Critic of Venezuela's Chavez sentenced for remarks

[Bacchus39]

http://news.yahoo.com/critic-venezuelas-chavez-sentenced-remarks-012451979.html

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — An outspoken opponent of President Hugo Chavez has been convicted of spreading false information during a television talk show, but it remains unclear if he will be going to prison.

Oswaldo Alvarez Paz says the judge has not yet released details of the sentence, which normally carries a two-year prison term. The former state governor denies any wrongdoing.

Alvarez Paz has hopes of running in next year's presidential election but he also faces charges of publicly inciting crime.

Alvarez Paz was arrested last year and later released after saying in a television appearance broadcast on Globovision that Venezuela has turned into a haven for drug traffickers.

[naaman fletcher]

1. Hmm, I wonder if this was factored into Venezuela's democracy rating? nt

[joshcryer]

2. How the fuck is that a false statement?

[ChangoLoa]

5. False, negative, the important thing is to be flexible with legal concepts.

When you say that a country is a safe haven for narcos, you're inciting people to commit crime. This offense deserves 2-5 years of prison.

Alvarez Paz got the minimum and he'll be allowed to stay home. How can anyone complain after all?

...

[EFerrari]

6. The US and Britain, both now dealing with the fallout from Murdoch's

corruption of the media, are in no position to criticize Venezuela.

lol

[naaman fletcher]

7. It's not just that

There is nothing to criticize. This is a good law, and this is a good thing. At least that is what I learned from someone on one of there other threads.

[Bacchus39]

8. makes no sense whatsoever

the US and Britain are investigating hacking allegations of people's privacy. the Venezuela guy was convicted for making a comment on TV.

[ChangoLoa]

10. Do I look like US and Britain to you?

:)

[naaman fletcher]

11. It's so beyond that

It is like one of those pre-programmed Internet advice bots with the canned response. The "the us is in no position to criticize" line is simply the pre-programmed line even if it in fact makes no sense. Such lack of logic even from people who I guarantee if you asked them would co
consider themselves open minded and rational.

[ChangoLoa]

14. We understand the point, even if in this case the logic is quite stretched

because Murdoch's and Alvarez Paz's situations have absolutely nothing to compare.

But still... when Chavez does something, international mass media make lots of noise. Considering the silence they are able to keep in front of US or European government's aberrations, their hypocrisy is obvious. I do believe that official criticism coming from those central, dominant countries, has zero credibility. For anyone in Venezuela, opposition or chavista, it was quite the joke to see the Bush administration talk about human rights in Venezuela while they were annihilating Fallujah and filling the camp in Guantanamo.

What the hell does this have to do with the actual internal situation in Venezuela? Why can't we talk here of Venezuela independently of the mass media's corruption or the US government's involvement in political destabilization? Does anyone represents any government here in this forum? Why do so many people here care only about the US end of the problematic? It's like their spirit was contained by their southern border. As Turkish people say: the stick may have shit on both sides. I understand that Americans (and the world, and myself) have been utterly shocked and traumatized by the last 10 years of their system of power.. it's completely legitimate, BUT STILL:

How can one link the 2 year sentence given to a man who spoke those words on TV to the fight against imperialism??? What is the relation?! None. Just repressive paranoid politics using the eternal "enemies from the inside" argument to consolidate their power.

The radical left in France calls that "combat d'arrière-garde"... it's everything except progressive. It is the biggest factor of dysfunction in the leftist political project.

[joshcryer]

15. I have to agree with you on the mass media's corruption.

However, they are partially being manipulated by the events. The media hates not being told what's going on in a given situation, so they go off and start their speculating, like madmen. If they didn't want the mass media reporting on it they'd be completely transparent, and the mass media would have a field day for one day, and that would be the end of it. It's an intentional process, they saw how Castro's health was spun, and they're doing the same thing, because it's rewarding to them if it works out right.

From the http://www.nodo50.org/ellibertario/english/InterviewLibertario-ChReeves2008.txt">anarchist standpoint Chavismo is merely an extension of neo-liberal policies, economic agreements with China, Iran, and Russia (along with Syria and Libya), so we look at the anti-imperialist rhetoric and have to laugh.

