Inter American Press Association Worries that Venezuela is "Going the Way of Cuba" (Translation)

El Universal ( Caracas ) ^ | October 3, 2006 | El Universal staff article ( translated by self )

[StJacques]

IAPA worries that Venezuela "is going the way of Cuba"

"It is itself creating a repudiation against the media with the motto 'kill the messenger.'" "The strong rhetoric worries [the IAPA], but it rules out some type of immediate rupture."

Mexico City -- The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) showed its preoccupation with Venezuela directing itself towards a similar scheme as that of Cuba of the persecution of freedom of expression on the part of the state. It also warned that in countries like Mexico the press is the victim of organized crime.

"It worries us that Venezuela is going the way of Cuba," maintained Diana Daniels, President of the IAPA, at the inauguration in Mexico City of the work of the 62nd General Assembly of the organization.

"Numerous legal impediments exist to the exercise of freedom of expression," Daniels said when assuring that within Venezuelan society a repudiation against the media is also being created with the motto "kill the messenger."

She explained that eight weeks ago she visited the country with the expectation of laying the foundation of a discussion about the state of the press, but it was not successful.

In spite of the fact that she was invited by members of the party of the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, she said "not one person of the Executive branch nor the Legislative," nor of that political formation, "gave us the opportunity of having an open dialogue," she denounced.

According to Daniels, the Venezuelan authorities "closed their doors in the same manner in which they intend to close debate and the exchange of ideas in Venezuela," the EFE news agency reported.

About the particular case of Cuba, the presidency of the IAPA recalled those 24 independent journalists who are in prison after being submitted to trials, which Daniels considered extremely dubious.

The report about freedom of expression in Venezuela was released last Sunday, at the same time as that of other countries, and was considered as a "bad example in almost all fields of endeavor of press freedom," indicated Gonzalo Marroqui, President of the Committee of Press Freedom and Information of the internation association. He also called attention to the "restrictive legislation which favors intimidation," when speaking of the country.

Daniels also referred to the constant acts of aggressions which journalists suffer in the countries of Latin America, in particular the case of Mexico, on the part of organized crime, whereas in Central America broadcasters are more and more the target of bands of gang members.

[StJacques]

There is an English version of a similar title up on the El Universal (Caracas) site at http://english.eluniversal.com/2006/10/02/en_pol_art_02A785597.shtml, but it is a significantly shortened version of the above article, in which Venezuelans get to read a lot more.

Bookmark this for the next time some lefty in this country tells you about just how truly democratic Chavez and Castro are these days.

Finally, and on a matter related to Chavez's repression I have something else to put up. I looked for a larger article on this subject but did not find one; the following "factoid" is up on the homepage of the El Universal (Caracas) English web site:

"According to opposition Copei party, the current regime has produced about 5,505 fatalities in a five-year term as a result of police abuse"

I'd like to put that story up from a Venezuelan source, but I think this may be one of those instances of the Chavez government intimidating the media. I'll have to look at some web sites later on.

[StJacques]

A Latin American Left Watch ping for you all.

Anyone wishing to be included on the ping list may either ping me from this thread or contact me via Freepmail.

[wagglebee]

Venezuela "went the way of Cuba" when Chavez came to power back in 1998.

[Triggerhippie]

Why worry? Think about how much their health care and standard of living will improve! /sarc








I wish that /sarc tag was unnecessary, but we do have some "Dee Dee Dees" running around here...

[StJacques]

"Think about how much their health care and standard of living will improve!"

Your comment reminds me of an outrageously leftist polemical documentary I saw about twenty years ago on the situation in Nicaragua. The moonbat from California went down to Nicaragua to tell the real storypresent a political polemic on what was going on in Nicaragua. He and his crew were walking through some rural village and they walked up to a man standing outside his front door looking at them suspiciously and they struck up a conversation.

The guy asking the questions asked him about how he felt about the ousted dictator Somoza and the guy said he hated him and was glad he was dead. The documentary correspondent seemed to take heart at hearing this.

He then asked the guy what he thought of the Sandinistas and the guy said that he hated them more than he did Somoza. The correspondent asked him why he felt that way. The guy said that the Sandinistas wouldn't let him say what he thinks, and then he began talking about freedom of expression in rather articulate terms, more so than you might expect from a poor guy living in backwater Nicaragua. The guy concluded by saying he was backing the Contras.

The correspondent was shocked and so was his looney left wife. They both immediately began asking him "Don't you know the Sandinistas are giving you free health care?" "Don't you want to know that the poorest in Nicaragua will be fed?" "Don't you want to know that the big farms of the rich are being redistributed?"

The guy responded in Spanish "es el precio de la esclavitud" (it's the price of slavery), which the documentary's subtitle translated as "it's not worth it."

Your post just brought that back to mind. Forgive me if I got somewhat off-topic.

[Nuc1]

And he was "elected" no less. Scary what stupidity in large numbers is capable of.

[redgolum]

Just remember. Many here in the US would elect someone like that.

[Stultis]

Visual evidence that Venzuela is going the way of Cuba:

The Truth About Venezuela (Shocking Video) ^

Posted by Stultis On News/Activism ^ 08/07/2006 9:51:26 PM CDT · 34 replies · 2,011+ views YouTube ^ | 2005 | DNAX Productions Believe it or not there's more than thuggery, political murder, smashing of the presses, arming of narco-terrorists, and hobnobbing with Castro and the crazy mullahs in Tehran. Chavez, despite record oil revenues, is presiding over the Cubanization of Venezuela. Video uses simple before (1998) and after (2005) images. See Hugo's "Beautiful Revolution".

[FFIGHTER]

It has already happened.

[Nuc1]

"Just remember. Many here in the US would elect someone like that."

You have that right, and they would be quite happy to march us or anyone that opposes them off to the gas chamber. They only use the system to conquer a people. I still don't understand why the communist party USA is not banned for being the revolutionary movement they are.