Human Rights Watch- Venezuela Legislative Assault on Free Speech, Civil Society

[SpartanDem]

(Washington, DC) - Three laws just approved by the Venezuelan legislature pose serious threats to free speech and the work of civil society, Human Rights Watch said today.

Changes to the laws governing broadcast media were approved on December 20, 2010, by the National Assembly, in which allies of President Hugo Chávez have an absolute majority. The changes introduce sweeping restrictions on internet traffic, reinforce existing restrictions on radio and television content, and allow the government to terminate broadcasting licenses on arbitrary grounds. A law approved on December 22 would prohibit human rights groups from receiving foreign funding or fostering public dialogue in Venezuela with international advocacy groups.

"Chávez and his supporters are once again ratcheting up the government's power to punish critics," said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. "And their intolerance for dissent now has a new target: the internet."

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/12/22/venezuela-legislative-assault-free-speech-civil-society

Chavez just tries to grab more and more power

[David__77]

1. I get uncomfortable when I hear the phrase "civil society."

It seems like often it's a battering ram for Western geopolitical interest. I agree with Venezuela's right to regulate the in-flow of foreign funds, but perhaps a more targeted route would work. Certainly it is reasonable to register the NGOs as foreign agents, as the US has done many times.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

2. Obviously HRW is a CIA front group. They should be banned.

:sarcasm:

[EFerrari]

3. Jose Miguel Vivanco is not a good faith actor.

He is full of sh!t, is always meddling with the ALBA countries, and has been the target of protests by Latin American scholars around the world. Of course he's complaining. That new law will make it impossible for him to run his game in Venezuela.

[cherokeeprogressive]

4. Well FOH's (Friends of Hugo) would obviously tell you Human Rights Watch is a poopyhead.

Everything Herr Hugo is doing is for the good of the people, and the good of Venezuela. That Herr Hugo is Der Elected Leader in Venezuela at the moment Der Elected Leader is given permission to rule by decree is completely coincidental.

Human Rights Watch is a poopyhead, I tell ya.

[RZM]

5. It's sad to watch people make excuses for a leader just because they like him

But it's certainly nothing new. Hugo has done some good things, but that doesn't mean actions like this should be minimized, justified, or ignored. I'm glad to see HRW isn't reluctant to condemn the 'other' Hugo in strong terms.