The RCTV paradigm: old story, new Venezuelan wrappings

Next May, the oldest broadcasting TV in Venezuela, RCTV, is scheduled to close. Chavez has decided so, and although a legal battle is under way, it is difficult to imagine that the Venezuelan judicial system will go against its master on such an important issue.

Now that a few weeks have passed since the different announcements it is time to visit this issue in a more constructive approach. That is, let’s try to understand what this is all about. The gist of the matter is simply Chavez trying to curtail freedom of expression. We have seen this happening under all sorts of autocrats. The latest Latin American episode has been barely a decade ago under Peru’s Fujimori. Before? Too many to recall. We could even call this the press control paradigm. The only difference this time is that Chavez is doing it in the era of Internet and with a lot of money to back him up.

More than a generalized discussion over this issue let’s look at some of the items advanced to defend something which cannot be defended. Many arguments have been proposed by chavismo and his defenders. They have all, without a fault, been proven hogwash, mere lame excuses to justify the real desire of the regime: no broadcast criticism of the regime.

Quality programming and the implied ratings

One of the regular canards aired is that RCTV is lousy programming. If this were a real reason to close a TV station, then VTV, the state outlet, should have been closed long ago. Anyone that has watched the vituperative, grossly vulgar and insulting “La Hojilla” should wonder how such garbage is aired. That it is aired would not be so bad if those who are routinely insulted by La Hojilla could come and reply. But there is no reply right in VTV which is 24/24 Chavez propaganda where any opposition idea or personality is ridiculed as much as possible.

Compared to that the mix of tasteless games and questionable soap operas broadcasted by RCTV this one does not look so bad. At the very least they are entertaining for the masses whereas VTV is more of a manhunt reality show without entertainment value except for the hardcore chavista who needs to be up to date on the latest political one liner to be thrown against the opposition. There is not a single VTV show worth watching, not even the Villegas one in the morning. The ratings do not lie: RCTV hovers between 30 and 35% whereas VTV never seems to reach even a meager 10% audience share, stuck, we are told at a paltry 3-6%. You know this is true because private advertisers that used to be rare in VTV 2-3 years ago have completely disappeared.

The low ratings are really the most irksome aspect of the whole business for the government. In spite of lots of money thrown at VTV to spruce up its image and try to bring some levity to it, the only show that manages to have a rating worth talking off is Alo Presidente, the Sunday Chavez talk show (now prime time Thursdays). The ratings of this show are not made publicly available. Chavismo claims 80%. Experts give considerably less numbers. All indicates that only in time of crisis does Chavez threatens the ratings of the other TV stations.

Now. Let’s look at that 30% rating of RCTV and let’s look at the 62% who allegedly voted for Chavez last December. Does anyone believe that no chavista ever watches RCTV? The 37% who voted against Chavez are all of them watching RCTV and Globovision? Indeed, the hoi poloi, chavista and anti chavista alike do watch RCTV. Could there be anything more galling to Chavez after years spent attacking RCTV?

RCTV is a “golpista” network

The real reason it seems why Chavez hates so much RCTV is because one of its owner, renowned interviewer Marcel Granier, refers to Chavez as “teniente coronel” (lieutenant colonel). There is no denying that the tone used by some RCTV people (and also many non RCTV folks) is pejorative against Chavez who should always be referred to as “Presidente”. But since Chavez himself has no qualms whatsoever in destroying the presidential dignity by calling names his opponents, he has only himself to blame. Besides, “teniente coronel” is perfectly right and accurate as it is the grade Chavez held when his military career ended after the 1992 coup. So, it is fun to hear Chavez accuse RCTV of being a coup monger channel (“golpista”) when he is himself the director of the February 1992 coup, and the inspiration of the November 1992 attempt.

So, which are the arguments of Chavez to consider RCTV as more of a coupster than he his? It all comes from April 13 2002. This day RCTV had a black out on the news as the Carmona ill fated stupid and silly adventure was floundering fast. In the chavista legend throngs of people descended to the streets to have Chavez back. In all truth, the video evidence presented so far speaks of a few thousand at most, and in very circumscribed areas of Caracas. Nevertheless RCTV (and the other networks who also shut up on the day but who today are not a direct target as RCTV is) did have a black out of news on that Saturday until it became news itself as chavista groups, led by Bernal, started threatening RCTV and other network offices.

But in this argumentation falls easily, after February 1989 networks have been weary of showing street rioting else they be accused of promoting such rioting. But this is not really an argument one way or another. See, if one must be fair one should compare the black out of April 13 to the Chavez cadena of April 11 when he was trying to cover up the Avila Plan he had called for and while the April 11 march was been shot at. When the march was approaching Miraflores Chavez decided to put up a cadena, on of this universal simultaneous enforced broadcasts of all TV and radio. Meanwhile the Avila Plan call, a repressive plan for the Armed Forces to quell any rebellion, was met by refusal from the officers in charge of applying it. While "someone" was shooting the marchers, nobody could figure out anything because Chavez was talking on TV. Eventually private networks, RCTV ahead perhaps, decided to split the screen. On one side you had Chavez and his soundtrack live, on the other side, silent but telling of the inferno street scenes taking places in Miraflores. That precipitated the brief fall of Chavez.

Certainly if RCTV does deserve a trial for the April 13 blackout, Chavez deserves one even more for his own brand of black out on April 11.

RCTV does not follow broadcasting norms

I feel like mentioning this possibility since I just mentioned that Chavez deserves a trial from April 11. One accusation that is thrown at RCTV is that it is violating the new legal code on broadcasting. Unfortunately there is no proceeding against RCTV worth discussing and even less of a sanction in any tribunal. Thus, if RCTV were such a violator we would not be having such a post today as RCTV would have been proven guilty, fined and shut down after recidivating. Since this has not happened, then RCTV is not being closed for being a lousy law breaking network (or at least not any lousier than the other ones, including particularly VTV). It is shut down for another reason, but not for legal and verifiable ones.

Fairness in reporting

To conclude this already long enough post we can look at the most amusing charges of all: RCTV is not fair in its reporting on governmental actions. This is highly amusing to me because 1) RCTV spends not even 10% of its broadcasting time in news or announcements and in those one quite often we can see government officials visit. How often has Lina Ron or Iris Valera been on “La Entrevista” early morning talk show? Just to mention some repeat visitors. The news at night are much more focused, it is true, on the suffering of the people, morbidly so even. But after all people do tend to go to RCTV to air their complains as the doors of VTV are notoriously tightly closed if you want to complain against any governmental abuse or inefficiency.

I do not know if an accurate measurement exists on who goes where but form my own experience, I am ready to stick my hand on fire that RCTV is much more open to chavista visitors than VTV to opposition ones on news per minute basis. That is, if we consider that VTV spends about half its time in pro Chavez talk shows whereas RCTV has only one in the morning, RCTV might come out way more open to other voices than VTV.

Let me give you a little reference point to give you an idea on how difficult it is for an opposition figure to make it to VTV: which are the chances of this blogger making it to RCTV? Which are the chances of this blogger making it to VTV? Yet, this blogger has hit oversea media more than once…

Let’s be frank: there is nothing as unfair in Venezuelan TV as VTV. I dare anyone to prove me wrong. Accusing RCTV of unfairness is probably true also, but then again the government should start by cleaning up its own house.

