Venezuelans pour into streets to mourn Hugo Chavez

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Venezuelans pour into streets to mourn Hugo Chavez
| March 5, 2013 | Updated: March 5, 2013 7:07pm

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Hundreds of anguished Venezuelans poured into the streets of downtown Caracas crying, hugging each other and shouting slogans in support of President Hugo Chavez after learning of his death Tuesday.

Clusters of women with tears streaming down their faces clung to each other and wept near the Miraflores presidential palace. Some wore T-shirts with slogans that read "Go forward commander!"

Nearby, men with grim and somber faces pumped their arms in the air while shouting "Long live Chavez! Long live Chavismo!"

People also gathered outside the military hospital where Chavez died. Soldiers in riot gear stood shoulder to shoulder guarding the complex.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Venezuelans-pour-into-streets-to-mourn-Hugo-Chavez-4330894.php#photo-4285936

[Mnemosyne]

1. He was loved. nt

[Ter]

141. So was Kim Il Sung

[Mnemosyne]

144. Go piss in another thread. nt

[shcrane71]

2. Through the lens of the US media, "Poor people loved him because he spent

lavishly on programs that helped them." Why not say, "Chavez invested in his population and worked to eradicate poverty."? Maybe the latter way would seem to imply that attempting to eradicate poverty is a noble endeavor?

[JustAnotherGen]

76. +1

And it was a noble endeavor.

[bvar22]

80. Not just a noble endeavor,

..but a mandate for anyone who calls himself a "Christian".

[shcrane71]

137. +1,000,000

Thank You. That's true.

[kelliekat44]

134. Somewhere there you just know the CIA is busy ..n

t

[Judi Lynn]

3. Public funeral for Venezuela's Chavez to be held Friday

Public funeral for Venezuela's Chavez to be held Friday

LIMA | Wed Mar 6, 2013 6:25am IST

(Reuters) - The corpse of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will lie in state through Friday when a public funeral will be held with invited guests from across Latin America, Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said late on Tuesday.

He declared seven days of mourning for the leader who died of cancer and said Chavez's body would be transferred from hospital to a military academy on Wednesday.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/03/06/venezuela-chavez-funeral-idINDEE92501B20130306?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&rpc=401

[No Vested Interest]

10. Wonder how the US will be represented at the funeral

I would think the US ambassador would attend.
Anyone higher up? -Kerry? I wouldn't think VP Biden would go.

[xtraxritical]

14. I thought on TRMS she said they kicked the US Ambassador out of the country?

[No Vested Interest]

15. No, not the ambassador

I believe two Air Force officers were kicked out.
One of them was said to be working against Chavez's administration.

[lonestarnot]

20. Someone needs to keep on eye on bushitler, he'll be over there spreading sulfur and hunting

for weapons of mass destruction and stealing oil.

[Pterodactyl]

4. Adios, amigo

[kelliekat44]

5. RIP, amigo. nt

[Dawson Leery]

6. As they should.

With all of his flaws, he saved the working class from demise.

He was democratically elected THREE times.

[Overseas]

7. K&R. I will miss him too.

[Jefferson23]

8. Hugo Chavez, RIP

[Judi Lynn]

18. Wonderful choice of images. Thank you, so much. Perfect. n/t

[Jefferson23]

88. You're most welcome..so sorry he is gone..too young. n/t

[David__77]

9. I hope the military is on guard for provocations.

Obviously every right-wing operative and Western intelligence agent is on the move now, trying to facilitate "regime change" as soon as possible. Better to snuff it out now than to wait around.

[MyNameGoesHere]

13. Yes our President thinks he can now "talk" {strongarm}

the new leaders. Predictions of more Tio Sam meddling to come.

[Tarheel_Dem]

128. "Strongarm"? WTF would this president want to do that? Venezuela isn't going to be

"strongarmed", but they may be more amenable to having better relations, especially since I hear they're in for some real economic pain in the very near future. They've got the highest inflation on the globe, and their best & brightest have fled the country in droves. I'm not sure they'll need to be "strongarmed".

[MyNameGoesHere]

136. Yes our President wasn't worried about all that.

But now the good old empire has a chance to "influence" , of course amenably, Venezuela. Funny he didn't seem interested in "talking" until now. Yet I swear I have seen him "talking" to worse leaders than a thrice democratically elected one. Very strange man our President.

[Tarheel_Dem]

157. I guess "worse" would be subjective, depending on one's politics. But, your idea of "strange".....

definitely needs some work. In the big scheme of things, Venezuela is but a blip on the US' radar, and so was their dear leader. No matter how one feels about other leaders, to publicly namecall ("devil"; "clown"; etc.) doesn't exactly set the table for negotiation. Chavez wasn't interested in talking TO President Obama, only talking ABOUT him. This elevated his own miniscule stature on the world stage, because afterall, the US is a huge target for angst around the world, until they need us to ride in and save them from their own dictators and/or "democratically elected" leaders.

And I could show you pics of the "leaders" Chavez embraced, simply because they were anti-US. Careful who you canonize.

[Judi Lynn]

159. Such a "blip" the U.S. participated in creating the coup in 2002, has poured out millions

of U.S. taxpayers' hard-earned and legally demanded dollars to support Venezuelan opposition groups and journalists every damned year since then.

This isn't the thread for you to revel in. You need to either get a better hobby, or stop trying to condescend to decent people here. They stand taller than you.

Since you seem to relish dragging out photos, here are some of your pResident Bush with Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan's President who boils his political prisoners alive, and a photo of your pResident Reagan and Efrain Rios Montt, who is currently on trial for genocide, torturing, burning entire villages of Mayan Indians as his troops pursued his policy of "beans and bullets".

[center]



[/center]

[Tarheel_Dem]

160. Not sure why you felt the need to come after me, rather than the poster who declares that our....

president wants to "strongarm" Venezuela's new leadership. The problem with the anti-Obama/anti-US factions here at DU is that they truly feel that the president's supporters are "bots", but fail to acknowledge that they only give a shit about people like Chavez because they trash our president.

I ask you, how does calling a US President, whether you like him or not, a "devil" or a "clown" promote better relations? You seem awfully passionate about someone who did a few good things, and died a very rich man for his benevolence.

[Judi Lynn]

165. Please do include a link to your information on Hugo Chavez' immense wealth.

It would be instructive for DU readers to see your source, as well as your claim.

[Tarheel_Dem]

169. Look up yesterday's Diahn Rhem Show.

[Judi Lynn]

170. No, you are expected to provide the link, pull it out of your underside. Your responsibility.

We don't just take your word for it, and we don't snuffle around trying to find your proof.

Put up or shut up. Them's the rules, the way it's done.

[Tarheel_Dem]

171. I said where I heard it, my "responsibility" ends there. For anyone, besides you, looking for...

further information, they're free to google The Diahn Rhem Show. Apparently, not only did Chavez become quite wealthy, so did his family and inner circle. Talk about rags to riches.

What's funny is, you still haven't chimed in on the now deceased authoritarian calling our President a "clown" and "an embarrassment". He was one helluva diplomat, that Chavez. Obama didn't kiss his ass, like the rest of the Americas, and that makes him "a clown"?




Talk about "embarrassing".



He wasn't as beloved by Amnesty International as you seem to be. There was no dictator too abhorrent for him as long as they expressed anti-US sentiment, kinda like a certain faction here at DU.

[Steerpike]

161. yes a blip

with the second largest known oil reserves in the world...nothing to see here...move along...

[Tarheel_Dem]

164. And with no real capacity to refine it. Do some research.

[Steerpike]

173. Hey TM

I knew that...but I'm sure a major corporation would be more that happy to set up refineries with cheap labor and suck all the money they could from those reserves.
Use your corporate imagination...

[MyNameGoesHere]

172. Of course he was interested.

Obama couldn't be bothered to pursue talking with Chavez because of an "image" problem. The republcans would have whined. Nice reason to not try diplomacy. Yet he has hosted many dictators, terrorist and general thugs.
And this blip produces 2.238 million barrels per day. That's hardly worth your scoffing at. But then again I suppose to you it is just another banana republic to "influence" and rape. And those who call America out as the beast of the world are welcome to be called my friend any day. I am ashamed a Democratic Admin is engaged in such shameless and criminal behavior.

