In August 2009, Hugo Chávez drew fire from international watchdog groups for his decision to shut down 34 opposition-minded radio stations and two local TV stations over supposed "administrative infractions."
Reporters Without Borders issued a tough communiqué “vigorously condemning the massive closure,” while the Committee to Protect Journalists called the government’s official justification for the move a “pretext to silence independent and critical voices.” And Amnesty International pronounced itself “extremely concerned at the deterioration in freedom of expression in Venezuela.” Similar shutdowns in past years badly damaged Chávez’s democratic credentials abroad, undermining his claim to be a brave reforming force within Latin America. So, the question is: Why does Chávez continue to tarnish his international reputation by forcibly silencing his critics?
The reason, quite simply, is that shutdowns work. They have forced Venezuela’s independent broadcast media into a defensive crouch, making their self-preservation contingent on their self-censorship.
Take the recent food crisis. Shortages of basic foodstuffs have been mounting in Venezuela over the last three years, with specific products disappearing from store shelves in succession. At times, chicken is impossible to find; weeks later, it may be milk that’s hard to get.
Against this backdrop, in late May, El Nacional, a Caracas daily, began investigating the discovery of food containers rotting away at Puerto Cabello,the nation’s main port. In all, some 75,000 tons of food are alleged to have gone to waste—food paid for with public money and delivered to government-run ports for distribution in government-run grocery outlets.
Clearly, Producción y Distribución Venezolana de Alimentos (PDVAL), the new state-owned food-importing conglomerate that Chávez had touted as an antidote to the iniquities of capitalist grocery shopping, is catastrophically mismanaging distribution. Cobbled together from the remnants of recently nationalized food companies, PDVAL’s government-appointed managers have neither the experience nor the training to keep 28 million people supplied with food. The results have been devastating: rising food prices, deepening shortages of key staples, and rows-upon-rows of rotting food containers sitting untouched as people find it increasingly hard to complete their weekly shopping.
On TV, the image of these containers would have been politically explosive. The story may even have had some traction on the radio. But the scandal is getting very little coverage through these popular outlets, and there’s been no public outcry to speak of.
It appears we need to establish Radio Free Venezuela, an external radio and TV station, to broadcast the truth into Venezuela.
It appears we need to establish Radio Free Venezuela, an external radio and TV station, to broadcast the truth into Venezuela.
On the face of it, that doesn't sound like encouraging freedom of speech in Venezuela.
However, I'd have to hear the broadcasts of these radio stations and find out where their funding comes from first before casting judgement, taking into account the below:
1. We had similar outcrys when RCTV's licence was not renewed and that's the radio station that actually took part in the plot to overthrow the democractically elected goverment.
"But after Chavez was elected president in 1998, RCTV shifted to another endeavour: ousting a democratically elected leader from office." (Bart Jones, 'Hugo Chavez versus RCTV - Venezuela's oldest private TV network played a major role in a failed 2002 coup,' Los ... view full comment
On the face of it, that doesn't sound like encouraging freedom of speech in Venezuela.
However, I'd have to hear the broadcasts of these radio stations and find out where their funding comes from first before casting judgement, taking into account the below:
1. We had similar outcrys when RCTV's licence was not renewed and that's the radio station that actually took part in the plot to overthrow the democractically elected goverment.
"But after Chavez was elected president in 1998, RCTV shifted to another endeavour: ousting a democratically elected leader from office." (Bart Jones, 'Hugo Chavez versus RCTV - Venezuela's oldest private TV network played a major role in a failed 2002 coup,' Los Angeles Times, May 30
In short:
"Were a similar event to happen in the U.S., and TV journalists and executives were caught conspiring with coup plotters, it's doubtful they would stay out of jail, let alone be allowed to continue to run television stations, as they have in Venezuela." (FAIR, op. cit)
2. There are many instances in Westren Countries of licences not being renewed or denied to radio and TV providers. Hundereds in Europe and America, every year.
3. How often do we hear about similar situations in the "good" countries south of Texas. Notably Columbia:
""But the rightwing Uribe cannot shut down opposition TV stations for the simple reason that there aren't any." (Diana Cariboni, 'Easy to See the Speck in the Other's Eye,' May 30, 2007"
4. Is there not a growing community radio culture in Venezuela?
5. Private ownership media regularly spew obnoxious filth at Chavez (who, for the record here, I think is also a bit of a tool and is harming his country in many ways) calling him a Nazi and other such stuff. Par for the course? Even morning TV has programmes about Chavez the Nazi. Now how long to do you think Barbara Walters would last if she was calling Obama a Nazi every morning?
6. "In a letter published in the Guardian (May 26, 2007), Gordon Hutchinson of VIC noted that despite claims made by opponents of Chavez, there is no censorship in Venezuela, where 95% of the media is fiercely opposed to the government. This includes five privately owned TV channels controlling 90% of the market. All of the country's 118 newspaper companies, both regional and national, are held in private hands, as are 706 out of 709 radio stations."
I think it's important to point out that Venezuela is not the fearful dicatatorship that is portrayed (alas in TNR as well) in the media.
As Fransico Domingez states in The Guardian:
"Venezuelas far from the "dictatorship which has a facade of democracy" described by General Raúl Baduel, who has been accused of corruption. What kind of tyranny oversees a 70% increase of participation in presidential elections, as Chávez has, or the government holding 13 free and fair elections in 10 years?
13 free and fair elections in 10 Years (certified mind) with a 70% participation rate. Now compare that to most Western Democracies.
Again Domingez in 2007:
"What cannot be said of Venezuela is that the right to protest is threatened. This year alone, the opposition have staged dozens of marches free from state harassment. On numerous occasions opponents and marchers have been invited to address the nation from the National Assembly....The opposition's hostile views of the Chávez government dominate the Venezuelan media. But that is not the reason why some radio stations were recently closed. These were operating illegally without proper licences and continued to refuse to comply with the law. More than 200 radio stations, most of which identify with the opposition, that were also operating irregularly but did renew their franchises continue to operate freely.
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