Venezuela takes actions against critical TV station

[Clintonista2]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/05/venezuela.tvstation.owner/index.html

(CNN) -- The Venezuelan government has moved forcefully in the past two days against the only nationwide private TV broadcaster critical of President Hugo Chavez, staging a series of legal and police actions against the station and its owner.

On Friday morning, Venezuelan officials arrived at the Globovision TV station to accuse the company of not paying about $2.3 million (5 million bolivares fuertes) in taxes for certain advertisements it aired in 2002 and 2003, the government reported on its Web site.

About 12 hours earlier, national guard troops and authorities from Venezuela's environmental agency staged a late-night raid on the Caracas home of Globovision President Guillermo Zuloaga, an avid hunter, to see if he had killed any protected prey, the TV station reported. The probe lasted until past 4 a.m. It was the second raid on Zuloaga's home in two weeks.

Zuloaga, who owns two Toyota dealerships, also was charged Thursday morning with overcharging on 24 cars he had sold and was storing on his property. Those vehicles were seized in a May 21 raid on the house.

Zuloaga denies the accusations, saying they are politically motivated.


===============

Oh I forgot, he's one of the "good" dictators right? :eyes:

[EFerrari]

1. So, a right wing asshole is accusing Chavez of foul play.

This is news?

lol

Why aren't you defending some right wing nutcase closer to home? You wouldn't wish anything on Venezuela that you wouldn't put up with, right?

[Clintonista2]

2. One day the dictator of Venezuela will be overthrown

And free speech will rule.

[EFerrari]

3. In order for free speech to rule, the oligarchy has to somehow give up control

of the media. :)

[Clintonista2]

4. Whether Chavez gives up control of the media or not

doesn't matter. He will be overthrown. Free speech will come, no matter how hard he tries to stop it.

[EFerrari]

6. Ridiculous. 75% of the media is in their hands.

Chavez doesn't control the media. But I hear he eats kittens for breakfast with raspberry jam!

[Greyhound]

11. Yep, just as soon as the people of Venezuela vote him out of office.

What a maroon
:eyes:

[Clintonista2]

12. How's that gonna happen when only chavez supporters are allowed to run?

[EFerrari]

15. LOL! Baloney. Their elections are cleaner than yours are. n/t

[Greyhound]

16. Well I guess that would happen when more Venezuelans vote for someone else. n/t

[Selatius]

45. In Venezuela, you can recall a sitting legislator without having to run anybody for the seat.

Recall referendums are ultimately how they remove people there outside the use of force. If people really do not like Chavez, then let them kick him out of office.

[Retired AF Dem]

74. Hitler also won elections

morons everywhere.

[Greyhound]

82. See, now there's a valid application of Moore's Law. Congratulations. n/t

[Ken Burch]

18. Chavez isn't a dictator

Dictators don't concede defeat in elections(as Chavez did in the referendum and the local government races he lost).

Clearly, a market-forces Venezuela like the old parties created couldn't be positive for anyone but the rich.

The Nineties-style capitalism was a failure in all Latin American countries.

[imdjh]

39. Leave Hugo alone!

If the government owed the shipping company money, it steals the shipping company. If the media company owes the government money, the government seizes the media company. It's for the people! It's for the people! God damn it - it's for the people! Leave Hugo alone! He's doing his best, you people don't deserve him. Leave Hugo alone!

[EFerrari]

57. During "Hugo's" government, Venezuela has enjoyed 22 quarters of growth

and a 50% reduction in poverty.

Can your government say the same?

I guess you'd have to get over how he dismembers virgins on the steps of Miraflores every Wednesday. :sarcasm:

[L. Coyote]

83. Actually, he was, and that is why we have a democratically-elected Chavez now.

And free speech without getting disappeared.

[DutchLiberal]

94. Wake up, dear, the Cold War is over.

The days of overthrowing democratically elected governments, simply because you disagree with them, is over.

[Greyhound]

7. This one's a real gem.

Media mogul doesn't pay his taxes, rips off people through his automobile dealership (a profession long known as the very model honesty), and is accused of killing protected species as bloodsport.

But Hugo Chavez is the bad guy dictator...
:eyes:

...and is almost totally lacking in vitamin C
:rofl:

[Clintonista2]

10. Totally. It's not like dictators ever bring false accusations against those who oppose them

or anything.

[Greyhound]

13. You do know he was elected multiple times by overwhelming majorities

in completely supervised elections, right?

[EFerrari]

19. And it's not like the vampire right wing ever makes up bullshit or anything.

Right, Clintonista2?