[Tarheel_Dem]

177. "shameless and criminal behavior".

Well, I can see this conversation as taken a turn for the bizarre, so I'll be over here ----------->>>>>>>>>>>

[Judi Lynn]

130. He announces he supports the people. The people chose Hugo Chavez!

Guess his words sound a little hollow, don't they?

Our country's position on the people of Latin America remains unchanged after all these long, brutal, purely exploitive years.

Tragic.

[arcane1]

11. But, but, the TV said he wasn't the president of Venezuela, he was the "strongman"

He dared claim that the resources of a country belong to those who live there! Anti-American!!!

He was an imperfect human being, just like the rest of us, so therefore everything he said or did was bullshit!

Or did TV lie to me???

[Judi Lynn]

17. They take the terms propagandists throw them, and brandish them gleefully,

like dogs, after finding new sticks in the yard.

"Strongman?" Help! Run away!

Apparently their man next door, the bloody, narcotrafficking, Colombian death squad-connected Alvaro Uribe wasn't a "strongman" since he was the U.S. puppet/errand boy, and national sell-out.

[The Magistrate]

12. A Good Man Gone, Ma'am

[Judi Lynn]

16. Indeed, Magistrate. n/t

[bemildred]

56. But not soon forgotten, Sir.

I would wager. As with Fidel, they can puff and blather all they want, but he is a world historical figure and he ate their lunches, and that's why he pisses them off so bad.

[geek tragedy]

19. Courage and peace to the people of Venezuela in their time of loss.

Chavez worked for the good of the people, even if imperfectly.

[Fearless]

21. Good riddance

Purely from a constitutionalist point of view.

[ronnie624]

35. Which constitution are you referring to? n/t

[Fearless]

41. Theirs.

[ronnie624]

59. As a "constitutionalist",

you should have no problem pointing out how President Chavez violated the Venezuelan constitution.

http://venezuelanalysis.com/constitution

[Fearless]

60. I didn't say he violated it

Though as with any leader he may well have at some point. However, he did have it altered to suit his own desires. That I find contemptible. Again, as I would with any other leader.

[ronnie624]

62. He was not the only person involved in creating the current constitution.

Hundreds were involved in writing it, and millions voted in favor of it.

Your posts are blatant misinformation. You cannot be taken seriously.

[Judi Lynn]

63. Sad, in every way. Wish they bothered to search for the facts, as the rest of us do. n/t

[ronnie624]

66. Sometimes it really gives me the red ass.

[Fearless]

68. Would you have been ok if President Bush, after 9-11

Had used his popularity to pass an amendment allowing him to run for a third term?

[ronnie624]

69. I favor democracy.

Period.

[Fearless]

70. So you would be against political manipulation

or for taking advantage of it for one's own benefit?

[ronnie624]

71. Politics is all *about* manipulation.

Last edited Thu Mar 7, 2013, 01:55 AM - Edit history (1)

An informed and involved populace, such as the Venezuelan working class, will know where their best interests lie.

[Fearless]

74. To quote George Washington in his farewell address regarding political parties...

"One of the expedients of party to acquire influence within particular districts is to misrepresent the opinions and aims of other districts. You cannot shield yourselves too much against the jealousies and heartburnings which spring from these misrepresentations; they tend to render alien to each other those who ought to be bound together by fraternal affection."

Politics to subvert democracy is not democracy. It is entitled self-interest.

[ronnie624]

75. You're leaving out the most important element, perhaps to deliberately misinform:

the will of the majority, which has been consistently expressed by the Venezuelan electorate.

[Fearless]

82. Except that from the view of a constitutionalist

As I said, changing the constitution to suit personal gain is deplorable.

[ronnie624]

84. And we circle back to the original false claim.

Absolutely consistent.

[Fearless]

85. It was changed for personal gain.

[wordpix]

98. well you don't favor Chavez, then---he was a dictator

Took over all media except one outlet I know of. Persecuted those who engaged in free speech. Perhaps he did some good things but persecuting those who openly opposed him was not one of them.

[Fearless]

67. Ok ronnie whatever you say.

[BuddhaGirl]

79. amazing rationalization, isn't it?

[ronnie624]

86. The Venezuelan constitution was ratified by a popular vote.

It's a fact of history. How is that a rationalization?

[Fearless]

94. You are missing my point

The Iraq war was popular when it started. Does that make it right?

What is popular isn't necessarily what is right. What is self-serving is always deplorable.

[ronnie624]

147. The Venezuelan peoples' approval of a new constitution

is like invading another country on a pretext of lies and conspiracy?

Can you truly not see how bizarre your posts are?

[BuddhaGirl]

104. see the link

Still a rationalization, sorry.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/hugo-chavez-passionate-but-polarizing-venezuelan-president-dead-at-58/2013/03/05/42525790-afdd-11e0-90e1-c12867691ae6_print.html

[bitchkitty]

91. So explain what you meant then.

Or were you just blowing puffs out of your ass?

[Fearless]

93. I did explain myself. Please be civil.

[bitchkitty]

106. Be civil? When you make a post that says "good riddance"?

What is that, the height of tact and courtesy? You disgust me.

You explained nothing, and thus revealed everything one needs to know about YOU.

[Judi Lynn]

108. One need not know more about someone who chooses that stinking send-off to a dead man. n/t

[Fearless]

113. I didn't say be courteous I said we should be civil.

I have not attacked you. Insulting posters is the lowest common denominator argument. We're better than that. I have explained myself. From a constitutional perspective, good riddance. He trampled over his constitution to suit his desires. I was very clear with what I said. I'm sorry if I didn't convey that to you well enough.

[HangOnKids]

121. What Is Really Bothering You About Chavez?

I haven't seen you going off on the 100s of leaders that have mucked about with constitutions etc. Since you are not affected by Chavez and his deeds, what exactly has you so pissed off? Oh and FYI being civil is being courteous, maybe you need to pull out your Miss Manners booklet.

[Fearless]

122. I will gladly go off on leaders who subvert the intentions of their consitutions

For their own personal gain. How would you know if I have or haven't done so? In fact, I could find you numerous such instances where I decried, for instance, the Bush Administration for subverting habeas corpus and indeed the Obama Administration for doing similar, the PATRIOT ACT, Stephen Harper or Tony Blair when they wanted to do the same, the Governor of Michigan when he did the same, and so on and so forth. My criticism of those who twist or change established law to suit their own good is largely established on DU. It's not one law for the rulers, one for the ruled.

Likewise, I was unclear between civil and courteous and I will restate my meaning: I did not attack any poster. Period. I have been civil to all posters. I have expressed an opinion on the topic we are discussing. I'm not going to be held responsible for censoring my own opinions regarding politicians misdeeds on a political website. I have not broken any DU rule. I am happy Chavez is gone. Why? Because while he did help the poor to some extent, he stifled dissent, stole private property to enrich his supporters, imprisoned opponents, harassed opposing party members, and so on. The counter-argument is that he was a socialist savior for Venezuela. And he was to some superficial extent, providing you agreed with him. And about the poor... they still exist. Meanwhile his political friends have become obscenely wealthy off government sponsored monopolies.

[Tarheel_Dem]

178. +1000. I don't always agree with you, but I give you big props for consistency.

"Because while he did help the poor to some extent, he stifled dissent, stole private property to enrich his supporters, imprisoned opponents, harassed opposing party members, and so on. The counter-argument is that he was a socialist savior for Venezuela. And he was to some superficial extent, providing you agreed with him. And about the poor... they still exist. Meanwhile his political friends have become obscenely wealthy off government sponsored monopolies."

[Fearless]

179. Lisewise! n/t

[wordpix]

110. probably the one Chavez changed to keep himself in office forever

[Judi Lynn]

112. That would only be possible if they RE-ELECTED him, wouldn't it? Like President FDR was re-elected

until he died in office, and the Republicans rushed to create term limits in our country so another beloved, successful Democratic President could never serve multiple terms again, even knowing the Founding Fathers never imposed term limits here, themselves.

[Fearless]

115. If you terrorize your opponents

To the point that the opposition party is a joke... I don't think that's very FDR-like.