Conclusion

RCTV might or might not close. It has ceased being the point. The point here is that Chavez for personal reason, and for the need to control the media, has decided to close RCTV. That is all.

If RCTV is being closed it is not because it is a bad network or a criminal one. It is because chavismo wants to take the choice away from you. TV is very powerful in that anything that does not catch the attention of the viewer is immediately sanctioned when the viewer switches channel. People, 1 in 3 of us, switch regularly to RCTV instead of switching to VTV and Chavez ideology and bad taste shows. Such a choice is not permissible in an autocracy.

If RCTV is closed and there is not outcry, no international sanction, then it will be a precedent and any broadcasting media in Venezuela will be closed whenever convenient for the chavista dictatorship (after closing RCTV we will be able to call chavismo a dictatorship, by the way, as it will have moved past the autocracy label).

If RCTV is closed expect to see more and more of Chavez in private media as it will be the only way to avoid the wrath of El Supremo.

If RCTV and Globovision are closed, expect to have no freedom of expression in TV or Radio. It is important to note, by the way, that RCTV is THE ONLY network of the opposition to have a nation wide reach; Globovision is barred in many open signal markets and can only reach all corners of the country through cable, cable being accessible by only 30% of Venezuelan homes. In other words, once RCTV is closed, the only non chavista nightly news that exist will have ended and all the open air signal will be neutral or pro Chavez except for Globovision wherever this one is allowed.

If RCTV is closed then we will witness the renewal of the censorship paradigm that all autocrats seek. This time lack of international response will be inexcusable: this is all about naked censorship. The only suitable response would be boycott of Venezuelan media, including the neutral one of Venevision and Televen who so far have remained dangerously silent on this matter.

Freedom of expression, one cannot compromise on that.

-The End-

The RCTV closing in Venezuela: fair questions to ask

With all these political tourists visiting Venezuela during these RCTV closing days, including European parliamentarians from the Spanish PP to mercenaries like Ignacio Ramonet, I was tempted to write an open letter. But instead I decided to write a short and simple list of the questions that should be relevant to any one approaching the complex RCTV problem with a somewhat objective spirit. (1 and 2). Without further ado the question and what could be a possible answer, or at least mine.

Is the quality of RCTV programming bad enough that it deserves to be closed? Yes, but! If we were to apply this criteria, then all Venezuelan networks should be closed, starting with the governmental VTV which has arguably the very worst programming of Venezuela.

Is RCTV an independent network? Define “independent”. RCTV has clearly a political line in its newscast reports. It exposes mercilessly the failings of the government and opens its air waves to people complaining about public services insufficiencies. In this regard RCTV is FULLY INDEPENDENT FROM THE GOVERNMETN LINE. But it has an editorial line and it is thus not quite independent from its owners ideas. Thus this is not an argument to justify its closing as the government TV has even less independence than the private networks in Venezuela.

Is it not desirable to remove RCTV from private interests? Define “private” interests. VTV, ViVe, ANTV and Telesur are in fact in the hands of private interests: they all obey to Chavez wishes, they modify their editorial line according to the political changes at the top. That Chavez has been elected with a majority of suffrages is an irrelevant point as those who did not vote for him and yet foot the bill for these networks are not represented in the programming or the news of the state networks. In other words, the private interests of Chavez are even more dominant in his networks than those of the RCTV owners. The Murdoch of the world would be so lucky to have the media power of Chavez. The partiality of the state public funded networks has been underlined by all sorts of international observers at election time, when it is most damaging to the proper functioning of the democratic state.

Should RCTV be closed because it participated illegally in political activities against Chavez? No, because this should have been proven through a court of law and nothing of substance against RCTV is making its way in the tribunals since Chavez is in office. If such a proceeding existed, and if the evidence were good enough to warrant a sentence against RCTV and its owners, that would not warrant its closure, it would warrant a penal decision that could go from forcing the owners of RCTV to sell to other media groups, to jail terms to the owners and the employees who collaborated in illegal political activities. Under no legal and just circumstances can RCTV concession be revoked or not renewed unless a due process is established by the judicial system.

Is RCTV a source of conspiracies against Chavez? Not any more than the other media. In 2002 Chavez defined RCTV, Venevision, Televen and Globovision as the 4 horsemen of the apocalypses. Thus in his mind the 4 networks were equally pernicious and should be equally punished for their participation in political events of 2002 and 2003 where it is difficult to define which of them was the worst one. Yet, only RCTV is punished. It would be good for the government to explain this contradiction. If the amends of Venevision or Televen were enough, why not make a deal with RCTV in order to allow at least one pro Chavez talk show? On the other hand the vulgar political actions of VTV and other state media are equally reprehensible as to whatever happened with private media in 2002-2003.

Hasn’t RCTV been violating the RESORTE law? As pointed in a previous question RCTV is yet to be subjected to a major investigation and all evidence point in fact as RCTV having followed the RESORTE law better than the very own governmental media who allow Chavez to break not only the RESORTE law in his broadcasted speeches but other laws such as the LOPNA or the armed forces laws. Yet, these state networks are under no judicial procedure.

But would it be desirable to have a network that does not run stupid games and silly serials based on sexual innuendoes and violence? Yes, of course, but why has not the government already shown the example with either VTV or ViVe? If chavismo had shown a real desire to promote a more cultural and educational programming it would not have started by limiting the reach of Vale TV, the only Venezuelan network that has no newscast, no advertisement, only documentaries.

But VTV is to defend politically the government attacked by international media conspiracy, so the government needs an extra VHF band range to put a cultural and educational channel. What is wrong in expropriating private interests for the common good? Define “common good”. Have the people been asked about why RCTV has the highest ratings? Are you qualified to decide who watches what? Will the proposed Teves be truly independent? The answer to that last reply question already exists: Teves will be run at the sufferance of Chavez who will name its board at will. No viewers committee or studies are offered as to the constitution of Teves. In other words, Teves will be a privately owned network, whose sole owner is Chavez.

Users's manual

Ask these questions around and compare to the answers I present here. All my answers can be documented fully by simple search engines in the web, or by sting a few hours in front to the different TV channels of Venezuela. Demand that those who disagree on my replies justify their own ones with accurate and searchable information not coming from the Venezuelan government.

But would a luxury of details on these answers solve anything? No, because the decision to close RCTV is a strictly political decision taken by Chavez under the influence of Castrism which understands the need to control fully the information accessed by the people. If you doubt that examine the media situation in Cuba and observe how the Venezuelan government has been applying an increasingly sytrong policy which in the long run will result in a media and communication similar to what exists in Cuba or China. That is, maybe more than one provider but with internal strong censorship to filter any news particularly damaging to the regime and the ideas it supports at a given moment.

This is the key of the RCTV closing. Without understanding that, you will not be able to understand anything else of the problem and you will be drowned by official propaganda.

--- --- --- --- ---
1) Of course calling Ramonet a mercenary could seem to be less than objective. But when one just saw Ramonet applaud at Chavez peroration the other night where he said unspeakable things, what other adjective would be appropriate for Ramonet?

2) I have already written a post on the real reasons on the RCTV closing. This one is part summary of that post.
-The end-

What Venezuelans voted for: the end of freedom of expression

After a few days in the country side where not even cel phones could reach me, I come back today to Caracas to learn that Chavez has announced, in yet another ignoble and undignified speech (then Chavez never had much of self dignity in his speeches which look more like pre-brawl utterings rather than a chief of state policy setting announcement), that the oldest TV network will be closed. The excuse? The government will not renew an allegedly soon to expire license.