[Clintonista2]

25. Typical fascist approach

Paint anyone you disagree with as the undesirable "other"

Gee, you really ARE a Chavez supporter!

[EFerrari]

31. You bechur @ss I am.

And your case against him isn't ready for prime time. :hi:

[EFerrari]

14. And get this, he was selling new cars out of his home to avoid taxes.

This guy has so much money, they could build him a pyramid but he has to go one better and sell CARS out of his HOME. I guess some people really don't think any rules apply to them and that they really can take it with them.

Holy cow.

:wow:

[Greyhound]

32. I've met guys like this,

usually in Texas, and a couple in Arizona.

Sociopaths with simply no concept of enough.

They frequently end up in jail for stupid petty crimes.

[EFerrari]

41. It's entitlement out of control and on skates. Petty stupid cr@p. n/t

[anonymous171]

35. What a greedy piece of shit.

:grr:

[Greyhound]

44. Ah but he's better than that dirty, vitamin deficient, commie dictator!1!!

Amerika, FUK YEAH!!1!
:rofl:

[imdjh]

34. Please be consistent. The broadcast license was issued before Chavez took office so it's illegal.

[EFerrari]

42. I don't think I understand what you're saying, imdjh. n/t

[cherokeeprogressive]

40. Good thing that Venezuela doesn't have a FIRST AMENDMENT, huh? Good for COMRADE Chavez anyway. n/t

[EFerrari]

54. You need to watch "The Revolution Won't Be Televised"

and see how the right wing owned media start their news reports, "Is Hugo Chavez mentally ill?" and how they sat there and gloated over their coup when they thought it was on -- with the support of Ari Fleischer and the New York Times.

The federal government doesn't control the media any more than Obama does.

I bet you a steak you will be surprised.

:)

[cherokeeprogressive]

61. I will find it and watch it. My guess is that I'll be buying you that steak.

My knowledge of Venezuelan politics over the last few decades is limited at best. I'll buy you that steak when you explain to me why Mr. Chavez was justified in leading the coup of '92.

Strange that it seems to be something Chavez supporters are either ignorant of or choose to ignore on purpose. Present company excepted of course ;)

[EFerrari]

67. Links to the film in #63 and #65.

:)

[anonymous171]

5. Meh, making sure the rich parasites follow the law is not dictatorial.

Executing them for crimes against the state is pretty dictatorial, but Chavez isn't doing that yet.

[Clintonista2]

8. So any trumped up charge can now be called "making sure _____ follow the law?"

Gee, you just validated every Bush policy in the last 8 years.

[Ken Burch]

20. Why do you want Venezuela turned back over to the right?

n/t.

[DutchLiberal]

95. Well, his/her name *is* "Clintonista"...

Doesn't that tell you everything you want to know?

[anonymous171]

21. Uh no. The rich should have to follow the law, just like everyone else.

[EFerrari]

22. You start from the premise that the right wing that was voted out because of their corruption

is innocent.

I don't think "innocent" means what you think it means.

lol

[Greyhound]

24. Do you have any evidence at all that these charges were "trumped up"?

I mean aside from the accused persons own media, of course.

[Clintonista2]

27. Here's a hint... it's innocent until proven guilty

Not the other way around.

[EFerrari]

37. Which is, I'm sure, why the Zulia governor decided he had to try to bribe the judges

before they heard his case.

He wanted to make sure he was "innocent".

:rofl:

[Greyhound]

38. Unless you're accused by a "Clintonista".

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Where did you learn your debating technique, oral roberts university?

[DutchLiberal]

96. Ouch! Game, set, match!

Love the photo of Dennis and Elizabeth, by the way!

[Name removed]

53. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EFerrari]

30. Two of these poor innocents that fled because they feared for their lives

from government persecution managed to attend a Cato conference last weekend in Caracas at a swanky hotel. The Cato Institute set up a conference calling for a new regime right smack in the middle of the city.

I guess they weren't all that skeered after all and apparently, Chavez is the world's most incompetent dictator.

lol

[EFerrari]

9. The Venezuelan Assembly just approved the funds to lay a cable to Cuba

to get internet access there that the US has been interdicting. Maybe that is what this is really about. It will take about two years to get the job done.

[leftstreet]

17. Ahhh....an anti-Chavez thread

We haven't had one of these in at least 24 hours

:popcorn:

[EFerrari]

23. I wonder what happened.

:)

[leftstreet]

28. LOL who knows

:-)

[EFerrari]

51. LOL. Why does DU care so much?

[Greyhound]

29. Ya think? It seems like just last night...

wait a minute, pass that over here, please.