[Judi Lynn]

118. You could benefit by spending some time researching your subject, as the rest of us must.

Who on earth could have time to listen to this crap?

Do your homework, find out what you're talking about FIRST, instead of trying to get people to respond to gibberish.

[Fearless]

119. Likewise.

[wordpix]

135. I know a family that was terrorized and fled. I know them personally. Is that enough research for

you?

I know it goes against your own "research," but my friends have an opposite viewpoint based on actually living in Venezuela their entire lives and having to flee Chavez to save their lives.

How about you? How long have you lived in Venezuela, JL?

[Judi Lynn]

138. DU'ers know an American DU'er who lives now in Venezuela whom we have enjoyed enormously

over the years of communication.

Nothing rings true like honest input from a decent person.

We also have appreciated being informed daily during the coup by another DU'er living in Caracas, getting the straight info. directly from another DU'er we trusted. We have also heard from other truly decent DU'ers who lived in Venezuela for parts of their lives, some of them for many years.

There's absolutely NO reason to ignore sincere, good people's input here in deference to your claims regarding Venezuelan right-wingers who became expatriots because the country's population massively elected the President it wanted.

[wordpix]

142. good try- my friends fled for their lives b/c the head of household practiced free speech

and not b/c he and his family " became expatriots because the country's population massively elected the President it wanted."

Sorry this doesn't fit into your DU'ers reports. My friends are Venezuelans who are very upset at having to leave the country of their birth.

And BTW, the family includes both right-leaning and left wing members. They are all well educated, and they ALL hated Chavez. They ALL fled Venezuela. They ALL hope to go back but couldn't due to both the persecution of the head of household and the security situation, where people are regularly kidnapped.

[bitchkitty]

174. Bullshit. n/t

[Coyotl]

22. Wait until the funeral. The whole nation will be out.

[McCamy Taylor]

23. Close to tears right now. There aren't enough socialist leaders in the world.

[City67]

24. He was a loud mouth thug n/t

[daleo]

25. Stay classy.

[ReRe]

42. Right back at 'ya

[olddots]

61. choose your battles wisely

So you were there and knew him? I wasn't there and did not know him so all I can do is listen to people who did know him and were there.

[2ndAmForComputers]

129. Curious that you'd come out of a five-year hibernation to post that.

[totodeinhere]

27. According to this article in the Washington Post, Chavez was far from a democrat.

The deteriorating situation in Venezuela led the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, an independent branch of the Organization of American States, to issue a blistering 300-page report in 2010 saying that Mr. Chavez’s government constrained free expression, the rights of citizens to protest and the ability of opposition politicians to function. It also outlined how the president held tremendous influence over the judiciary, with judges whose decisions the government didn’t like being fired.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/hugo-chavez-passionate-but-polarizing-venezuelan-president-dead-at-58/2013/03/05/42525790-afdd-11e0-90e1-c12867691ae6_print.html

[bitchkitty]

28. dicktater, dicktater, derp derp derp.

Can't you guys fucking stop just for a night?

[totodeinhere]

53. What about the substance of the article?

If it's an outright lie it should be easy enough to refute it but I haven't see any replies to that effect.

[JackRiddler]

29. No! The Washington Post? Really?

[totodeinhere]

52. Yes, the same newspaper that endorsed Barack Obama twice. n/t

[Ken Burch]

31. By which the Post means, of course "he wouldn't obey Wall Street and impose austerity".

They were also involved in the propaganda campaigns against Allende and the Sandinistas.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

33. I love how the corporate media gives a shit about Human Rights Watch when it comes to Chavez

but the Saudi royals, Suharto, the contras, Pinochet?

just fine and dandy

The fact that Chavez is a household name that Americans are told to hate and falsely smeared as 'a dictator', while a true tyrant, killer and monster like Pinochet remains an unknown to the average low info voter tells you all you need to know about our lib'rul media.

[naaman fletcher]

47. Huh?

I know about all those things from the corporate media. Perhaps Pinochet isn't in the press much anymore because 1. He's dead, 2. Hasn't been in power for over 20 years.

[JackRiddler]

72. So in answering Adenoid_Hynkel's comment...

which was about low-info voters, you cite what you know as the counter-example. Are you thus intending to confirm that you are a low-info voter? Just curious.

[naaman fletcher]

111. ok fair enough. nt.

[totodeinhere]

54. We should give a shit about all human rights abuses anywhere including Saudi Arabia.

But the opposite of your claim is also true. How many want to give Chavez a pass while condemning the Saudis and others?

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

64. Robert Gibbs is on MSNBC trashing Chavez

Yeah, the former press secretary to President Obama. He was calling Chavez an old style dictator and describing how much better neighboring Columbia is as far as its economy is concerned. Columbia, the country where Koch Bros. clones control things with U.S. support, where thousands are locked up for expressing their political views, and the country that has been called the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist (determined by how many thousands have been killed in recent years).

I can't believe a former member of the Obama Administration is on the air shoveling this shit.

[Judi Lynn]

65. They started early in the morning slashing away at him on MSNBC.

At first, it's hard to believe one's ears! Doesn't seem possible human beings could act this way, and never have to answer for it.

[RZM]

124. Poppycock

Pinochet's crimes were well documented in the MSM. Far more so than what was going on in Cambodia at the same time, despite the fact that the numbers of victims were not even remotely close.

'Yet in 1976, the NYT published sixty-six articles on the abuse of human rights in Chile, as compared with only four in Cambodia.'

This is from Miktrokhin and Andrew, 'The World Was Going Our Way,' (Basic Books, 2005) p. 88

[totodeinhere]

131. I agree. Almost anyone has heard of Pinochet. He is one of the most well known dictators in

recent memory.

[Judi Lynn]

127. Of course, you're right. The average citizen has never heard of Pinochet,

and has NO idea Richard M. Nixon, the U.S. President, and Henry Kissinger, with the CIA engineered the entire coup, the run-up to the coup, and the evil aftermath, and that they poured millions of taxpayer dollars into Chilean news media prior to the Allende election, determined to smear Allende so badly he could never be elected, then, when that failed, to start tearing him apart, and they enlisted various unions in the country to strike, leaving food and merchandize stuck in trucks all over the country, and waiting in ships in the harbor to be unloaded, while it rotted, hoping that the mere suffering alone would drive the Chilean people to the point they would overthrow him.

When that didn't happen, they decided to get dirty, to get even more vicious, and that's when they got, after a series of murders, General Augusto Pinochet, and his mob of torturers, and sadistic sociopaths to start picking off the opposition.

The rest was NOT "history" here until declassified records started being opened.

People had no fucking idea and clearly you know it. They STILL don't know. Only the ones who have bothered to keep up conscientiously have any clue at all.

[JustAnotherGen]

77. Yeah

to issue a blistering 300-page report in 2010 saying that Mr. Chavez’s government constrained free expression, the rights of citizens to protest and the ability of opposition politicians to function. It also outlined how the president held tremendous influence over the judiciary, with judges whose decisions the government didn’t like being fired.

But that explains the Bush Corp Administration to the Nth degree. So - Chavez - who was elected three times was a dictator . . . but Bush Corp which never one ANYTHING at the Federal Level - that was a legit government?


No waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!


Now - whew! Done laughing. http://www.gregpalast.com/

[wordpix]

101. here come the pro-Chavezistas to denounce this well documented report as a fraud

I for one know it's true.

[JackRiddler]

30. Thank you Judi!

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

32. On the scale of Latin American authoritarianism...

if beloved figures of the rightwing like the murderous Pinochet rate a '10,' Chavez was somewhere around a '0.5'

[ronnie624]

34. Too bad.

It's easy to imagine how the "opposition" is scurrying for advantage.

[Judi Lynn]

36. Tributes to Hugo Chávez flow from South American leaders

Tributes to Hugo Chávez flow from South American leaders

Deep mourning for presidents who shared vision of 'Bolivarian revolution', while non-allies praise role in regional unity

Jonathan Watts in Buenos Aires
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 5 March 2013 23.19 EST

Tributes and condolences after the death of Hugo Chávez have flowed in from South America, where many saw the Venezuelan president as the inspiration behind increased regional intergration and the remarkable political gains of leftwing parties since the Venezuelan president began his "Bolivarian revolution".