Now, I will not go into the legalities (or illegalities) of the matter: we all know what this is all about, revenge and control. Revenge against RCTV which has had an unflinching opposition attitude since Chavez reached office in 1998. Let’s revisit the history and the inconsistencies about this repressive measure (yes, let’s not be afraid of words and let’s call this Chavez announcement a repressive measure, yet a bid for more control).

What is wrong with your remote control?

The first thing that a foreign observer should know is that today the government has 4, FOUR, TV networks which are financed at tax payer expense and which almost exclusively broadcast propaganda of dubious quality (I know, it is almost an oxymoron) in favor of Chavez and his government. The opposition has very little voice there, as rarely a governmental talk show invites an opposition figure in a way that it can truly express.

In front of this barrage of propaganda today there are only two TV stations that can be qualified as opposition networks. Though it is a misnomer since government officials appear there more often, much more often in fact, than opposition figures in state TV. And to this one must add that the “gag law” mandates several minutes a day of free state propaganda from all private networks. Plus of course the MANDATORY SIMULTANEOUS broadcast at any time, of any length, that Chavez does when he sees it fit (the infamous “cadenas”). In other words: the government message goes abundantly through the so called “opposition” media, whereas the opposition message is 99% absent of the state media even though WE ALL PAY FOR IT.

The problem as far as chavismo is concerned is that in spite of all the propaganda, all the TV “cadenas”, all the accusations hurled at private media, people still tune to private media in much larger numbers than towards state media, in spite of a 63% electoral victory for Chavez. Is it a sabotage of people’s remote TV controls that render them unable to tune to the state media? No. Simply put chavista networks are boring, ill designed, simple minded, and only find a limited audience in the hard core chavismo. Soap operas and game shows unite both chavista and anti chavista alike, but in the non governmetal networks such as Venevision or RCTV. Is it the fault of the private media that in spite of all the money lavished on state media this one is simply UNABLE to produce anything interesting for the masses? Not even a decent game show? In fact a wit would point out that the only state media show with some rating is “alo presidente” where for hours Chavez entertains the crowds as Johnny Carson would have done if he had been president, except that he would have done it with more class and interesting guests, something that Chavez cannot bring himself to do as he like to hog the TV cameras and the rare guest is often a minister about to be publicly berated for his/her failures (which rarely cost her/his job anyway...but Chavez looks good while the fools applaud).

RCTV, the “golpista” network

I do not know whether RCTV is involved in conspiracy against Chavez. Or if RCTV was a main conspirator in April 2002. But if indeed RCTV was the hotbed of coup mongering in 2002, why wait for so long to close it? Why not have sent already to jail its owners and directors? The hypocrisy of the government argument is exposed cruelly in this unacountable delay.

Since Chavez is himself a “coup monger” who has killed much more people in 1992 than what RCTV has killed in 2002 (or ever for that matter) let’s try to remember the real reasons why Chavez hates so much RCTV.

First, of course, is that RCTV has been particularly skilled at exposing relentlessly the intellectual misery of those who hold power since 1998. It has done that very simply: with morning talk shows and with the late night news where the bulk of the news are the little people complaining of the governmental less than stellar response to their real needs. Chavismo quickly got tired to be shown every night that it was a mediocre to lousy administration.

But chavismo holds also a big grudge from that April 2002. One RCTV journalist, Andres Izarra, decided to declare that during the April events he was muzzled, he was not allowed to declare what was really going in the streets. Besides questioning whether Izarra actually knew of the reality of these days, which he has not been able to establish as far as this blogger knows, there were many other reasons for RCTV to black out news then. Valid or not, this is not the place to discuss these reasons. What is interesting is that Izarra, who was having a decent career at RCTV in spite of having chavista sympathies and of not being a bright star, decided to go publicly against his boss and got the rewards from the government. First a plum job at the Washington embassy. Then the ministry of communication. Unfortunately he revealed that one reason while he was let go by RCTV was that he was not a great professional: Chavez fired him quickly, though allowing him to direct Telesur, yet another vehicle for Chavez glorification. Izarra has amply demonstrated his grudge against RCTV and surely passed some of it to his boss, Chavez, who is always looking for excuses to trash private media.

The garbage at RCTV? Or its flashes of brilliance?

Then, there were other moments. One was the hearings early this year where Marcel Granier, one of the best minds in Venezuela, was convoked to defend himself at the National Assembly. Chavismo, then already a 100% affair at the Nation’s Capitol, was hoping to ridicule Granier to pave the way for an eventual RCTV suspension. Instead, the “best minds” of the Assembly sent to interrogate Granier demonstrated how mediocre they were, how ill equipped they were to dictate the laws of the country. It was one of the saddest experiences that chavismo had to withstand, a complete humiliation.

There is also Miguel Angel Rodriguez at his morning talk show sensation, La Entrevista. He has become the most hated journalist in chavismo, having whole hours of La Hojilla, the late night garbage of VTV, devoted on attacking him. And yet it was impossible to label Miguel Angel as a complete opposition journalist as he was always open to ANY chavista who dared to face his close and appropriate questioning who made many an opposition figure grimace when he ALSO exposed a few phonies in that camp. But see, chavismo cannot ever be exposed for the phonies they are. And of course, do not expect La Hojilla to have opposition guests. Besides it would be demeaning for anyone to set foot on that stage.

So the government tried other tacks, such as calling RCTV schedule garbage. Venezuelan television has generally been garbage, but a garbage that the masses follow. That is the first thing to note. Venevision, the other big private network is as much if not worse garbage as RCTV. But see, Cisneros, its owner, made a pact with Chavez and withdrew its talk shows and neutered the nightly news. The garbage of Venevision is now deemed to be kosher. But if we go onto garbage TV, what is shown on VTV has nothing to be envied by other networks, and if bad programming was a reason enough to close a network, there would be a strong case to close VTV first.

The real reason behind closing RCTV

RSF had it quite clear when earlier this month it tried to prevent this new madeness of Chavez:

In a press release, RSF said: "If RCTV's license is withdrawn because it is an opposition network, then it is clearly a violation of editorial diversity."

RCTV represents all that Chavez hates: intellect, old money, savoir faire, inquisitive journalism, sense for what rings true, at least some principles, democracy by allowing all to express even with some inequality in the amount of time granted in talk shows and news. RCTV might have a few defects too, but not any more than any other Venezuelan network. It is thus only a personal vendetta of Chavez against RCTV, just as he has against El Universal who like RCTV NEVER bought a line of chavismo, never considered Chavez an honest politician, only a power hungry uncouth soldier. And we know that Chavez is not forgiving.