(I like to be onstage and in the audience at the same time)
:popcorn:

[bridgit]

26. Chavez is keyed upon accepting as little opposing thought as is possible to maintain...

a semblance of listening to opposing thought at all it's good to be the king

[EFerrari]

33. And that's quite a trick when the opposition owns the media

and slams him every day.

But, please, don't let facts get in the way of your fictionalizing.

lol

[bridgit]

36. You're right, Hugo Chaves is a prince among men

[EFerrari]

46. The person you are ridiculing has been the most important progressive force

in Latin America in the last 50 years.

Thanks to his support, Ecuador is successfully kicking out Chevron, Bolivia is holding its own against white supremacists and Nicaragua has the support it needs to protect its trade unions. El Salvador just elected its first ever lefty and the right wing ran against Chavez, not against Funes, the lefty candidate.

That's Chavez with a "z".

[bridgit]

78. Oh no, it was already spelled correctly here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5794080&mesg_id=5794154 now you're just nit picking :)

[cherokeeprogressive]

43. Please justify for me the coup that Chavez led.

Can you do that? I'm sure you can, and you can do it without mentioning OUR First Amendment.

Facts? Gimme some.

[Greyhound]

47. You mean that coup where the people of Venezuela overwhelmingly voted for him

in the election that was observed by several international organizations which declared it legitimate?

If only our coups were like that.
:eyes:

[EFerrari]

49. No, CP means the coup attempt that Chavez did take part in.

And that's a legit question.

[Greyhound]

60. Well, now you've already answered it.

Nothing to research now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Venezuelan_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat_attempts">Here's a Wiki link anyway.:grr:

:rofl:
:hi:

[EFerrari]

64. Sorry!

:hi:

[EFerrari]

48. I don't have to. Chavez already did. He was the one that shut it down

even though he was not the top dog in that operation against a genocidal government. He went on national television and apologized. Imagine that.

[cherokeeprogressive]

56. EF, didn't he wait until he knew the coup was not going to be successful before he shut it down?

And didn't he say something to the effect that the defeat of his coup wasn't the end?

[EFerrari]

59. I don't think I can speak to that. What I have read is that he shut it down

and took responsibility for doing that even when his partners weren't on board.

But I believe you are right in that he did say that even if the coup failed, the goals of the coup would not fail.

[Greyhound]

62. Off topic, feel free to ignore.

Am I the only person that thought your idea of posting 10 "facts" regarding Hugo Chavez every time one of these ridiculous posts was made was really good?

[EFerrari]

66. That was DUer Wednesdays.

Let me see if I can recall from memory:

Quitting Chavez now greatly reduces serious risks to your health.

Trend: Attacks Chavez and Odors

To maximize connection speed, leave this Chavez on for 10 days.

Cat-tested, cat-approved, great Chavez

THIS VALIDATED REGISTRATION CARD OR A FACSIMILE IS TO BE KEPT WITH THE CHAVEZ FOR WHICH IT IS ISSUED.

Minimum Delivery of $12.00 (See Chavez for special offer)

Welcome to call Nights, Weekends and Chavez. 10% Off!

Keep Chavez at 1 unless using 2 or 3

Warning: In order to avoid suffocation, keep this product and all Chavez away from babies.

Have the Chavez container with you when calling poison control center or doctor.

[Selatius]

52. Well, historically, Venezuela's news media has been one of the most virulently anti-Chavez.

Many of the coup leaders who attempted to install a right wing dictatorship in 2002 by trying to topple a democratically elected government through force were aided by industrialists who owned the news outlets. Often, they would only present one side of an issue and purposely omit the other half of the story, and during the coup, the networks allowed the coup leaders ready access to the airwaves.

While I'm not saying Chavez is a saint, it could easily be that the right wing here is not free of any blame either in bringing this situation about.

[EFerrari]

55. The two biggest stations, RCTV and Globovision

were busted LYING to the people during the coup attempt. They said that Chavez had resigned. They blacked out the news and did their best to back the would be dictator.

If CNN and Fox tried to do that here, I only hope we'd have the balls to rise up, too, as the people of Venezuela did.

[Marr]

50. Since you don't seem to understand what the word "dictator" means,

I can't summon the will to even address your asinine post.