Bolivia announced seven days of mourning. The presidents of Brazil and Argentina cancelled a summit. In Colombia Chávez was hailed as the decisive figure in that country's ongoing peace process; in Ecuador as a revolutionary figurehead; and in Chile – which has taken a different political path – as a key figure in regional intergration.

~snip~

In capitals throughout the region people thronged to Venezuelan embassies to express their solidarity. "The loss is irreparable. He was a great leader and friend of Brazil," said Brazil's president, Dilma Rousseff. "President Chávez will live on in the empty space that he filled in the heart of history and the struggle of Latin America."

~snip~

Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia and a close ally, departed for Caracas soon after hearing the news, according to the Spanish news agency EFE. "We are hurt. We are devasted," Morales said. "We feel Hugo Chávez is more alive than ever. He will continue being an inspiration for people who fight for liberty."

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/06/tributes-hugo-chavez-south-american

[AllyCat]

37. Wow. Just hearing this now. RIP. You made your mark.

You helped many.

[Laughing Mirror]

38. Rest in Peace, Brother

[Peace Patriot]

39. The people of Venezuela will triumph with their "New Deal" in tact...

...because it has been their revolution all along. This was a bottom-up revolution of enormous importance--peaceful, democratic, fair, just, orderly, lawful, historically aware and immensely beneficial to the long oppressed and ignored majority of Venezuelans--which spread like wildfire throughout South America and into Central America, with kindred governments elected in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala, and until the U.S.-assisted rightwing coup, in Honduras, and in some of the island countries of the Caribbean; it was also concurrent with the socialist government in Chile of Michele Batchelet.

There has been some retrenchment--the rightwing coup in Honduras, obviously; the rightwing coup in Paraguay; the rightwing election (if it can called that) in Guatemala, and the election of a rightwing billionaire in Chile (who now has something like a 25% approval rating and will be unseated by the socialists in the next election). But the sturdiness of this "New Deal"-type revolution in most of the above-mentioned countries is the astonishing thing to behold. They have pulled together. They are succeeding, economically as well as on social justice issues. It is a most remarkable political revolution--which the people of Venezuela pioneered, not only in rewriting their constitution in 1998 and electing Chavez in 2000 (the year we lost our democracy, if the truth were known) but also by their DEFENSE of their democracy in 2002, when the fascists in collusion with the Bush Junta tried to bring it down.

Chavez was kidnapped. He was courageous in that circumstance and refused to resign. But he was helpless and vulnerable...until the people of Venezuela poured into the streets, in the tens of thousands, and demanded, first, that their constitution be restored, and, second, that their duly elected president by restored to his rightful office. Chavez was powerless without the people of Venezuela, and he knew it and they knew it. He was their servant, as presidents and all public office holders should be. He really was--and, just like our own FDR, his policies reflected the will of the people and THEIR coming to power, at long last, in true democratic fashion.

This is the very thing that is hidden from those who get their news and views from the Corporate Media alone. The Corporate Media completely ignores the fact that, FIRST, Venezuelans CREATED a viable democracy, THEN elected Chavez to run the government. The Corporate Media built Chavez into a bogeyman--with their utter fantasy that he was a "dictator"--in order to knock him down, and thus to smash the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people without ever mentioning the utterly remarkable things that the Venezuelan people did, before they elected Chavez and throughout his presidency--and will continue to do now.

It has always struck me as rather funny, in its way, that the rightwing press and the greedbags of the 1930s did the same thing to FDR--called him a "dictator," when there hasn't been a better democrat, ever, in a top leadership position. The sad difference between then and now is that the rightwing/greedbag viewpoint is across the board in the establishment press, now, not just Faux News or the Wall Street Urinal or the Associated Pukes, but also the New York Slimes and the BBCons and even the once progressive Guardian (now the Guardian-of-the-1%), when it comes to Chavez and social justice and independence for Latin America. They are all Pukes now, as to Latin America--or is it Lunatics, who see democracy as "dictatorship" and Corporate Rule as democracy? It's as if the Mad Hatter, from the Mad Tea Party, were writing the news.

I'm sure that any objective history of the last decade will recognize Chavez as perhaps the greatest leader in the entire world, during this era. (Think of what objective historians will make of a Bush Jr. vs. Chavez, as to priorities and leadership!) But Chavez's greatness lay in this--that he listened to his people, that he obeyed them, that he represented them very well and that he knew to whom he owed his power. That is greatness in a democratic leader and it is rare, indeed, in today's world, and is pretty much only found in Latin America, and that is due to the political revolution that the people of Venezuela pioneered and inspired. Chavez alone could have done nothing. Chavez AND the people of Venezuela changed Latin America forever--and very, very much for the better.

[joshcryer]

44. Bottom up? Tell that to the boligarchs.

Chavismo was better for the rich than freaking right wing capitalist totalitarian states:

[Warren Stupidity]

55. Not surprising you did not provide a link.

On the basis of our econometric analysis and our comparison of governance and other characteristics, we conclude that in the social democratic regimes at least (but not in the populist regimes), the inequality decline is the outcome of what might be called a structural change. In contrast, in the populist regimes our evidence indicates that the declines in inequality have been due more to good luck than to good policy; that in Argentina and Venezuela inequality levels fell from levels higher than they had been historically is consistent with the good luck explanation.

http://www.cgdev.org/files/1425092_file_Birdsall_Lustig_McLeod_FINAL.pdf

The paper you failed to cite does not make the claims you are making.

[Melinda]

117. Link to figure (misleading to say the least):

That graph is part of a study called "Declining Inequality in Latin America: Some Economics, Some Politics", published by the Center for Global Development. The study was apparently conducted using data covering the period 1992-2005 in the case of Venezuela, and 1992- 2008 for other countries. Have a look at the papers conclusion and the other graphs (info) published. It would appear that someone on this thread is cherry-picking information and not presenting a true picture.

And it's not me or you.

http://www.iadb.org/intal/intalcdi/PE/2011/08246.pdf

[joshcryer]

150. Huh? I provide that source regularly.

At the time of its publication it was a pretty remarkable result. But people want to continue to hide the fact that the "populist" Latin American countries are faux at best.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=405&topic_id=53792&mesg_id=53792

I am not "cherry picking information." It's a fact that these Latin American "populists" got windfall profits and squandered them while creating 4Q boligarchs.

[Peace Patriot]

145. Yup, bottom up!

The UN Economic Commission on Latin America and the Caribbean recently designated Venezuela "THE most equal country in Latin America" on income distribution.

That just doesn't happen in a country ruled by the rich.

In the recent Gallup Well-being poll, Venezuelans rated their own country 5TH IN THE WORLD on their own sense of well-being and future prospects. 5th in the world!

That just doesn't happen in a country ruled by the rich.

The Chavez government has cut poverty by 50% and extreme poverty by over 70%, and has met ALL of its Millennium Goals (such as poverty reduction, access to education and health care)--an unusual achievement.

That just doesn't happen in a country ruled by the rich.

The facts and stats are overwhelming that the Chavez government championed the poor majority, and acted in their interest and in the interest of the society as a whole (--a society is not healthy with big rich/poor discrepancies and vast poverty), and had remarkable success, while also stimulating rather awesome economic growth rates and fending off coups, oil bosses' lockouts, the USAID funding recall election, CIA dirty tricks, intense Corporate/rightwing propaganda, destabilization efforts and God knows what all that was thrown at him and his government by the advocates of the rich getting richer and kicking the poor off the island.

That some oil execs or banksters or entrepreneurs have gotten rich while associating themselves with this political revolution, or that there might be corruption somewhere, is neither here nor there. Every government has problems and Chavez was NOT in control of everything and was NOT a dictator. But the abiding thrust of his policies and actions was to raise the poor out of poverty, to insure access to education, health care, good nutrition, good jobs, credit and everything, including political participation, from which the poor majority had been largely excluded. His government was remarkably successful in these and other respects, and will continue to be, under his VP Madura, because these policies are responsive to the will of the people. The people put Chavez in office to do exactly this--a "New Deal" for Venezuela--and Maduro will continue that "New Deal" or get thrown out of office--as Chavez would have been if HE had not fulfilled his promises.