But there is of course more to it. There is a faint, if trumped, case to be made against RCTV as a political opponent. After all RCTV was only too willing to promote the 2002-2003 strike. By trying to pin that political label on RCTV, wholly unjustified as VTV makes any other network pale by its obscene political engagement, Chavez is trying to find an excuse to start limiting first, and outright supressing later, freedom of expression in Venezuela. Because let no one be fooled, let no one think that this will stop there. After RCTV is closed there will come in roughly this order:

- the closing of Globovision.
- Attacks on the printed media which could start, for example, by blocking access to imported paper until eventually some trumped up trial with a complacent judicial system will allow for the closing of at least one newspaper, or its forced sale to financial pro Chavez group, cowing the other papers into "moderation".
- And since this will not stop opposition chavismo will have to look into ways to control cable TV, by putting at least cadenas across Discovery Channel shows.
- And editorial houses in Venezuela will be controlled at some point, as well as imported books and magazines (adding obscene taxes on imported print is an easy way while avoiding an outright censorship).
- And then there will be Internet. Until when for blogs such as this one to be closed, or their writers threatened and even arrested? A year? Three years?

It does not mater when and how the list above unfolds: if RCTV goes, then the others will follow sooner than later. It is in the dynamic of such regimes. They cannot help it, they cannot accept that others think differently. They cannot tolerate criticism of any kind. Read the previous post and you will see how this RCTV affair is related to the way the propaganda of chavismo is conducted.

For Chavez it is about controlling the last thing he has yet to control: the media, the thinking of those who still think in Venezuela.

Tags: RCTV, repression in Venezuela, chavez, freedom of expression

RCTV comes back, sort of, while Globovision fights back to stay

This weekend the rumor of an eventual return of RCTV were confirmed: I saw it myself Saturday AM when on my Direct TV screen I saw the RCTV logo running in an endless loop, channel 103 for those interested. The papers confirmed that vision: Intercable will give the number 13 to RCTV, NetUno will give varied numbers as they change according the region. But Supercable has declined, with the confession that they do not want to "run into trouble" with the government.

Now, what does that mean exactly? Not much. Cable, even if Supercable were to be included, does not reach 25% of Venezuelan homes. Even adding Internet (by the way, those who can watch RCTV through Internet and YouTube certainly can afford cable), even adding those who steal the signal of some cable company, no more than 30% of Venezuelan homes have access to some form of cable TV, and mostly in upper income areas: poorer areas simply cannot afford a cable bill unless a few pool together and steal the signal with the complicity of the payer. One of the reasons by the way why you see many Direct TV satellite dishes in the barrios is that Direct TV signal cannot be stolen that easily. Besides, installing expensive and vulnerable ground line in popular district is a deterrent for other systems than Direct TV. The paradox is that the poor are forced to buy the more expensive satellite system if they want to escape Chavez blabber.

The result is that RCTV will go from a 100% national coverage to a 30% coverage AT BEST. With the consequent decrease in advertising revenue. The implications for RCTV is that it will be difficult to keep its large staff and producing capabilities and news coverage, at least as long as it does not manage to sell enough production overseas. Right now, outside the US and Colombia I do not see that many buyers for anything Venezuelan except soap operas.

Will chavismo settle for a diminished RCTV? Not sure. On the positive side for chavismo it effectively removed RCTV from the popular areas so that RCTV will not be able to offer the very needed counter information against the permanent Chavez propaganda. RCTV and Globovision together will not reach more than 50% of the country and thus 50% will have to rely on either sycophantic pro Chavez media (VTV, ViVe) or on mildly pro Chavez to neutral TV (the rest).

The real reason why the government might not accept that "compromise", even though it would go a long way to assuage some of the foreign concerns on that matter, is that the new RCTV will be called RCTV "internacional". Under the current rules, as an international cable channel AND as a network that does not emit on the air waves directly, RCTV would be exempt from following cadenas. That is, when ALL VENEZUELAN CHANNELS must go into simultaneous broadcast to transmit the silly Chavez tirades, RCTV can keep along, minding its own business, and passing the news that sometimes Chavez tries to hide through his cadenas (April 11, 2002 anyone?). That by itself could push many folks to make the financial sacrifice to get cable as they will be able to watch their soap operas without interruption. The only winners right now are the cable companies. That is, until Chavez decides to strike against them, in particular if RCTV manges a 30% rating again in spite of all the obstacles. I suspect that this will happen, not counting all the legal attacks that the government is certain to launch against RCTV to shut it up once and for all.

And what about Globovision? While we are discussing attacks on RCTV and the media, let's look at the letter that Globovision posted as full page ad in all major Venezuelan newspapers. I have taken picture even if is rather hard to read (click to enlarge). It is a big picture and I had to reduce it to try to make my page as easy a download as possible. You can read the full letter at the Globovision site, by clicking the little green arrow on the lower left corner.

What does the letter say? It is addressed by the CEO of Globovision to the Vice President Jorge Rodriguez. It was received at the vice presidency on June 29 and since on Saturday 8 of July there was no reply yet, Globovision decided to make a big deal of it and publish it.

In short: it openly calls Jorge Rodriguez a liar. This is no surprise of course, we have seen all the lies of Rodriguez when he was the head of the CNE. Of the regime figures he is with the interior minister Pedro Carreño the two characters that are least trusted in Venezuela, in particular within the opposition. Personally I would leave my wallet alone in a room with Chavez but I would not do so with these two creeps.

The main themes of the letter:

• In the country there is a state policy to diminish and destroy the Venezuelan media.
• Many international institutions are aware of the abuses made by the Chavez administration.
• Globovision alone has reported and documented 59 physical aggressions, 174 verbal aggressions from government officials.
• To date NO ACTION has been undertaken by the Venezuelan judicial system to address these offenses and protect the victims.
• But in addition the government has undertaken judicial action against Globovision and those ones do see action in the courts, contrary to the ones presented by Globovision.
• Against Globovision there are 19 court cases, 6 administrative actions and many "investigations".
• The president and most of his personnel refuse any interview to Globovison whereas they give it to state media at will and to international media on occasion.
• The government has been refusing to accept increased coverage of Globovision (UHF), going to the length to grant previously UHF range reserved for Globovision expansion to other media.
• The human rights of Globovision and its workers have been under attack and defended by many important international organizations and the government, in violation of its international agreements, has refused to take action.
  

So there you go, the gauntlet is thrown. If Rodriguez does not respond he admits the arguments of the letter. If he replies he must attack further. but it will be very difficult for him to ignore for long such a full page ad where he is personally asked to justify his words.

What does this mean? Globovision knows that it will be closed sooner than later, that Chavez simply cannot allow independent information in Venezuela, at the moment which his regime is facing so much problems and at the moment when he wants to establish his rule for ever and ever. Chavez has no choice but to close Globovision (and "re"-close RCTV by the way). Globovison knows it and it is preparing itself to go down with its boots on.


-The end-

Freedoms of information and expression get another beating in Venezuela

Today the freedoms of expression and of information suffered another major set back, directly from Chavez and from his lackeys.

A cadena from Totalitaria

There was a medium sized country that slowly moved towards a totalitarian regime. The move was step by step and the nice people of the country were either cajoled or coaxed into accepting their fate, as a much better fate than associating themselves with the countries of the Capitalitaria federation.

I though about writing such a short naive tale while I watched a few excerpts of the cadena that Chavez imposed on us today. It had been quite a while that we had not had a big cadena by Chavez himself. Rumors had that the legal problems as to whether RCTV international had to pass cadenas or not sowed the doubt and delayed cadenas. But today we got a full frontal offensive against RCTV, and this cadena as a part of the offensive. The initial reply of RCTV was NOT to pass the cadena. Collision course ahead big time.

