For BRTD, YoMartin and other Chavez lovers... what can you say about this?

[ThePrezMex]

Several of us here constantly warned about Hugo Chavez dictatorial designs, but were rebuked by BRTD and YoMartin. Now, new evidence shows that he is indeed trying to supress all dissent. Here's a note that appeared in The Economist last month:
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Crackdown in Venezuela
Red tide rising

Nov 4th 2004 | CARACAS
From The Economist print edition

Having consolidated a near-total grip on power, Hugo Chávez is preparing a set of laws to repress many forms of dissent

JUST last August, after months of unrest and an attempted coup, 4m Venezuelans voted against Hugo Chávez in a recall referendum, more than had voted him in as president in 2000. Yet he won the referendum, and has now completed a stunning turnaround. Local elections on October 31st left his allies controlling 20 of the country's 23 states, plus Caracas, the capital, and they looked likely to bag the state of Carabobo too after the completion of a disputed recount.

No elected leader of the country has ever wielded such power. With a majority in parliament, a tightening grip on the judiciary, the unquestioning loyalty of the military high command and a seemingly endless flow of revenues thanks to high oil prices, the “red tide” that the self-styled revolutionary predicted, referring to his own party colours, is now lapping around the necks of his opponents.

After their referendum defeat, the two dozen anti-Chávez parties could not agree on a common electoral strategy. In some regions they competed against each other, virtually guaranteeing a chavista victory. A commission of experts set up to analyse their allegations of fraud called for voter abstention, compounding the damage. Virtually the only survivors of stature are Manuel Rosales, governor of the far-western state of Zulia, and a couple of young mayors from the fledgling Justice First party, whose base is Caracas and the adjoining state of Miranda.

What will Mr Chávez do with all this power? Part of the answer lies in a set of repressive laws, currently in the legislative pipeline, which critics say will outlaw most forms of dissent and severely restrict freedom of expression. First in line is a radio and TV bill ostensibly aimed at protecting children by curbing violent and sexually explicit content. But its vague wording will, for example, allow the government to suspend transmission or, ultimately, withdraw a licence, for content which is “contrary to the security of the nation”. Already, private TV stations which have been fierce critics of Mr Chávez are showing signs of self-censorship.

Then there is the partial reform of the penal code, which would outlaw virtually every form of protest the opposition has attempted over the past three years. “Intimidating” a senior public official (for example, by banging pots and pans outside his or her house, a popular form of protest) would carry a sentence of three to eight years in jail. Causing panic by spreading “false information”: two to five years. Promoting “disobedience”, even in private: up to six years behind bars.

Article 350 of the 1999 constitution, drafted by the chavistas themselves, enshrines the right to disobey a government that undermines human rights. But a proposed terrorism law would turn many forms of civil disobedience, such as blocking streets, into terrorist acts, with correspondingly severe penalties. And a national police bill would put control of all local police forces, in effect, into the hands of the interior ministry.

The government has already begun to harass dissidents. Leading members of Súmate, an NGO which amounts to an opposition elections unit, face jail terms of up to 16 years. Their alleged crime is to have conspired with a foreign power—the United States—to overthrow the government. Súmate accepted a grant from the National Endowment for Democracy, which is funded by America's Congress and which, prosecutors allege, is a front for the CIA. A neutral judge might well throw the case out. Unfortunately, judges who defy the government tend to lose their jobs; most have only provisional positions. And the supreme court, already largely pro-Chávez, is to be expanded from 20 to 32 justices, who will be appointed by the pro-Chávez majority in parliament.

An even clearer case of distortion of justice is that of General Francisco Usón, a former finance minister in Mr Chávez's government, who was jailed last month for five-and-a-half years by a military tribunal for allegedly slandering the armed forces. The general had offered a technical opinion on television, as a combat engineer, on the workings of a flame-thrower, in the context of press allegations that one had been used on soldiers in a punishment cell. Two of the soldiers died, but seven months later no one has been charged, much less sentenced, for their deaths; the only person in jail is General Usón. The defence minister, General Jorge Luis García Carneiro, minces no words when asked about the case. Anyone, he says, civilian or military, who insults the armed forces can expect similar treatment. Viva la revolución

[they don't love you like i love you]

The Economist is generally a neoliberal rag, and since Chavez is an enemy of globalization I wouldn't take most from it seriously, although this seriously bothers me:

First in line is a radio and TV bill ostensibly aimed at protecting children by curbing violent and sexually explicit content.

This type of censorship pisses me off.

[patrick1]

I worked with a few people from Venezeula and what the described was going down was horrible.  Granted theie families were middle class and some wealthy, but they described being followed, their houses searched, being branded CIA spies- pretty much what you assume from a tyrannical regime.  I for one will applaud if he gets plugged.

