Chavez Supporters Defend Venezuela Radio

CARACAS, Venezuela - Tucked away in one of Caracas' poorest districts, Radio Perola is raising the hackles of Venezuela's big media executives.

From a room the size of a walk-in closet, Radio Perola - and dozens of other small, government-sponsored stations - broadcast programs supporting President Hugo Chavez and his self-proclaimed revolution.

Chavez argues the stations counter opposition-allied commercial broadcast media that don't address issues vital to Venezuela's poor. Media executives argue the unlicensed stations interfere with their signals and are Chavez propaganda machines.

"They use frequencies that overlap those of other stations, and all they do is spread government propaganda," said Miguel Martinez, president of the Venezuelan Chamber of Broadcasting Industries.

"We aren't neutral," concedes Radio Perola manager Carlos Carles. "We have a position. It just so happens that most people here in this district support the president."

Chavez, a former paratroop commander who was elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2000, frequently accuses Venezuela's news media of conspiring to overthrow him. Many private broadcasters promoted a recent two-month general strike to demand Chavez quit. Now Congress, dominated by Chavez's ruling party, is considering legislation to strictly regulate broadcast content.

"It's no secret that the private media is against Chavez. That's why the government turns a blind eye to the abuses by pro-Chavez community radio," said opposition lawmaker Alberto Jordan, a member of Congress' media committee. "Many are operating in a clandestine form, moving from place to place so they can't be located."

Dominated by ruling party members, the media committee has shelved complaints, said Jordan.

Radio Perola disc jockey Vichinq Fernandez broadcasts the music of late revolutionary folk singer Ali Primera in a small studio in Caricuao, one of the poorest disctricts of Caracas, Venezuela, Feb 14, 2003. From a room the size of a walk-in closet, Radio Perola and dozens of other small, government-sponsored stations broadcast programs supporting President Hugo Chavez and his self-proclaimed revolution. (AP Photo/Fernando LLano)

At Radio Perola, disc jockeys spin tunes by the late folk singer Ali Primera, a social activist. Guests announce workshops for single mothers or meetings on neighborhood problems.

"Most of our programming focuses on community issues," Carles said in a room sporting photos of Ernesto "Che" Guevara and Chavez and pro-government graffiti.

Licensed private stations complain there are too many loopholes in legislation regulating community radio, and that the government permits abuses. Alvin Lezama, an executive at the state-run communications watchdog, says new rules will allow citizens, rather than the government, to regulate noncommercial stations.

"What is the best way to control this? That the communities take possession of these stations," Lezama said.

"We have to open channels so consumers control their media outlets because we are never going to have the technology or human resources to do it," added Lezama. "It's a truly revolutionary idea."

The rules put the same limits on signal strength for both commercial and community broadcasters. But community stations routinely exceed those limits.

"They are a threat. Our signal has been affected in some cities ... including Caracas and Maracaibo by these community stations," said Antonio Serfati, executive vice president of Union Radio, which broadcasts nationwide.

"Interference isn't the only problem. They broadcast more advertising than they are allowed to and don't pay taxes," added Serfati.

Community radio stations are permitted 5 minutes of advertising each hour. In a nod to local development, no more than half the ads can promote companies that don't operate within the station's respective "community."

Private radio owners also complain that many community stations violate a rule demanding they "abstain from transmitting partisan or propaganda messages" and "avoid discrimination due to political beliefs."

"They constantly talk about the marvels of Chavez's revolution," said Alejandro Hiduera, owner of the Radio Reloj AM-FM station in western Zulia state.

It's unclear how many community stations exist. Conatel, Venezuela's telecommunications agency, says 13 have been licensed. The National Association of Free and Alternative Community Radio says there are 23. Jordan claims there are more than 130.

Carles denies his station receives government money, as private media owners claim. Makeshift studio microphones, beat-up amplifiers and frayed cables appear to support his claim.

"Communication is a right of all individuals, not a business for a privileged few," said Carles.

***Chavez, a former paratroop commander who was elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2000, frequently accuses Venezuela's news media of conspiring to overthrow him. Many private broadcasters promoted a recent two-month general strike to demand Chavez quit. Now Congress, dominated by Chavez's ruling party, is considering legislation to strictly regulate broadcast content. ***

Venezuelan Newsprint Stocks Running Low Under Chavez’s Restrictions [Full text] CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez is using currency controls to limit press freedom by denying Venezuelan newspapers the dollars needed to import newsprint, a newspaper director said Wednesday. Nationwide newsprint stocks are down to one month's supply, said Miguel Otero, director of Caracas' El Nacional. "Nobody knows how the newspapers are going to operate after April," Otero said. "The government wants to silence us."

Chavez accuses Venezuela's news media of conspiring to overthrow his leftist government. Many newspapers endorsed a recent, failed two-month general strike to demand early presidential elections. Chavez's term ends in 2007. Chavez suspended dollar sales to businesses and citizens Jan. 22 to stem a rapid devaluation of the bolivar currency and capital flight. The government published a list this week of 6,000 imported items, such as medicine and food, that will be eligible for private dollar purchases at a date to be announced. Newsprint is not on the list, although the government says it may be in the future.

"This is undoubtedly an attempt against freedom of expression. It's becoming a government policy," Otero said. The bolivar lost a quarter of its value against the dollar this year before currency sales were halted. [End]

Crackdown in Cuba / A reminder that Castro is still a tyrant*** Criticism of current American policy toward Cuba tends to focus on the fact that it is monolithic, basically waiting for the death of Fidel Castro before it evolves into something more nuanced. Another growing group of critics of present policy appreciates growing U.S. export sales to Cuba, particularly by American farmers and pharmaceutical companies. They lament that Cuba is still obliged to pay cash, because U.S. banks cannot extend credit.

Another group of critics of current U.S. policy focuses on the electoral aspects of the issue, particularly the fact that President Bush's brother, the governor of Florida, draws votes from the Cuban-American exile community in Florida, some of whom still hold the Democrats responsible for what they consider to be the selling down the river by the Clinton administration of Elian Gonzalez in 2000.

Then there are the tourists and those in the travel industry who profit from Americans' visits to Cuba. Cuba is, in fact, an interesting and attractive Caribbean destination, perhaps competitive in charm and cost with Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and other tourist spots.

What the "Fidel Castro is really a cuddly agrarian reformer" group may have missed is that over the past week or so the Castro regime has arrested as many as 75 economists, librarians, journalists and human rights activists -- in sum, pretty much the active opposition to his regime.Some of them were arrested for being too much in communication with the wrong Americans, officials of the U.S. Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy in Cuba, where American diplomats are based absent U.S. diplomatic relations with Cuba.***

Authorities investigate terror link - Venezuelan al-Qaida operative*** Al-Qaida "may see Latin America as an area where nobody is looking for them," Hoffman said. "They see breathing space and room to maneuver."***

Chávez's Bolivarian Circles in South Florida - 17 around U.S. - Spreading around world *** Circle leaders draw strength from what they say is a growing Bolivarian international network. The U.S. circle members will hold their first national assembly in New York in March, and Chávez representatives from Venezuela plan to attend.***

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