But first a reminder. A cadena is, for those that might have been living under a rock all of these years, or are brand new to Venezuela (is that possible still?) , the SIMULTANEOUS FORCED BROADCAST ON ALL TV AND RADIO STATIONS OF WHATEVER THE GOVERNMENT WANTS US TO WATCH. Our only option to escape that abuse is to turn off the TV or subscribe to cable TV.

Tonight cadena was a particularity abusive one. For I do not know how many hours, Chavez celebrated the Moncada assault in Cuba of half a century ago, he cheered Castro and presented himself as his heir. Then he moved on to attack the opposition, ridiculing it, in an offensive tone. Then (or before?) he defended what is already known about the constitutional changes he is about to propose. Of course, the opposition to all of these projects, or those who think that Castro is a criminal will never get 10 minutes to refute Chavez points in a simultaneous broadcast in all of the state TV. For that matter, they will probably not get it either on Venevision and Televen. They will have to rely only on Globovision and RCTV Internacional. No opponent of Chavez life long presidency, I will bet on that, will have significant exposure elsewhere in Venezuela

Unfortunately for those who pretend that Chavez is just managing the air waves in an orderly fashion in Venezuela, the scope of Chavez crime against Human Rights today will be quite a slap . Well, they will keep repeating their worn out line anyway, after all what they are doing is trying to justify the unjustifiable which is the privatization of all the airwaves to a single man's interests, those of Hugo Chavez.

No matter what Chavez supporters will say, today Chavez gave us his first salve in the campaign toward his life long presidency, and with the unfairness that we saw today we can be pretty assured of a nasty campaign and an electoral fraud. When people start a "democratic" campaign by abusing blatantly their power, elections are not to be trusted.


RCTV internacional and the cable/satellite TV system under threat

This morning the lackeys of Chavez in charge of communications, tried to strike again against RCTV. The objective is of course to close it once and for all, as even the meager 25% of the country that could get RCTV at home through cable is already unbearable for El Supremo. Let's not forget that this is a personal vendetta, of the caliber of any vendetta held by any cheap caudillo in LatAm history.

Jesse Chacon and CONATEL came on to say that the cable systems should provide some paperwork from RCTV internacional, otherwise in 5 days they should take it off the air. Apparently RCTV should register as a national producer of content and thus be subjected to all local laws. RCTV says that no, they were forced on cable and they are coming back as a different company, RCTV internacional, and thus need not to follow the law of Venezuelan only media. they should be subjected to the same law that directs Telesur, exempt of cadenas.

The solution for the government to bring RCTV to transmit cadenas is simply to allow them to have one open air channel at least. If RCTV is serious in its claims it would get that channel, say a UHF frequency in Caracas, and force itself to transmit as any other Venezuelan media. But the government is not offering that because what the government wants off all media business. Period. So chavismo is looking for is any legal loophole or misinterpretation (which court will rule in favor of RCTV against Chavez? where in Venezuela?) to close RCTV.

But no, not only the government does not want to give a single UHF to RCTV or Globovision (or anyone who they suspect might not cheer Chavez as needed) , but through its creep of a minister Lara is trying to find a legal way to force HBO to pass Chavez cadenas. That is, people that pay good money to watch pay TV will still be forced to watch Chavez cadenas and state propaganda. Now, let's think about that for a second, let's see where is the freedom of information there? Let's wonder about your right to spend your money as you please and enjoy the leisure you want? When Discovery Kids or Animal Planet or the Italian RAI will be forced to transmit at least in Venezuela any of Chavez vulgarities, where will freedom of expression be? When until even this blog is forced to pass Chavez propaganda? Or closed altogether as internet in turn will be controlled? How long are people going to accept that Chavez creeps more and more into our daily lives, our homes?

So there we are in Venezuela, a government trying to find ways to force everyone in Venezuela to watch Chavez speeches, whenever he feels like giving them. Already if you go to most public administration offices, if the waiting room has a TV is it hooked on VTV. Sometimes mercilessly to an office video/DVD that extols non stop the virtues of the revolution, such as I was subjected to when I went to pay my taxes a couple of months ago.

If the proposal of Lara gets the nod, then we might see the BBC broadcast of some important world event suddenly suspended in Venezuela because Chavez has decided to make a cadena where he will insult people, talk about his childhood souvenirs, speak about projects that will never be done, not even started. And then we will have wait for hours until we can know what happened in such an such place. Where is the freedom of information when foreign channels refuse to be cut by cadenas and leave the country? And where is the freedom of expression when all opponent TV are finally closed under the flimsiest of excuses?

Because in Chavez megalomania, and the sycophants it inspires, in Venezuela now the verbal farts of Chavez are more important than anything else that can happen anywhere in the world.


-The end-

RCTV to stay a little bit longer in the Venezuelan airwaves

(updated)

In one of those weird turn of events, the high court of Venezuela, under the pen of its chief, Luisa Estela Morales of ill repute with this blogger, has decided to accept a cautionary measure from the Cable and Satellite systems of Venezuela. What did they do? Well, believe it or not, they sort of used the same tactic that was used against RCTV in May when a group of citizens claimed that they would suffer some form of psychological damage if they were to turn on their TV and nothing would happen on channel 2 (RCTV slot until May 27). So, the court, ever so obliging when it is convenient for chavismo decided that the equipment of RCTV must be seized and "lent" to TVes so the channel 2 slot will not be empty and people would not get into some deep funk, or withdrawal syndrome.

The Cable system, probably very pissed off at the government for threatening to put cadenas everywhere used the same strategy, that nothing should be changed on cable until rules, laws and regulations are cleared up. Otherwise "general" interest might be affected. The TSJ could not say one thing one day and go against it own precedent barely two month after. Chavismo has not gone that far, yet.....

So the end result, even though the name of RCTV is not in that new lawsuit, is that RCTV remains on the air, and will not transmit cadenas. It seems that the government will have to change the law or do something, or counter appeal or whatever to remove RCTV. Which it will do in due time, and sooner than later.

Meanwhile, even if forced by events and by a minimum of rationality that is left in the judicial system (you can screw whomever you want, but you must do it in a certain order) the government gets a little bonus: it will be able to pretend that the judicial system is independent. Yeah, right... RCTV lost zillions of cases and suddenly one simple delaying cautionary measure will be portrayed as a final proof of Venezuelan separation of powers. Even CNN seemed to buy that line it its preliminary report!!!! But then again CNN is not good in in depth reporting....

More information:

As it turned out Marcel Granier was a scheduled guest at Alo Ciudadano, and he arrived a few minutes before the TSJ decision was announced. Needless to say that Granier gave one of those memorable interviews that should be mandatory watching for any one that wants to know what chavismo is doing to the fabric of our society. As soon as a video appears I will let the readers know.

What did Granier said? In short:

The TSJ decision was obscenely fast. As so many other related RCTV issues are in a deep slumber over some dusty shelf at the TSJ warehouse, today's decision was processed in a very few hours. In fact Granier thinks it must be a record of sorts.

Granier also stated that this decision ONLY benefits the state, NOT RCTV. The reason is very simple: in the rush to shut up RCTV the government made a few mistakes and it realized that following through the decision of shutting up RCTV tonight would bring it a lot of internal trouble with other local TV stations, and even Telesur, that could cost millions in multiple law suits. Thus it was in the best interest for the government to stop for a few days or weeks the closing down of RCTV until it coudl set up some more satisfying scheme. Thus Luisa Morales might be the TSJ head but she just acted like the errand girl of Chavez she is, not the head of a power whose total independence from other powers is the key of any democracy.