And how did this happen? This is not an imposed government. This is not some group that came in and took over the government. This was a real democratic process, from the bottom up--starting with the revolt of the poor against "neo-liberalism" (more riches for the rich, austerity for the poor) and starting in hundreds of communities and grass roots groups over various issues of social justice, and building into a powerful movement to re-write the constitution and to elect NEW leaders--not of the old Tweedle Dee/Tweedle Dum parties--but entirely new leaders whose passions are real democracy and social justice. That Chavez succeeded in most of these new policies is evident not only from sources outside the country and the government (as well as within) but from the Venezuelan peoples' continual big support and re-elections of the Chavez government.

Your little graph does not contribute to this discussion. What does it mean? It's just a distraction. The Venezuelan people created and improved their own democracy to make it responsive to their will. Chavez did not create them. They created Chavez. And the benefits of real democracy have been plainly evident to Venezuelans every day of their lives over the last decade--in schools built, in new housing built, in their children going to college, in having community health centers down the street, in good wages, in pensions, in reduced infant mortality rates, in new community baseball fields, in their children playing classical music in hundreds of children's orchestras, in free instruments, in shoes to wear to school, in retraining opportunities, in loans for their small businesses, in grants for their local co-ops, in public participation in government decisions, in voter turnouts, and more--in hope based on tangible reality and genuine gains, all across society.

These things are WHY they have repeatedly voted for this government--a "why" question that will never be answered by the Corporate Press because they don't want us to know it! People don't get all of the above and more from the rich. They get austerity and deprivation from the rich and acute demoralization, as is happening here and in Europe, where the rich rule, and in U.S. dominated countries in Latin America (such as Honduras and Colombia) where the rich rule and where bloodbaths are occurring against the poor and their advocates.

Chavez wasn't perfect. His government wasn't/isn't perfect. Venezuela is not a Utopian paradise. But the lies and disinformation that exaggerate flaws in the government, or in the society, into widespread malfeasance, corruption and misrule by the Chavez government are egregious and very wrong. That is NOT the view of most Venezuelans, who know damn well what they have done, in creating a real democracy, in demanding a "New Deal," and in electing leaders who are responsive to their will.

[Overseas]

58. K&R. Well said.

[Catherina]

126. Beautifully said. Thank you n/t

[Mnemosyne]

146. Hear, hear. Nice to see you here, Peace! Thanks. nt

[SamKnause]

40. Hugo Chavez 5

Devastating news, truly devastating.

President Obama didn't even have the decency to send his condolences.

He chose to make a political statement.

President Chavez was correct; Bush was the devil and the Obama administration is no better.

I hope history will be brutal of the Obama administration for looking forward, not backward.

My heartfelt condolences to the family of President Chavez, his friends, and the millions around the world who loved and admired this great man.

[ReRe]

43. Hear! Hear!

But PO did not send condolences? Nor Kerry? is wrong with this country?

[joshcryer]

45. Erm, they expelled two of our officers from our embassy.

And accused us of killing their President.

If anyone is "making a political statement" it's them.

Obama's statement, in light of that stupidity, is class act.

At this challenging time of President Hugo Chavez's passing, the United States reaffirms its support for the Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with the Venezuelan government.

[oberliner]

46. "Bush was the devil and the Obama administration is no better. "

What the heck?

[Kolesar]

49. We knew there would be cheap talk on this thread...eom

[JackRiddler]

57. Obviously a reason to attack him with $100 million in US taxpayer dollars.

Venezuelans may not feel nice toward the head of the government that has been waging a covert war on their democracy for many years.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

48. On the whole, I liked him

Of course I didn't live there and I'm not 100% familiar with all the issues of that country. But I heard that he redistributed land to the poor, in a country that previously had one of the most unequal distributions of farm land between rich and poor in the world. I heard that he suppressed freedom of the press and discouraged voices of dissent, but I'm only hearing the U.S. media's side. One of the few people on TV today who seemed to have good things to say about him was Eugene Robinson on MSNBC who talked about his work for the poor in his country in getting them medical care. Robinson had met Chavez and described him as a genuinely warm individual and seemed to like him.

[Kolesar]

50. He survived a coup and lived to see Bush leave office humiliated

He and Lulu were a good counter to the powers to the north.

[wordpix]

105. Chavez himself planned a failed coup to get rid of Pres. Carlos Perez: Operation Zamora 1992

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez

Operation Zamora: 1992

In 1989, Carlos Andrés Pérez (1922–2010), the candidate of the centrist Democratic Action Party, was elected President after promising to oppose the United States government's Washington Consensus and financial policies recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Nevertheless, he did neither once he got into office, following instead the neoliberal economic policies supported by the United States and the IMF. He dramatically cut spending, put prominent men in governmental posts. Pérez's policies angered some of the public.[64][65][66] In an attempt to stop the widespread protests and looting that followed his social spending cuts, Pérez ordered the violent repression and massacre of protesters known as El Caracazo, which "according to official figures ... left a balance of 276 dead, numerous injured, several disappeared and heavy material losses. However, this list was invalidated by the subsequent appearance of mass graves", indicating that the official death count was inadequate.[67][68][69] Pérez had used both the DISIP political police and the army to orchestrate El Caracazo. Chávez did not participate in the repression because he was then hospitalized with chicken pox, and later condemned the event as "genocide".[70][71]

Disturbed by the Caracazo, rampant government corruption, the domination of politics by the Venezuelan oligarchy through the Punto Fijo Pact, and what he called "the dictatorship of the IMF", Chávez began preparing for a military coup d'état,[69][72] known as Operation Zamora.[73] Initially planned for December, Chávez delayed the MBR-200 coup until the early twilight hours of 4 February 1992. On that date, five army units under Chávez's command moved into urban Caracas with the mission of overwhelming key military and communications installations, including the Miraflores presidential palace, the defense ministry, La Carlota military airport and the Military Museum. Chávez's immediate goal was to intercept and take custody of Pérez, who was returning to Miraflores from an overseas trip. Despite years of planning, the coup quickly encountered trouble. At the time of the coup, Chávez had the loyalty of less than 10% of Venezuela's military forces,[74] and, because of numerous betrayals, defections, errors, and other unforeseen circumstances, Chávez and a small group of rebels found themselves hiding in the Military Museum, without any means of conveying orders to their network of spies and collaborators spread throughout Venezuela.[75] Furthermore, Chávez's allies were unable to broadcast their prerecorded tapes on the national airwaves, during which Chávez planned to issue a general call for a mass civilian uprising against the Pérez government. Finally, Chávez's forces were unable to capture Pérez, who managed to escape from them. Fourteen soldiers were killed, and fifty soldiers and some eighty civilians injured during the ensuing violence.[76][77][78]
Realising that the coup had failed, Chávez gave himself up to the government.

[Judi Lynn]

107. Why did you neglect to acknowledge Chavez became a national hero because of his actions

and the filthy maggot Carlos Andres Perez was impeached and removed from office, even imprisoned?

Chavez, on the other hand, was pardoned by the next Venezuelan President.

You have a memory problem.

[wordpix]

109. uh, I wasn't around then, Judi Lynn. Why do you neglect to acknowledge Chavez is not perfect?

[Judi Lynn]

114. Were you around to witness the coup you reference? n/t

[wordpix]

132. no, were you? Just making a point Chavez had his own (failed) coup

so I don't see how he's such a big hero to have survived one.

[fasttense]

51. He was a good leader for his country.

May he rest in peace.

[Politicub]

73. RIP - he cared for the least fortunate

No leader is perfect, but Chavez's heart seemed to be in the right place.

[Catherina]

78. I'm watching live as his remains are transferred to the Military Academy

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xio7e2_globovision-en-vivo_news?start=27#.UTeB7TDXh8E


It's extremely moving to see the people's well-deserved love for him.

[bemildred]

81. Another:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/06/hugo-chavez-death-reaction-live

[Judi Lynn]

89. Great! They have a Telesur link there, which is really nice.

For quick reference:

http://www.telesurtv.net/el-canal/senal-en-vivo

Thank you.