[ChangoLoa]

3. Condenan a dos años de prisión a Oswaldo Álvarez Paz por difusión de información falsa

Caracas, 13 Jul. AVN .- A dos años de prisión fue condenado el ex gobernador del estado Zulia, Oswaldo Álvarez Paz, por la comisión del delito de difusión de información falsa emitida en un programa de televisión el pasado 08 de marzo de 2010, cuando afirmó que Venezuela se había convertido en un centro de operaciones que facilita el narcotráfico.

Luego de numerosas audiencias, la fiscal 21° nacional, Gineira Rodríguez, solicitó al Tribunal 21° de Juicio del Área Metropolitana de Caracas (AMC) se dictara sentencia condenatoria por el referido delito, mientras que solicitó que con relación a la instigación a delinquir se dictara el sobreseimiento de la causa.

De acuerdo con una nota emitida por el Ministerio Público, el tribunal dictó la condena y ordenó que Álvarez Paz permaneciera en libertad condicional, pero le mantuvo la prohibición de salida del país.

A Álvarez Paz se le ordenó su enjuiciamiento al admitir el Tribunal 25° de Control del AMC los delitos de instigación pública y difusión de información falsa, de acuerdo con lo previsto en los artículos 285 y 296-A, del Código Penal.

El MP en esa oportunidad pidió el sobreseimiento en relación con el delito de conspiración, acto que se realizó según lo establecido en el artículo 318 del Código Orgánico Procesal Penal (COPP).


Mas:
http://www.avn.info.ve/node/67177

[joshcryer]

4. It gets better: Supreme Court prelim. hearing on impeachment of Capriles (another Pres. candidate):

Google translate:

By letter filed with the Secretariat of the Plenary Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice on September 2, 2009, the citizen GERSON RAFAEL PEREZ SUAREZ , holder of identity card No. 13,161,626, assisted by Itamar Materano lawyer, enrolled in the Social Welfare Institute of the Advocate under No. 114,087, applied for preliminary hearing on merits against the citizen Henrique Capriles Radonsky , Governor of the Bolivarian State of Miranda, for allegedly committing the "(...) crimes of fraud to the nation with the intention intentional administrative corruption (...) ".

http://www.tsj.gov.ve/decisiones/jstplen/Julio/12-14711-2011-2009-000186.html

This was yesterday.

We'll see what happens with this one and if the election board will use it to disqualify him from running in 2012.

[ChangoLoa]

9. They've been keeping these cards for the most convenient moment

A normal political strategy from the PSUV Party-State system of power.

Let's not forget the magistrates in the Supreme Court chant together "Uh, Ah, Chavez no se va" during their annual meeting with the President.

They may impeach him or even ban him, it's already difficult enough to see this guy winning - and even more to wish for it. Right now, all I can say is that it has become really impossible to say who is going to be candidate from one side.. or for the other.

[joshcryer]

12. If he got convicted do you think the 'Mirandinos' would stage a protest and would it have an effect?

He can still run if they grant him eligibility or pass off on it can't he?

[ChangoLoa]

13. It would have no effect.

If the Supreme Court bans him, he won't be able to run at all. What I find unacceptable is to see the magistrates wait for the last possible moment to open the file. It shows their objective isn't judicial but electoral.

[joshcryer]

16. Sorry to bug you yet again for some analysis but it gets even more interesting:

http://www.eluniversal.com/2011/07/19/psuv-aclara-que-no-promueve-un-juicio-contra-gobernador.shtml">PSUV clarifies that they do not support a lawsuit against governor (Capriles)
"The PSUV has nothing to do with that at all, this fellow named Gerson Perez has not been authorized by the party to perform an action of this nature and, conversely, is expelled from the party."

[joshcryer]

17. And this:

http://www.eluniversal.com/2011/07/19/morales-enmienda-la-plana-y-anula-orden-de-procesar-a-capriles.shtml

Venezuelan politics are so fascinating, haha.

One thing critics can't deny, Venezuela has a strong democracy at the ballot box. It's the whole fishy Katherine Harris style manipulation at the top that's not so good. Hopefully the e-voting machines aren't too corrupt.