's book in the air during his drama performance at the UN a few months ago.
How delicious! Hoist with his own petard!
11 - neocon
the bottom-feeder venezuelans are getting the left-wing dictator they deserve.
12 - Dave Nalle
Man, news from Venezuela is rolling in today. Heard a live radio report with screams and shooting in the background. Apparently tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in protest. Initially it was students so they shut down the universities, and now everyone has taken to the street protesting against Chavez' shutting down RCTV.
Dave
13 - marota
It's sad to see how the Venezuelan people allowed this dictator into power. Just by the fact that he "compensated" the president of the National Electoral Counsil with the position of vice president shows what really happened in these elections. The closing of RCTV is his tactic to hide the precarious situation this country is living.
14 - Clavos
According to this BBC report, filed just an hour ago, Chavez is already threatening to close another station, this time the Globovision TV station.
Interestingly, the article says that Globovision is the only Venezuelan TV station that is reporting on and showing footage of the riots against the closing of Radio Caracas.
Coincidence?
15 - STM
Dave and Clav: Naughty boys. You two are just trying to draw moonraven out of the ether. I knew Chavez would go the way of all latin american dictators. It's a given, and whatever he and his supporters say, that's what he is.
16 - Lovebush
To avoid further upheavals mainstream Venezuelan media should follow the US example of self censorship. When they get a Bill Maher type occasionally saying the "wrong" thing, pull the show off the air. Venezuelan right wing versions of Chomsky should be given the Chomsky treatment: Allowed to appear on television ......in some other country.
17 - Dave Nalle
Interestingly, the article says that Globovision is the only Venezuelan TV station that is reporting on and showing footage of the riots against the closing of Radio Caracas.
Interesting. Up until Sunday Reporters Without Borders was saying that Globovision was safe because they were cooperating with the Chavez government. I guess seeing what happened to RCTV gave them a sudden infusion of spine. Probably not a good plan if they want to survive - or maybe they're trying to provoke some sort of international intervention.
Dave
18 - Dave Nalle
To avoid further upheavals mainstream Venezuelan media should follow the US example of self censorship.
That's what most of them are doing. Sadly Venezuela doesn't have the diversity of media outlets we do here in the US. We've got too many to silence. In Venezuela a littel intimidation goes a long way.
Doesn When they get a Bill Maher type occasionally saying the "wrong" thing, pull the show off the air.
Odd, I watched Bill Maher on TV two days ago criticizing the administration and flogging Ron Paul. He didn't look particularly off the air to me.
Venezuelan right wing versions of Chomsky should be given the Chomsky treatment: Allowed to appear on television ......in some other country.
The only thing keeping Chomsky off the air is that most people realize he's a lunatic.
Dave
19 - STM
"The only thing keeping Chomsky off the air is that most people realize he's a lunatic".
Gnome Chompsky?
20 - Dr Dreadful
I watched Bill Maher on TV two days ago criticizing the administration and flogging Ron Paul. He didn't look particularly off the air to me.
Yes, but he's on HBO. You have to pay much moolah to watch him.
21 - Dave Nalle
You can always get the highlights off YouTube for free, Dr. D.
Dave
22 - RJ
Meanwhile, the Kossacks are (naturally) defending Chavez, while mocking the independent media there...
23 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
RJ,
You mean you don't recognize Jamie Stein-Werner (or is it Stern Weiner?)?? The great defender of justice and the Islamic way? Noam Chomsky Lite? THE HEATHLANDER? How could you not recognize that bloke? He writes here (every now and again)!
Calling Jamie a "Kossack" is rather a knout of a title; Noam Chomsky Lite seems more appropriate. He was born in Israel after all, and never misses an opportunity to trash the country of his birth. B'emét, hu yarád - truly he has "gone down" from Israel to the depths of "political correctness".
When all journalism is like what he writes, you'll know that all press freedom has been truly lost in the western world.
24 - Dave Nalle
Wow, RJ. Interesting link. I can see why Heathlander feels more at home on DailyKos where his lunacy won't be subjected to much examination or criticism.
Dave
25 - troll
Chavez has been in power for almost a decade...has he been able to revolutionize Venezuelan society and significantly reduce class privilege or eliminate ignorance poverty and hunger there - ?
I'd like to see a 'no bullshit' assessment of the missions...I gather that they are not keeping up with timetables