[bemildred]

96. Yep, front row seat.

[Judi Lynn]

120. Just saw Evo Morales is walking beside R. Maduro as they walk ahead of the car bearing the casket.

This can't be easy for them. I believe they must be relieved his suffering has ended.

[Catherina]

95. Thanks n/t

[bemildred]

97. My pleasure. nt

[Judi Lynn]

83. Thanks for posting this Globo link, Catherina. Very interesting. n/t

[Catherina]

99. Thanks for the telesur link

They're broadcasting this on all the Guatemalan channels too though most of the Guatemalan media is choosing to reinforce the rightwing point that Obama affirms his support to the Venezuelan people, democracy, rule of law ad nauseam. Hardly surprising from a government that's still mowing down its indigenous people to steal their land for Canadian Mining companies that poison the water people depend on for their crops and livestock.

[Judi Lynn]

102. Oh, yeah! No surprise there. Guatemala has been beaten down by the same people since 1954, at least.

They've (the huge majority) never been given a chance to breathe free air in all that time.

[Catherina]

125. Yeah but we've got "democracy" and "rule of law"

down here. Mow down dozens of Mayans, steal their land, murder archbishops speaking for social justice and not a damn peep from the US. 12 families run this country and they have no intention of sharing a single dime with the people. Chavez is the *devil* to them, as he is to all the greedy opportunists who love the parasites as long as they get a few of their crumbs.

[wordpix]

103. how ironic, Chavez despised Globovision

[Catherina]

123. And with good fucking reason n/t

[wordpix]

133. a reason such as Globo criticized him is one I know of

but so many here think one party dictatorial rule is just fine

[Catherina]

139. Excuse me, there's a HUGE chasm between criticizing and

collaborating with a coup but I think you knew that already.

[wordpix]

143. huh? Globovision engages in free speech, that is why Chavez hated that station

[Catherina]

148. Total waste of time. Bye n/t

[wordpix]

155. I know I know, the truth doesn't fit into your neat ideological package

[Catherina]

163. Since you don't understand what "Bye" politely meant

it means you're now on my permanent ignore list so don't waste your time responding to me unless you can't resist the urge to type more snarky silliness. Back on ignore now, 1... 2... 3...

[wordpix]

156. where's your link with evidence that Globo "collaborated with a coup?"

Sorry but just throwing out a statement is not evidence in any thinking person's book.

[Judi Lynn]

158. You identify with "any thinking person"? Probably not, of course.

She, as with other DU'ers, is fully aware of Globo's part in the filthy coup of the Venezuelan President.

You are betting on the hope she is simply on budgeted time, the way most of us are, and doesn't really have all day to plunge into collecting links for you to review and evaluate, as if surveying a tray of offered pastries for your snacking pleasure.

~snip~
Globovisión vs democracy

Since 1998, Globovisión has relentlessly opposed the democratic government of Hugo Chavez. In April of 2002, the broadcast network actively participated in the coup d’état by Pedro Carmona Estanga. In any other country in the world, Globovisión would have been closed and its leaders sentenced to long prison sentences. But the Supreme Court, controlled at that time by the opposition, refused to recognize the coup and explained the overthrow as merely a “power vacuum.”

Since then, the channel has multiplied its calls to insurrection. [3] In May of 2007, Globovisión encouraged the murder of President Chavez by manipulating images and sending subliminal messages. On the program "Aló, Ciudadano", Marcel Granier, the director of another channel that strongly criticizes Chavez, RCTV, was interviewed while simultaneously displaying images of the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II in May 1981. Globovisión could not explain why it broadcast images of the attempted assassination during a program dealing with the non-renewal of RCTV’s license. [4] Several semiotic experts were categorical about the incident: “It urged the murder of the President.” [5] In France, such actions would have resulted in the incarceration of the reporters as well as the company’s owners.

Globovisión’s journalists and newscasters also amplified their defamatory rhetoric towards the government using words like “dictatorship” and “tyranny” to justify calls for civic disobedience and acts of violence, something that would be unimaginable in the West. [6]

http://www.voltairenet.org/article160744.html

[center]~~~~~[/center]

HOW HATE MEDIA INCITED THE COUP AGAINST THE PRESIDENT

Venezuela’s press power

Never even in Latin American history has the media been so directly involved in a political coup. Venezuela’s ’hate media’ controls 95% of the airwaves and has a near-monopoly over newsprint, and it played a major part in the failed attempt to overthrow the president, Hugo Chávez, in April. Although tensions in the country could easily spill into civil war, the media is still directly encouraging dissident elements to overthrow the democratically elected president - if necessary by force.

by Maurice Lemoine

"We had a deadly weapon: the media. And now that I have the opportunity, let me congratulate you." In Caracas, on 11 April 2002, just a few hours before the temporary overthrow of Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chávez, Vice-Admiral Victor Ramírez Pérez congratulated journalist Ibéyiste Pacheco live on Venevision television. Twenty minutes earlier, when Pacheco had begun to interview a group of rebel officers, she could not resist admitting, conspiratorially, that she had long had a special relationship with them.

At the same time, in a live interview from Madrid, another journalist, Patricia Poleo, also seemed well informed about the likely future development of "spontaneous events". She announced on the Spanish channel TVE: "I believe the next president is going to be Pedro Carmona." Chávez, holed up in the presidential palace, was still refusing to step down.

After Chávez came to power in 1998, the five main privately owned channels - Venevisión, Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), Globovisión and CMT - and nine of the 10 major national newspapers, including El Universal, El Nacional, Tal Cual, El Impulso, El Nuevo País, and El Mundo, have taken over the role of the traditional political parties, which were damaged by the president’s electoral victories. Their monopoly on information has put them in a strong position. They give the opposition support, only rarely reporting government statements and never mentioning its large majority, despite that majority’s confirmation at the ballot box. They have always described the working class districts as a red zone inhabited by dangerous classes of ignorant people and delinquents. No doubt considering them unphotogenic, they ignore working class leaders and organisations.

Their investigations, interviews and commentaries all pursue the same objective: to undermine the legitimacy of the government and to destroy the president’s popular support. "In aesthetic terms, this revolutionary government is a cesspit," was the delicate phrase used by the evening paper Tal Cual. Its editor, Teodoro Petkoff, is a keen opponent of Chávez. Petkoff is a former Marxist guerrilla who became a neo-liberal and a pro-privatisation minister in the government of rightwing president Rafael Caldera. The Chávez government is not, of course, above criticism. It makes mistakes, and the civilian and military personnel who surround it are tainted by corruption. But the government was democratically elected and still has the backing of the majority. It can also be credited with successes, nationally and internationally.

http://mondediplo.com/2002/08/10venezuela

[center]~~~~~[/center]

Sat Dec 29, 2012 at 05:39 PM PST.

The Myth that Hugo Chávez Controls Venezuela’s Media

There's a reason why Americans believe that Chávez controls the Venezuelan media; all the American media continuously publishes stories about media suppression undertaken by the Chávez government. (For examples, see here, here, and here.) These stories are not false in the sense that they describe events which actually happened (i.e. Chávez has taken action against anti-Chávez network RCTV). But they are very misleading.

Let's take a look at television. Venezuelan television is dominated by four networks: Venevisión, Televen, Globovisión, and Venezolana de Televisión (VTV). Of these four networks, Venevisión and Televen are moderately anti-Chávez, Globovisión is extremely anti-Chávez, and VTV is extremely pro-Chávez. Venevisión and Televen hold 60% of the TV audience in Venezuela. VTV appears to hold only 6% of Venezuelans.

~snip~
Indeed, it seems that the Venezuelan media played a major role in supporting the failed 2002 coup d'état against Chávez. Coup plotters collaborated with Venezuelan media figures before the coup. The media refused to show statements by officials condemning the coup d'état. When the coup d'état failed, the private Venezuelan networks refused to broadcast the news that Chávez had returned to power.