Pressed as to why Granier does not try to talk with the government, he reported that no one talks with the government because this one does not agree to any of the meetings that have been asked for by RCTV, the groups of Cable TV operators or any major political operators in Venezuela. In other words, the Chavez administration is acting everyday more and more like an autistic body.

Pressed further, Granier said that the conflict is not between Chavez and RCTV, but between Chavez and Venezuelan society. According to Granier, Chavez deliberately seeks chaos for whatever political objectives he has in mind.

And much more that could bring Granier into judicial trouble, by the way. But this is not anymore the voice of some millionaire losing his business. Not that it matters but I am pretty sure that Granier has a safe retirement package outside of Venezuela. No, what was talking tonight was a man determined to confront head on the government of Chavez with all the risks that this entails to his personal safety. His position is now a political position and as such the escalation is only starting.

-The end-

A January 23 harsh on democracy: RCTV out again and Globovision is the last network in Venezuela to present the opposition views, the rest are pro Chavez or "neutral", that is, silent.

It cannot be lost on the Venezuelan observer that the commemoration of January 23 1958, the date we thought marked the end of our last time under a dictatorship would be the date chosen by our new dictatorship to limit the reach of cable TV and start the process of forcing it to transmit for free all the propaganda of the regime.

There is an official fascist line in Venezuela, from the government

Through this holiday week in Venezuela I was observing with some incredulity how some of the official media were promoting an official public lynching of Marcel Granier, the RCTV director. For those late to this game let's start with a recap.

Summary

Marcel Granier is one of the directors of RCTV, the oldest TV network in Venezuela. Marcel Granier is also an articulate opponent of Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela, who Granier likes to call "el teniente coronel", for the last grade in the army Chavez held before trying the bloody coup of 1992.

In 2002 during the April events RCTV had a perturbing moment of silence while the Carmona ill fated adventure was collapsing. There are many possible explanations for this silence but to date no impartial inquiry has been launched on this. In fact, as we are nearing the 5 anniversary of the April 2002 events, there is still NO ONE duly inculpated AND completely judged for any of the murders that happened that day, and we are still waiting for an impartial "truth commission" to works its wonders, something that after 5 years would be a real miracle. However the only people who were filmed with gun in hands are free, found innocent. Then again they were chavistas.

But back to Marcel Granier. Since 2002 the Chavez administration has been hard at work prosecuting Granier and his business. It is important to note that no significant judicial investigation has been launched against Granier, that all the vindictiveness seen from chavismo toward Granier is solely due to his political opinions.

Eventually for no good legal reason the government has decided to close down RCTV in the hope to silence Granier once and for all. This is a tremendous attack on freedom of expression as RCTV is THE ONLY TV NETWORK WITH NATIONAL COVERAGE THAT IS NOT EFFECTIVELY LINED UP WITH THE GOVERNMENT. After RCTV is closed, to find critical information on the chavista regime you will have to rely solely on the press or payTV, if you can afford it.

The lynching of Marcel Granier

Now, this would seem to be nasty enough for the casual observer from a democratic country. But the government has taken a step further: there is an official campaign to vilify Granier, RCTV and whomever dares to defend them. This week we were given two clear examples on how "enemies" of the regime will be treated. Today it is Granier, tomorrow it could be this blogger.

It all started with a weird but troubling call to control a long Venezuelan tradition, burning a rag doll of a Judas at the image of some public figure who has defrauded the people. The government very clumsily did try to make the "spontaneous" folk activity into a generalized Granier witch burning (here, here and here). All reports that I have received on this seem to indicate that Granier was burnt only when chavista political hacks were involved. There seems to have been a significant amount of Chavez figures that were also burnt but of these you would be hard pressed to find any evidence in state media. However official media has been very diligent in coordinating its news to make the world believe that everywhere the popular glee was burning Granier.

But one has to watch this news clip from the state TV, VTV, where on prime time news the burning of Granier is shown, in a curiously humorless way when the tradition is to show these things with humor and grace and interviewing the folks burning, a little bit like an April's fool activity. No one is interviewed, demonstrating like no words could do how arranged these folk manifestations were.



This video is quite self explanatory, there is only one little section worth translating. At 12 seconds the TV broadcaster says the following: ... they burned the image of Marcel Granier, director of RCTV, for his participation in the coup of April 2002.... Now, this is very grave because to begin with we are on the eve of April 2002 commemorations and also because there is no trial, no official and legal investigation on Granier for his 2002 role. This small legality does not stop the state TV in declaring him fully guilty, fully deserving of him being burning yesterday, and more soon. In a normal country Granier could sue easily a network doing such a lynching.

I must state that it is posted by radio Aporrea, which is also a branch of the regime propaganda. What is astounding in this act is that chavismo, or at least a sector of it, is proud of such a fascist activity that harks directly from the Salem witch trials, through the Komintern declarations and show trials of Stalin, and the public lynchings of Hitler. This is not fascism or communism we are talking about, it is the first baby steps in the establishment of a totalitarian regime in Venezuela.

To complete this post I cannot fail to address the interview given by William Lara to El Nacional this past Easter Sunday (no link, by subscription, write me if you want the whole thing). This interview was about the TV network that will succeed in the airwaves of RCTV. There is no need to go into it all, suffice to highlight the following [with my comment]:

We need more children information in the country. It is insulting that Globovision is not respectful of the RESORTE law ["gag law"] putting a teenager to repeat news. [The absolutely ridiculous "gag" law was designed to all but ban reporting news during day time, at a political moment where the streets were hot with protest. When the misguided lawmakers were making that law, many people claimed that a news channel could not have a children programing by definition and that the only thing it could do was not show gory details. Now, what is troubling about Lara words, as a Communication minister is that if Globovision is indeed so out of the law how come he has not applied sanctions. And this is of course a threat that once RCTV will be dealt with, the last network that reports real news will be the new target for closing. It cannot be any clearer]

The new network [news section] will not be a clone of VTV, ViveTv, Televen or Venevision [A precious moment, Lara recognizes that the news existing outside of Globovision and RCTV are all the same at least as far as blandness when dealing with government abuse].

Why did the state decided not to renovate the [RCTV] concession? Follows a long string of things for which RCTV has not been sued officially. [The question is of course, RCTV being such a rogue channel how come nothing was done until it was simply decided to close it altogether?].

A survey made in February by Datanálisis said that 24% of the polled folks supported the closing of RCTV. This poll is a statistical lie. I do not give any credibility to this poll. [Interestingly when Datanalisis was giving good numbers for Chavez in December 2006 Lara was not so upset about Datanalisis methodology. Thus we can expose easily the schizoid minister, a pathetic low class liar. Note: the minister says he has other polls supporting his opinion, but does not cite any name nor publishes any result].

And there is more but that will suffice for tonight's point.

We have clearly the outline of what is coming toward freedom of expression in Venezuela. To avoid to be totally an outcast in the world it seems that for the time being Chavez will allow for partial networks and small papers to survive. But nation wide network broadcast will be chavista or neutral, or will not be. The radio, we are also told, will be mercilessly squeezed out of any opposition hands (a threat in the same Lara interview).