[pnorman]

58. "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised"

I'm still looking for the complete Youtube of that documentary, but in the meantime, this summary should do: http://everything2.com/node/80262

Be as watchful of Chavez as can be (NOT for his "socialism", but for any betrayal of socialist principles). But ALWAYS keep in mind WHO really hates him. Be advised that they are not obsessed with "democratic niceties", and make damn sure that you DON'T abet them!

pnorman

[EFerrari]

63. That's very fair. And youtube has it up in 8 segments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICTP_9l-4NM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErsqU1h06gQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNOpLd4G8sg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ChbUW85IPk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR6TlgiKLfk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqUCo0zcO4w&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whXETGn1Nrc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYo9jYJCAp8&feature=related

[Greyhound]

65. Here it is on Google Video

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5832390545689805144&ei=SxYqSvrWPKq4qAPTsbSTCQ&q=the+revolution+will+not+be+televised&hl=en

It's quite revealing.

[EFerrari]

68. The thing that struck me the most about the Chavez government

as it was shown on film was how many leaders there were. These people didn't sit back and wait for a fax. They mobilized.

The bully caricature of the corporate media wouldn't have the guts to surround himself with those people. They kicked @ss.

[L. Coyote]

84. It streams from Google Videos. LINK. I watch it every time one of these threads appears.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5832390545689805144

Too bad the website disappeared. It gets so many hits, someone bought the domain name to do ads.
And they block wayback machine: http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://chavezthefilm.com/

We're sorry, access to http://chavezthefilm.com/ has been blocked by the site owner via robots.txt.

[David__77]

69. Good. Smash these parasites to pieces!

Apparently he's in violation of the law. Plus he's a fascist. He deserves worse than whatever he'll get from the rather tolerant Chavez government. I'd be much harsher in his place.

[texasleo]

70. He's been president for ten years now. That's perfectly normalsky.

[EFerrari]

71. Tony Blair was in office for ten years, too.

Maybe you should write to the Venezuelan electorate and let them know you disapprove.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

72. Its quite amusing how far people will go to graps at straws

in their attempt to paint Chavez as a dictator, isn't it?

[EFerrari]

73. Our media is so corrupted, I can hardly blame them.

[cali]

75. yummy. I love popcorn for breakfast.

The "Chavez is a progressive saint who can do no wrong" v the "Chavez is a spawn of the devil dictator", factions face off for a DU death match.

Gotta love and I do.


:popcorn:

[Clintonista2]

77. Yarr! Choose a side!

[backscatter712]

76. The private broadcasters have been essentially the Venezuelan FOX News.

And after CIA-backed coup and assassination attempts that were backed by these exact TV stations, it's no wonder that Chavez is going to take some action...

[L. Coyote]

87. Far worse. They participated in the deceptionsof Bush's failed overthow attempt.

They worked to overthrow Venezuela's democracy by direct involvement in the coup.

WATCH: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5832390545689805144

[Vidar]

79. Too bad Hugo can't close down FOX.

[EFerrari]

80. We could ask. If he has these magical powers, maybe he'll lend them to us.

:)

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

81. It's a democracy. If the voters want him out they'll vote him out.

Tough shit if we only like democracy when we like the results.

[L. Coyote]

85. I get it. If the IRS makes rednecks pay taxes, Obama is a dictator! LOL

Yeah, that makes sense. :rofl:

[JVS]

86. I wonder how Chavez would handle the situation in another thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5797601

[Greyhound]

88. I'm pretty sure that Chavez and his government wouldn't require the

Venezuelan postal service to subsidize FedEx (or UPS), as we do here.

[JVS]

90. zOMG! TEH EVIL!!!

[Greyhound]

91. ?

:shrug:

[L. Coyote]

89. VIDEO: chavez vs bush

chavez vs bush
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x321514

[L. Coyote]

97. ABC television interview with Hugo Chavez

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x321538

[malaise]

92. Dictator - he was elected

unlike Bush in 2000. By the way didn't Bush try to overthrow his government and fail?

Read Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine carefully - any bets that TV station is receiving money from 'interested parties from elsewhere'.

[DutchLiberal]

93. Why do the people who *always* trash the U.S. MSM suddenly swallow everything when it's about...

...Hugo Chavez?

One thing I've learned over the years is that Western mainstream media can't be trusted when it comes to reporting the leftist regimes of Latin America (not just Chavez, but also Morales, Correa, all of their allies). Last time they reported on "Chavez' crackdown on a critical tv station", they 'forgot' to mention that it prominently featured the coup plotters who started the coup d'etat of 2002. That's one reason not to trust the MSM anymore.

[L. Coyote]

98. Simple enough. Propaganda works.

Inside the USA, the media is full-on propaganda.

The blow-dry ditto heads reading the news have no idea who writes what the teleprompter says.