~snip~
But one's personal dislike of Hugo Chávez has nothing to do with the bias of Venezuela's media. It's fair to say that, on balance, Venezuela's media is biased against Hugo Chávez. Unfortunately, too many journalists writing in too many American media sources have let their dislike of Chávez blind them to the truth. This has left too many intelligent Americans badly misinformed.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/29/1174713/-The-Myth-that-Hugo-Ch-vez-Controls-Venezuela-s-Media

[center]~~~~~[/center]

Wikileaks Cables Reveal U.S. Embassy Works with Venezuelan Private Media
By Tamara Pearson - Venezuelanalysis.com

Mérida, September 6th 2011 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – The U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, Patrick Duddy, met with Venezuelan private media companies El Nacional, Globovision, and the Cisneros Group, to discuss their political content with them and El Nacional asked the U.S embassy for funding, according to cables written by the U.S embassy in Caracas and published by Wikileaks.

Duddy met with the 2002 coup supporting channel, Globovision, and with private newspaper El Nacional on 17 and 19 February 2010, and documented the meeting in a cable written that month and released by Wikileaks on 30 August 2011, classified as secret and titled, “Globovision Owners Acknowledge Defeat: El Nacional on the Ropes?”

El Nacional told the embassy that it had allegedly lost “advertising revenue from companies that had either been nationalised or been threatened by the (Venezuelan government)” and asked “the Ambassador whether the U.S. could provide (it with financial) assistance.” The newspaper said it was reaching “the end of its financial rope” and predicted that it could be out of business by April of that year (2010).

The El Nacional representative (whose name is blacked out) said El Universal had also lost advertising revenues, “over 14%, with the recent nationalisation of Exito (supermarket chain)”.

The U.S embassy cable reads, “To keep El Nacional alive, XXXXXXXXXXXX asked the Ambassador whether the Embassy knew of services of private financing they could approach outside the country, or failing that, if the USG [U.S. government] could be persuaded to help.”

El Nacional currently still circulates on a daily basis.

A Globovision representative, their name also blacked out in the cable, alleged that Venezuelan government officials had pressured them to “tone down Globovision's strongly anti-Chavez orientation” and talked about “buying time” until the National Assembly elections (which took place in September last year), saying “If Chavez wins, we are all gone.” The pro-Chavez party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, did win a majority in those elections, and Globovision remains fully on air.

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/6469

[center]~~~~~[/center]

During the coup in April 2002 almost all of Venezuela’s private media actively participated in overthrowing the democratically elected Chávez. This included manipulating footage to make it appear as though Chávez supporters were responsible for the killing of innocent civilians, and airing cartoons rather than covering the mass mobilization that brought Chávez back to power. In fact, the day after the coup on the opposition station Venevision, a number of coup supporters appeared, with one explicitly thanking the media, including Globovision and other private stations for their role in overthrowing Chávez (footage of which is included in “South of the Border”.)

Globovision is frequently referred to as the last independent television station that is critical of Chávez and, though the LA Times doesn’t state this explicitly, it does leave the reader with the sense that Globovision is the last remaining independent station. However, there are a number of other independent stations both local and national and these account for a much larger share of the overall market than the country’s state owned television and radio. Nationally there is Venevisión and Televen, for example.

http://southoftheborderdoc.com/la-times-accurately-describes-venezuelan-tv-station-as-obviously-slanted-with-no-pretense-of-impartiality/

[center]~~~~~[/center]

Venezuela's Media Coup
By Naomi Klein - February 13th, 2003

~snip~
Venezuela's private television stations are owned by wealthy families with serious financial stakes in defeating Chavez. Venevision, the most-watched network, is owned by Gustavo Cisneros, a mogul dubbed the "joint venture king" by the New York Post. The Cisneros Group has partnered with many top US brands-from AOL and Coca-Cola to Pizza Hut and Playboy-becoming a gatekeeper to the Latin American market. Cisneros is also a tireless proselytizer for continental free trade, telling the world, as he did in a 1999 profile in LatinCEO magazine, that "Latin America is now fully committed to free trade, and fully committed to globalization.?? As a continent it has made a choice." But with Latin American voters choosing politicians like Chavez, that has been looking like false advertising, selling a consensus that doesn't exist.

All of this helps explain why, in the days leading up to the April coup, Venevision, RCTV, Globovision and Televen replaced regular programming with relentless anti-Chavez speeches, interrupted only for commercials calling on viewers to take to the streets: "Not one step backwards. Out! Leave Now!" The ads were sponsored by the oilindustry, but the stations carried them free, as "public service announcements."

They went further: On the night of the coup, Cisneros' station played host to meetings among the plotters, including Carmona. The president of Venezuela's broadcasting chamber co-signed the decree dissolving the elected National Assembly. And while the stations openly rejoiced at news of Chavez's "resignation," when pro-Chavez forces mobilized for his return a total news blackout was imposed.

Izarra says he received clear instructions: "No information on Chavez, his followers, his ministers, and all others that could in any way be related to him." He watched with horror as his bosses actively suppressed breaking news. Izarra says that on the day of the coup, RCTV had a report from a US affiliate that Chavez had not resigned, but had been kidnapped and jailed. It didn't make the news. Mexico, Argentina, and France condemned the coup and refused to recognize the new government. RCTV knew but didn't tell.

http://www.naomiklein.org/articles/2003/02/venezuelas-media-coup

[font size=7]ETC.[/font]

[Catherina]

162. Thanks Judy. Here's a little more

After posting this, I'm putting Wordpix back on ignore so I apologize in advance that I won't be able to answer any response you make. I'm not on budgeted time but I'm not going to waste any of it talking with a certain faction here that does nothing but blindly and dishonestly attack Socialist leaders. "Bye" meant "Off to my ignore list you go".

Here's more for any honest lurkers or readers who become confused by the frenzied, unsubstantiated and illogical attacks by Chavez haters who'd rather see the Venezuelan people starving again while a US-Style corporate media keeps the people ignorant so corporations can suck the life blood out of their revolutionary gains and make even more obscene profits.

"The case of Globovision has nothing to do with freedom of expression, but rather to do with violation of the law. The calls for assassination and a coup, is slightly different to saying something rude on TV," he responded, when asked about offences allegedly committed in some late night talk shows on state owned television station, VTV.

In addition to incendiary statements by talk show hosts and guests - some of whom have called for Chavez to be "lynched" - Globovision regularly broadcasts pre-filtered text messages running along the bottom of the screen that often make calls for the violent overthrow of the government, for a coup and for the assassination of the president. This constitutes incitement to violence and would be part of the investigation Cabello argued.

Penalties that can be applied for criminal use of the airwaves range from a 72 hour closure up to the revocation of a broadcasting concession the CONATEL chief explained. "When a television station calls for a coup and assassination, something has to be done," he stated.

http://londonprogressivejournal.com/article/view/524/venezuelas-globovision-to-be-investigated-over-calls-for-a-coup-detat

During the coup in April 2002 almost all of Venezuela’s private media actively participated in overthrowing the democratically elected Chavez. This included manipulating footage to make it appear as though Chavez supporters were responsible for the killing of innocent civilians, and airing cartoons rather than covering the mass mobilization that brought Chavez back to power. In fact, the day after the coup on the opposition station Venevision, a number of coup supporters appeared, with one explicitly thanking the media, including Globovision and other private stations for their role in overthrowing Chavez.

http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/cepr-blog/breaking-news-la-times-accurately-describes-globovision-as-obviously-slanted-with-no-pretense-of-impartiality

And Wiki's take for those who are too willfully determined to admit even the most basic elements of Globovision's complicity

Mainstream Venezuelan media outlets such as El Universal, El Nacional, El Nuevo País, Globovisión, Televen, CMT and RCTV supported the coup.[82] At the same time, only the anti-Chávez point of view was reflected in the news reports of international media agencies and organizations.[83][84]

In the run up to the coup, the private media had supported the anti-government demonstrations. The 11 April edition of El Nacional was headlined "The Final Battle Will Be in Miraflores".[85] In March RCTV had given blanket coverage to anti-government demonstrations whilst not covering pro-Chávez ones altogether.[86] On 11 April, the anti-government march, the message "remove Chávez", and the call to redirect the march to the presidential palace in Miraflores, were "widely announced, promoted, and covered by privately owned television channels, and whose explicit support for the opposition became evident." A steady stream of unpaid ads asked Venezuelans to participate in the insurrection.[87] Andrés Izarra, then the managing producer of RCTV's El Observador, later told the National Assembly that he had received clear instructions from owner Marcel Granier that on 11 April and following days he should air "no information on Chávez, his followers, his ministers, and all others that could in any way be related to him."[88] The coup plotters, including Carmona, met at the offices of TV network Venevisión.[82] After Chávez was detained, protests by Chávez supporters, including riots and looting which led to 19 deaths, broke out in parts of Caracas.[86] RCTV sent its reporters to quiet parts of town for "live shots of tranquility" and ignored the events.[86]