The perspective, for this blogger, is that within two years Globovision will be out of business or subject to a forced sale to chavista interests; there will be no radio with opposition talk shows except for Caracas and a couple of cities (Union Radio is already rumored to be under attack) and it is possible that newspapers will be forced into self censorship. We will get our news only from Cable TV (though the government is trying to exert some form of control there). The surviving newspaper and the Internet (although the takeover of CANTV, the main Internet provider of Venezuela, could force out a few connections! And also cyber cafes could easily be regulated).

And all of this as Lara and chavismo brags of a legality that no court dares to counter. Look at Granier public attempt at humiliation (even if it did not work out that well, the objective being really the VTV viewer alone). And this in Caracas, under the glare of all sorts of international observers. Now look at the case of Lapi, alone in Yaracuy, forgotten by those who should protect him first and foremost, the OAS and the Carter Center. Look at Lapi totally depending on a sworn sadistic and probably drug addict enemy. Look at the farce of justice that has been applied to him, where even gimenez was offering to help him escape (to murder Lapi better?). And then wonder why should Lapi have remained in jail. When will Granier leave the country?

-The end-

The RCTV closing: the teachings on Venezuelan society

Perhaps some might raise an eyebrow for the title. After all there are still a few hours to go before the closing time of RCTV. But as far as I am concerned, not only there is now 99.9999% chances of RCTV being closed, but even if by some last minute miracle an extension were granted, the lessons that we can learn about this experience would be exactly the same.

The Venezuelan government manipulates. No surprise there of course, coming form a government who refuses to discuss publicly the constitutional change it wants. However what is becoming increasing revealed is the intense manipulation and preparation that the government has put into closing RCTV. This was quite a requirement as the closing is illegal. Not to mention that Chavez could not do it before the presidential elections of December 2006 and thus that closing HAD TO be done this year so that by 2012 people would have long forgotten about RCTV.

But the extension of the manipulation is only becoming apparent. For example I was watching Saturday a certain Mr. Bisbal been interviewed in "Que Fuente" and he was showing us an ad that appeared two days after the December 28 Chavez announcement. That advertisement appeared in most Venezuelan papers and in that time of year probably required it to be done BEFORE the Chavez speech so that it could make it by December 31. However, that ad was wrong since it accused RCTV to violate article 58 and 28 of the RESORTE law. Unfortunately article 58 does not exist and article 28 is an organizational matter that does not contemplate any sanction (if I remember well the numbers I heard then) . The ad was not published anymore, but it showed at the same time the preparation and the incompetence of those behind this crass maneuvering.

It is impossible now to pretend that the government of Venezuela is open to scrutiny, is open to discussion, is transparent, is considerate of the rights of minority. Minority rights have been violated more in Venezuela in the past 6 months than during all of the preceding Chavez tenure in office. The Venezuelan government has been acting more in the dark shadows since December 3 than at any previous period.

The judicial system has no independence and is servile to Chavez. We have also known that all along, since 2000 in fact. It has just become worse and worse, and now without any pretense to the contrary. But what has happened in the campaign to RCTV defies any accurate explanation or moral examination. Ethics is a word that must be definitively removed from the Venezuelan language.

But what astounds us is the direct complicity between the judicial system and the government manipulations to bag the RCTV case. In other words the TSJ knew quite well that it could not close RCTV and diligently it has paved the way through indirect means for the government seizure not only of the Hertzian range of RCTV, but also of its properties in transmission equipment and the land where it is placed (and perhaps even the studios?). This included all the judicial arsenal that one could think of: delays in some decisions, expediency in others before RCTV even could know that it was a party of a given decision, distortion of the law at will, avoidance of any solid decision pretending that some day RCTV could aspire to redress but AFTER TVes would have been solidly on the air for months or years, etc, etc...

It is impossible now for the observer to pretend to even discuss possible objectivity of the judicial system in Venezuela. Oh, sure, it is all perfectly legal, and so were the Nazi concentration camps.

The Venezuelan people are afraid, or even worse, indifferent. How else can one explain that with polls at 70 to 80% against the closing of RCTV you do not see spontaneous marches of protest everywhere? It is not a matter of been indifferent, or even of wanting to keep a job in the public administration. No, now the Venezuelan people are becoming afraid. There is less open criticism from the masses, more discretion. And the state through its selective criteria as to who gets what, and with his weapons shown whenever needed to intimidate the hoi polloi, is not afraid to scare people as much as needed. It comes from the president himself who cannot help but insult whomever disagrees with him in his now overwhelming TV presence.

What we have learned through this past few months is that the Venezuelan people has no democratic backbone in it, that it is is disposed to sell its freedom for peanuts, and that more dangerous for our future than the scared people, are the indifferent ones who sigh and look away no matter how much they dislike what Chavez does. And thus Venezuela will get what it deserves, the only way it can learn that happiness cannot depend on what our new Deimos decides to do.

Freedom of information is lost. The distinction is important, a mangled freedom of expression still exists in Venezuela, but freedom of information is already lost. Yes, I know, there is still newspapers, Internet and Globovision. But who can access them? Globovision reaches by cable only many areas of the country. Internet must be payed for by the people and they will rather spend their money in e-mail, porn and game pages, even more so now that they cannot enjoy games and soap operas anymore with RCTV who at least had the grace to be free. As for newspapers, outside of Caracas their information tends to be more limited to local matters and sometimes to local gossip. Besides how long until some of them are closed or neutered or bought out by chavista capitalists?

This had been announced for years by people such as your favorite blogger and no one paid much attention. My words are no impossible to deny. There is no more liberty of information and thus there will be necessary a decrease in the liberty of expression which is the natural outcome desire of an informed people.

A new leadership for the opposition. The strong and dignified defense of RCTV by Granier and his team is an essential event. When we put it together with the late coming defense of the opposition political leadership inherited from December vote (with the honorable exception of Petkoff who has defended RCTV from the start) and the accomplice silence of some sectors such as the Cisneros of the world (who know is seen as traitor by the opposition, sinking even further the Carter center if it were possible), we can see that all of these people are doomed to irrelevance as voices of the opposition. After the Granier presentation last Friday in Globovision, who do you want to speak for you? Borges? Rosales? Venevision? In the mêlée they all lost some credibility, if they had any left, and the one coming out with the oval ball is Granier.

Big time ahead for Granier. Now the government will brand him and seek to destroy him. He has managed to reveal to the world as no one else could before the vulgarly crass abusive low life cheap military that Chavez is. And Chavez cannot forgive that, nor his followers from having been exposed to be servants of such a low creature. It is Granier's choice, to become the leader of the opposition, risk ending up in jail as a martyr, and in the end prevail, or leave for exile.

The violence ahead. Of course, with a trumped CNE, a servile TSJ and no freedom of information, how can fair elections ever take place in Venezuela? How can political participation not cowed by the government abuse of power can take place? Not that democracy died today, for me it died in February 2004 when Chavez sent the army to shoot protesters. Today is only an additional step. But today marks possibly, unfortunately, the day in which violence becomes now the only option for more than just a tiny minority of the opposition. Violence is now the option for the chavista supporters who cannot express their complaints on a TV camera, a TV camera ONLY offered by RCTV or Globovision. Will these people stay home quiet when they cannot express their angst? I doubt it. The opposition is fast been redesigned, from the forced dissolution of PODEMOS and PPT, to the extreme military right plotting uselessly somewhere. That new opposition will soon find out that through normal channels it cannot express it self and thus it will take alternative paths, with all of their implications. What scares me is that this is exactly what Chavez want, excuses to tighten his grip and "eliminate" those who oppose him. He already killed them with words this week, it is just a matter of time for him to act on his words.