[ThePrezMex]

The Economist is generally a neoliberal rag, and since Chavez is an enemy of globalization I wouldn't take most from it seriously, although this seriously bothers me:

First in line is a radio and TV bill ostensibly aimed at protecting children by curbing violent and sexually explicit content.

This type of censorship pisses me off.

Yes, but you didn't continue reading: "But its vague wording will, for example, allow the government to suspend transmission or, ultimately, withdraw a licence, for content which is “contrary to the security of the nation”. Already, private TV stations which have been fierce critics of Mr Chávez are showing signs of self-censorship."

The Economist is giving facts, not stating a position.

[opebo]

I worked with a few people from Venezeula and what the described was going down was horrible.  Granted theie families were middle class and some wealthy, but they described being followed, their houses searched, being branded CIA spies- pretty much what you assume from a tyrannical regime.  I for one will applaud if he gets plugged.

I couldn't agree more!  In fact I think it is very odd that he has not been assassinated. 

[AuH2O]

BRTD and others will defend him just because he uses communist rhetoric, regardless of his actual policies.

Hopefully someone will take him out sooner rather than later.

[ThePrezMex]

I agree. I predicted that he would try to do everything to stay in power as long as Castro, and he is in his way. Hopefully, he won't succeed, but my hopes fade every month it passes.
I'm glad to see that there's bipartisan agreement against Chavez.

[WMS]

Well said, ThePrezMex! Here's a few snippets from Stratfor (snippets, mind you, since their copyright forbids me from posting the full thing):

"November 02, 2004   1758 GMT
Summary
The results of Venezuelan regional elections and moves by Colombian paramilitary chieftains could create a security nightmare for Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez. If some 2,000 Colombian paramilitaries deployed along the border with Venezuela begin disarming during November as announced, Uribe would have to quickly deploy troops to the areas to prevent rebel groups from attacking civilians. The presence of more Colombian troops on the border with Venezuela could eventually result in clashes between Colombian and Venezuelan military forces if Colombian troops pursue rebels into Venezuelan territory."

I've kept mentioning the possibility for Colombian-Venezuelan clashes...and Hugo Chavez will be the one responsible: "Since assuming the presidency, Chavez also has maintained good political relations with the FARC and ELN, frequently siding with them in political speeches in which he condemned Colombia's ruling elite classes as "rancid oligarchs."

Over the past nearly six years, Chavez also has slashed defense budgets, allowed steep declines in the operational readiness of Venezuela's armed forces and changed the rules of engagement for Venezuelan military units deployed along the border in three regional theaters of operation. As a result, Venezuela's army is not equipped operationally to battle rebel groups, and unit commanders along the border are routinely ordered from Caracas to ignore Colombian rebel groups detected inside Venezuelan territory. " <--- From the same article as above.

" Venezuela: Is Chavez Operating 'Parallel' Security Forces?
November 04, 2004   1521 GMT
Summary
The government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is resorting to increased aggression in an effort to eradicate all remaining civilian and military opposition. Low-level political violence likely will start to increase in 2005 as some dissidents, including military personnel now in hiding, seek ways to strike back." <--- some details following...

"Silvino Bustillos, a retired Venezuelan air force colonel and former senior judge in the armed forces (FAN) judicial system, has not been seen since he was kidnapped at gunpoint Oct. 31 by up to a dozen men who identified themselves as military intelligence (DIM) agents...However, DIM officials deny the military detained Bustillos. Several sources in the Venezuelan army and national guard said Bustillos could be dead...The Bustillos kidnapping, however, is just the latest in a series of disappearances in recent months. In all, at least 200 civilians and military personnel have vanished. A dissident source inside DIM said the Chavez government is believed to have established "parallel" security forces inside the DIM, the Interior and Justice Ministry's political police (DISIP), the national guard and some civilian law enforcement agencies, including the Libertador Municipal Police in Caracas (PoliCaracas).

"These parallel groups have lists of military and civilian targets that the government views as threats to Chavez's future stability. No one has paid any attention yet to what is happening because the people that have disappeared so far have been local, low-level opponents of the Chavez government. Bustillos had a much higher public profile than the others, and he caused a public commotion by screaming for help as he fled from his pursuers. There were dozens of eyewitnesses to his disappearance," the DIM source said Nov. 4.
Other military and security sources said Cuban military and intelligence personnel are supporting the Chavez government's political counterintelligence operations."

Yes, left-wingers, Chavez is running death squads. But I'm sure most of you will support him anyway, just like you support Castro.