At the beginning of the coup, opposition-controlled police shut down Venezolana de Televisión, the state television channel, whilst police efforts were made to shut down community radio and television stations.[89] As a result, the news that Chávez had not in fact resigned was largely kept out of the Venezuelan media, and spread by word of mouth;[89] only one Catholic radio network continued to broadcast the developing news.[86] Chávez was able to get word out that he had not in fact resigned, via a telephone call to his daughter, who, via switchboard operators at Miraflores still loyal to Chávez, was able to speak first to Fidel Castro and then to Cuban television.[63] The Attorney-General attempted to make public Chávez' non-resignation via a live press conference supposedly to announce his own resignation; most of his statement was cut off, with Venezuelan networks returning to the studios.[64]

Venezuelan television media failed to broadcast news of Chávez supporters retaking of the Miraflores palace; the four major television networks stopped providing news reports altogether.[86] The St. Petersburg Times reported that "RCTV was showing Walt Disney cartoons. Venevisión ran a daylong marathon of Hollywood movies: Lorenzo's Oil, Nell and Pretty Woman. Another station, Televen, told its viewers 'to stay indoors,' treating them to baseball and soap operas. Globovisión, the country's top 24-hour news station and CNN affiliate, spent much of the day rebroadcasting upbeat footage of Chávez' ouster. An announcer repeatedly cautioned viewers, 'We are living in times of political change.'"[90] The heads of Venevision, RCTV and Globovision, as well as the publisher of El Nacional, met with Carmona at Miraflores.[90] The head of Globovision reportedly called to CNN in Atlanta "to request the U.S. network join the blackout."[90] Two of the three major newspapers (El Universal and El Nacional) cancelled their Sunday editions, allegedly for safety reasons. (The third major newspaper, Últimas Noticias, printed a limited Sunday edition accurately reflecting events; some tabloids and regional television stations also covered the news.)[86] When CNN announced the rebellion against the coup of a key military division in Maracay (commanded by General Raúl Baduel), "CNN expressed amazement that the press were saying nothing."[82] After Chávez loyalist forces had re-taken Miraflores, the military coup plotters drafted a statement demanding the restoration of democracy; it had to be read to CNN studios since no Venezuelan media would broadcast it.[80] Only by 8 o'clock on 13 April was the reinstalled government able to inform the people of the situation, via domestic (state) television channels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Venezuelan_coup_d'%C3%A9tat_attempt

[Judi Lynn]

166. Wise choice, "ignore". It needs wide application on certain chronic trolls.

At some point you realize they win if they are allowed to prompt you to spend too much valuable time you'd like to spend learning new things you want to see, rather than rehashing things you've known for years, and taking the time to dredge them up.

That's their intention, to present such a hardship, time-wise for decent people that they will eventually get the last word and think of themselves as the "winners" no matter how wildly twisted everyone knows they are, and what an insult it is for anyone to have to see their garbage taking up valuable space needed for meaningful communication among progressives.

It's an ugly way to pretend they win, but they bet on being able to hit on days no one has the time to show how dirty their tactics are to people who simply may not know any better yet.

"Ignore" is a choice people need to use more often.

[Catherina]

168. This is great

I could see a response under "My Posts" and when I clicked on the number, it led me to your response. Elad is such an awesome programmer!

Ignore has made DU just the way I like it- a community of like-minded progressives sharing their thoughts factually and intelligently. I love that feature and can't recommend it enough. The added advantage is that when people are told you're ignoring them and they follow you around like gadflies, they look even more vapid and nonconstructive. I only wish the ignore was programmed to go both ways.

[joshcryer]

151. Yup.

The only journalists in Venezuela with real integrity.

[Bacchus4.0]

87. Journalist beaten in Caracas for report about Chavez' death (video)

Journalist beaten in Caracas for report about Chavez' death (video)
Correspondent of Columbian TV-channel RCN Carmen Andrea Renjifa with a camera man were near the hospital where Hugo Chavez died.

Author: Euroradio 06.03.2013 14:40


Someone shouted that she presented the TV-channel which criticized Chavez. After that women and men attacked the journalist and the camera men - they beat them with the fists, feet, sticks and motor-cycle helmets, informs the website lenta.ru.

Read more: http://euroradio.fm/en/report/journalist-beaten-caracas-report-about-chavez-death-video

[Judi Lynn]

90. Maybe reporters from stations which advocated the coup, and assassination should stay out of it.

Why go among the people you disrespect?

[Bacchus4.0]

92. well, she actually wasn't from Globovision or any opposition media

but she was accused of that. So Chavistas aren't just violent but they are stupid too.

[Comrade Grumpy]

100. Let's see, hundreds of thousands in the streets to mourn Chavez.

And a handful do something stupid.

So you broad brush an entire movement.

Got it. Stay classy.

[Warren Stupidity]

116. The poster is part of a small crew of people here who oppose the left in general and in

latin america specifically. No big deal, the vast majority of us here support the social democracy movement.

[joshcryer]

152. If there existed even a tiny bit of criticism we'd not waste our time.

We're not "opposed to the left in general and in Latin America specifically." We're opposed to rose colored glasses and mass delusion.

[Warren Stupidity]

154. Where are your many posts about corruption in Colombia?

[Judi Lynn]

167. Buried with innocent campesinos in mass graves throughout Colombia. n/t

[joshcryer]

175. Disgusting.

[joshcryer]

176. Why would I post about corruption in Colombia?

There are many posts here who already post about corruption in Colombia.

I only propose to fill the criticism void. Obama is rightly criticized on these forums on a regular basis. But whenever Chavez or some other "liberal hero" is criticized? People lose their collective shit and lack any and all rationality.

[joshcryer]

153. I agree broad brushing is wrong.

But in this case they were speaking generally and in this case, it is true. It doesn't help matters that some chavistas are armed and dangerous.

[Judi Lynn]

140. Latin American leaders begin to arrive in Caracas

Latin American leaders begin to arrive in Caracas

06/03 17:34 CET

~short video~

As tributes and condolences flood in following the death of Hugo Chavez, Latin American leaders have begun to arrive in the Venezuelan capital. Argentine President Christina Fernandez declared three days of mourning and traveled to Caracas with Uruguayan President Jose Mujica .

Bolivian President Evo Morales, a great friend and ally of Chavez, said:
“Unfortunately, we have lost a leader. For me, he continues as the commander of the liberating forces of America and the world, of all anti-imperialist forces and of the socialist people. It hurts very much.”

Leaders from Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru, El Salvador, Colombia, Ecuador as well as the Organisation of American States all expressed their deep,deep sorrow.

http://www.euronews.com/2013/03/06/latin-american-leaders-begin-to-arrive-in-caracas/

[Judi Lynn]

149. A Day of Tears After Chavez Death in Venezuela

A Day of Tears After Chavez Death in Venezuela
By PAUL HAVEN Associated Press
CARACAS, Venezuela March 7, 2013 (AP)

By the hundreds of thousands, Hugo Chavez's tearful supporters carried their dead president through streets still plastered with his smiling image, an epic farewell to a larger-than-life leader remembered simply as "our commander."

In a display of raw, and at times, unruly emotion, generations of Venezuelans, many dressed in the red of Chavez's socialist party, filled Caracas' streets Wednesday to remember the man who dominated their country for 14 years before succumbing to cancer.

Chavez's flag-draped coffin floated over hundreds of thousands of supporters as it made its way atop an open hearse on a seven-hour journey to a military academy in the capital. Mourners followed the lead of a grim drum major, with some shouting out "nuestro comandante" as the coffin passed.

At the academy, Chavez's family and close advisers, as well as the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay, attended a funeral Mass before the president's open casket. Later, the public slowly filed past in a show of respect expected to go on late into the night.

More:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/day-tears-chavez-death-venezuela-18671970