Posted on 01/18/2008 1:31:14 AM PST by Wyatt K
Criticism
Support of Venezuelan Dictator is Inconsistent With Proclaimed Values
The consistency of Code Pink's antiwar credentials and its values as an antiwar group is criticized because while it publicly opposes President Bush and his policies in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Code Pink's leaders have embraced Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. Most notably, Code Pink's three highest profile members, Medea Benjamin, Jodi Evans and Cindy Sheehan, visited Hugo Chavez in January 2006. After returning to the United States, Cindy Sheehan stated in an MSNBC interview that she would rather live under Hugo Chavez than President Bush and maintained that Chavez was not a dictator.[16]
Medea Benjamin has often praised Hugo Chavez in various articles despite his support for the communist FARC, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia leftist, narco-terrorist guerrillas which have been responsible for about 750 kidnappings in Columbia and has fought the democratic government in Columbia for forty years.[17][18][19] FARC use routes through Venezuela to import weapons, cash, and war material, and to export drugs and the United States State Department's position is that Chavez is complicit with FARC's activities.[20] Moreover, Chavez has maintained close economic and diplomatic ties with Cuba and Iran. Chavez has also proclaimed his "brotherhood" with Saddam Hussein and has also favorably described the Taliban.[21] While Benjamin has praised Chavez in a series of written articles, and considers herself a human rights and social justice activist[22], she has never publicly criticized him for his seizure of all independent media in Venezuela. Instead, Benjamin associated the Venezuelan media with the elites who were opposed to Chavez. She wrote, "Infuriated by their loss of power, the elite use their control over the media to blast Chavez for destroying the economy, cozying up to Fidel Castro, antagonizing the US government, expropriating private property, and using dictatorial rule." Benjamin further wrote that President Bush and John Kerry, could learn a lesson from Hugo Chavez about winning the hearts and minds of the people.[23]
The organization Global Exchange, which Medea Benjamin is the founding director and co-director[24], describes Venezuela as being "..at the center of a new, progressive model of socioeconomic development that is shaping Latin America’s future. There are few countries where everyday people actually receive the benefits of cooperation with multinationals: a redistribution of oil profit, a guarantee for healthcare written into the constitution, and record-breaking achievements in education. What's more, having been internationally ratified as a democracy during the August 2004 recall referendum, Venezuela has embarked upon some of the most innovative regional programs that Latin America has ever seen."[25]
Contrary to the assertions of Medea Benjamin, Cindy Sheehan and Global Exchange, Hugo Chavez has not been progressive in the area of human rights. Human Rights Watch has declared that Chavez misused regulatory authority in his decision to shut down Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) and diminished free expression.[26] Human Rights Watch also accuses Chavez of political persecution and undermining the independence of the Venezuelan judiciary.[27][28][29]
[edit] Support of Venezuelan Crackdown on Free Expression
Despite the crackdown on free expression and civil rights in Venezuela, Medea Benjamin continued to support Hugo Chavez. She was quoted as saying that the crackdowns on free expression and civil rights in Venezuela are "myths."[30] In an interview with Tucker Carlson on MSNBC, Benjamin was asked, "Do you want to revise that given the news that Hugo Chavez has closed the last nationally broadcast opposition television station for criticizing him?" Benjamin replied that it was not true and that what happened was that Chavez simply did not renew the license because "it "participated in a coup against a democratically elected government, his [Chavez's] government."[31] Carlson responded that a 360 page Venezuelan government published book accused RCTV, the last independent television station closed by Chavez, as showing lack of respect for authorities and institutions. Carlson asked Benjamin, "I would think, as a self described liberal, you would stand up for the right of people to, quote, challenge authorities and institutions. And yet, you are apologizing for the squelching of minority views. Why could that be?" Benjamin replied that, "They [RCTV] falsified information. They got people out on the street. They falsified footage that showed pro Chavez supporters killing people, which did not happen. They refuse to cover any of the pro Chavez demonstrations." Carlson responded that he thought someday Medea Benjamin would be ashamed of her statements regarding the crackdown on RCTV.[32]
Well done FRiend!
And be sure to include a reference when the rumored documentary on Code Pink is released later this year, ‘Leftist Estrogen Gone Wild!’, of course Joe Francis has to get out of jail first. ;)
I bet it will get deleted shortly.
Cindy Sheehan stated in an MSNBC interview that she would rather live under Hugo Chavez than President......bye...Where can I send $ to help buy a ticket?
I added a couple of cross-references to other Wiki articles.
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