" Venezuela's Crippling Move Against NGOs
November 11, 2004   1551 GMT
Summary
Venezuelan prosecutors are pursuing treason charges against the directors of a pro-democracy group that received funding from the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy. The courts -- controlled by President Hugo Chavez -- are likely to convict the four leaders of Sumate, a voting rights non-governmental organization (NGO). Convictions would set a precedent that could encourage other authoritarian governments to prosecute NGOs they consider pesky. Moreover, U.S. pro-democracy efforts around the world could be crippled if fear causes these groups to sever ties with their U.S. government backers... Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel and several senior political leaders of the Chavez government reportedly planned the prosecution strategy against Sumate's directors and are directly participating in the prosecution. Sources in the Venezuelan attorney general's office say the leaders are receiving advice from Cuban intelligence officials working closely with the Chavez government."

Ah, gotta love that ever so democratic Chavez regime, eh?

And just in case you think the opposition is going to go quietly:

" Venezuela: The Beginning of Violent Resistance?
November 19, 2004   1600 GMT
Summary
A senior Venezuelan prosecutor conducting investigations of more than 500 people charged with supporting the overthrow of President Hugo Chavez on April 11-14, 2002, was assassinated late Nov. 18 in Caracas. Danilo Anderson was killed by a bomb that was placed under the driver's seat of his car. No one has taken credit for the murder. However, it could be the work of a clandestine armed resistance movement that fugitive military officers reportedly are organizing against the Chavez government...However, it was not the first attempt to kill a Chavez regime figure. Just more than one month ago in Caracas, unknown individuals tried to assassinate Defense Minister Gen. Julio Garcia Carneiro with a C-4 explosive device planted at his late mother's grave site in the Cementerio del Este (Cemetery of the East). Garcia Carneiro regularly visits his mother's tomb to pay his respects. The device planted at the tomb was rigged to detonate by cell phone, but failed to explode. "

And now the stage is set for guerrilla war. Way to go, left-wingers, now another country heads toward ruin...

[The Duke]

There's this great looking Venezuelan girl at my college.  I asked her if her parents were pro or anti Chavez.  She immediately and angrily denounced Chavez and acted as if I was crazy for even asking th question.

[opebo]

There's this great looking Venezuelan girl at my college.  I asked her if her parents were pro or anti Chavez.  She immediately and angrily denounced Chavez and acted as if I was crazy for even asking th question.

Well duh.. if she's at your college she's rich.

That said, those South American girls tend to be sooo hot!  I can't wait to visit that part of the world.

[The Duke]

There's this great looking Venezuelan girl at my college.  I asked her if her parents were pro or anti Chavez.  She immediately and angrily denounced Chavez and acted as if I was crazy for even asking th question.

Well duh.. if she's at your college she's rich.

That said, those South American girls tend to be sooo hot!  I can't wait to visit that part of the world.

No, we're not all rich.  In fact, my best friend is basically poor and makes due on financial aid.

[Erc]

American students may not be rich...

...but International students (who aren't provided financial aid) are very likely to be.

[ThePrezMex]

American students may not be rich...

...but International students (who aren't provided financial aid) are very likely to be.

Yes. I have financial aid though, since I'm not rich.

Apparently, the Chavez supporters have not been able to find any good argument to defend him during the entire weekend. Maybe (I hope so), they are conviced now of Chavez real intentions.

[opebo]

Yeah, my point was that foreign students are almost all quite rich in their homelands.

[MN-Troy]

Yeah, my point was that foreign students are almost all quite rich in their homelands.

Someone I know took in a teenage girl from Brazil and she was upset that the host parent did not have servants. In countries like Brazil, you are either wealthy or poor, there is no middle class.

Needless to say, said girl adjusted quickly.

[YoMartin]

Well, obviously I´m not (and have never been) a "Chavez lover". You could go back to the days of the referendum and read that I wanted him to lose. But I always opposed those who, without much information of the situation or without any historic idea of what coups mean for Latinamericans, wanted him out by any means necessary (I even read assasination proposals in this forum). He won a free and fair referendum (don´t know how many "dictators" would accept one), as he had won several elections before that, even with most of the media against him. Now he´s taking measures that clearly limit civil liberties, but it seems to me too early to call him a dictator for that, at least according to what that word usually means in political science and history. Bush is limiting civil liberties even more strongly, and nobody would call him a dictator or seriously propose a coup. They´re just two bad presidents with little respect for separation of powers, rule of law, political liberalism, etc.

This is what the opposition won by first attempting a coup and then losing so badly.

[WMS]

Did you miss the memo about the disappearances in Venezuela, YoMartin? I'm sure I mentioned them...