Conclusion. There were even more revelations through this last few months. But I am tired and I do not feel it in me to qualify what has happened in Venezuela. After all, when everything that is done is "so legal", adjectives become unnecessary.

RCTV to go off the air again

In a bad case of déjà vu all over again we are getting ready to see the signal of RCTV go off our cable TV system tomorrow. The discombobulated legal mechanism used by the government cannot hide that the real reason why RCTV is going off the air is because Chavez wants so.

There is no Chomskyan grandeur anywhere in here (Chavez is now the most powerful media mogul of our history); there is no desire to create a true public service TV here (the new TVes, the ersatz to substitute RCTV on open signal has already established itself as a subservient Chavez propaganda tool); there is not even the slimmest desire to make a deal and let the opposition with a small space in the hertzian kingdom (the government has not offered any UHF to RCTV, nor to any other TV station that cannot be verified as a pro Chavez joint).

No, there is just the naked desire to shut up one of the only two TV systems where critics of the government can express themselves freely, even if only on cable or satellite. In a country where pay TV does not even reach 25% of the country, that 10% of the people at a given time might chose to watch something else than a Chavez speech is simply unbearable for our local kinglet wanna-be.

You doubt me? Look at today's speedy decision form the high court of Venezuela where it refuses to consider the petitions of RCTV. We read this gem:

...it is of public knowledge that the said business continues to operate as a broadcast station that can transmit its information and entertainment contents, using its its tools and technical material, which leads one to presume that it is fulfilling its contractual and financial commitments.

That is right, you read it it perfectly: the high court of Venezuela, because RCTV TODAY is showing up on cable is saying that it has suffered of no prejudice and that its complaint against a CONATEL ruling has no basis. That for almost two months RCTV was off the air and still kept is staff did not cause any prejudice to RCTV coffers; that it cannot reach a quarter of its previous audience anymore because of its cable only presence does not affect its business performance; that its transmission equipment has being seized by the government without any form of compensation causes no financial loss to RCTV.

But what else can you expect form a judicial system where the president, Luisa Estela Morales, has been herself fired from a tribunal until recovered from chavismo to become the president of the judicial system of Venezuela? Such judges can only rule in favor of the daemon that allowed them to reach the top in a new Faustian bargain. On their work and merit only these judges would have never reached exalted positions where such merits are measured, evaluated and compared. No wonder the Venezuelan judicial system today is an active participant in the lynching of RCTV. But history is rich with examples of morally corrupt judges who erased with stupefying ease from their vocabulary words such as fairness, due process, impartiality.

-The end-

Time to do something about RCTV

In barely three weeks the Chavez autocracy will be closing RCTV.

Now, this is not the time to discuss the broadcast content, it is lousy in all of Venezuela networks, worse in the state owned network for that matter. No, the REAL REASON why RCTV must be supported is because it is THE ONLY INDEPENDENT NETWORK that reaches through open signal almost any corner in Venezuela. That is, once RCTV is closed the only people that will get news that show the reality of the misery of the Bolivarian pseudo-revolution will be some areas that get open signal of Globovision. Thus in about half of the country you will get independent news only through cable TV, if you can afford it. And in a large section of the other half you will get lousy signal for Globovision as it is not allowed to increase its reach and strength.

If RCTV closes for all practical purposes Chavez will have managed to control the large majority of the air borne media, either by direct control and continuous propaganda in the state TV, or effective neutering of the remaining private networks such as Venevision which is now all but actively supporting the regime.

So, if you believe that there is a need to maintain at least one nation wide open signal in Venezuela that will allow the people to express their complaints, then you need to support RCTV. In the weeks remaining watch Globovision or RCTV and observe how often people say that they are chavistas but when they want to complain about deficient public services they never find a camera from the state system to record their complaints, that only Globovision and RCTV show up. Think about what these people will do once the microphones of RCTV are closed.

Visit the RCTV resistance site and take action here.


-The end-

Those exquisite revolutionary moments: RCTV as the "me, my, mine" moment of the autocrat with the tearing apart of a country

The RCTV closing is now a 99.9% certainty. One always hope that at the end some common sense should prevail, but I, for one, have stopped doubting long ago that Chavez will go ahead and close RCTV next Sunday.

Rather than focus on the legalities, this might be a good moment to think about the real meaning and implications of the near fait accompli, if you forgive me a slight oxymoron.

The closing was never in doubt since the late December announcement by Chavez. Oh, yes, in the months that followed there was some hope that Chavez could not do it. But that was at best wishful thinking since no mechanism seemed to exist to stop such barbarism. And this starting with what should have been the main mechanism of resistance, the political opposition which was vacationing unconsciously all the way through the end of January.

The reality was that Chavez had decreed the closing of RCTV because it was his way to tell us that now he was the master of Venezuela. And that he was angry that we were not accepting it that easily, starting with some of his allies. At the root of all of this I am not afraid to point out to the dysfunctional character of Chavez who complains because he only got 63% last December. That angry “victory” press conference a few days after December 3 should have told everyone what they needed to know: 37% for the opposition was unacceptable and we were going to pay for it. One of the first natural targets had to be RCTV, the network with the highest ratings in Venezuela, and the one that had refused to stop criticizing the government in spite of all the regulations created to neuter television. Chavez simply could not accept that RCTV had been smart enough to find a way to keep pressing on, had found a way not to kneel in front of El Surpemo. Chavez had to show Venezuela was his, that he is the boss.

How can any one doubt it? Did Chavez not say all sorts of “me, my, mine” statements through these past 5 months? Did he not even say that the High Court would never go against a “sovereign” decision of the government (confirming by the way in his own mouth that he was above the courts)? These recent months have been the perfect stage for Chavez to show us that he was above the media, that he was above justice, that he was above international opinion, that he was above decency, ethics and morality. Chavez was going to go all the way through the closing of RCTV because he had to show once and for all that the was the authority in Venezuela, above elections and law.

But the price he will pay is phenomenal. I will pass quickly on the obvious such as the international condemnations raining on him. I can take today’s articles from Spain El Pais which dedicates a stinging editorial with an accompanying note. We can examine the US Senate resolution that might be taken unanimously today, a rather rare event for a cantankerous Senate mired in Iraq problems. Or we could look at the European Parliament resolution (which El Pais complains by the way that only 3 Spaniards participated in the vote). These condemnation started already, from places such as the Chilean Senate creating the first serious warning to Chavez (and weakening further Bachelet). But he went though, weathering a Brazilian minister criticism, a series of international organizations reproaches, and what not, including outright lies from his lackeys and ambassadors..

No, the real price Chavez will pay is in Venezuela. The damage that Chavez will bring on Venezuela next Sunday will be without repair, for him as well as for those who oppose him. As of next Sunday night we will have started on the road to violence and civil conflict again. It will not be helped, and I am certain now that this is what Chavez wants, as the only way he has left to reduce that 37% he cannot stand.

Because what is important in the RCTV closing is that for the first time Chavez “takes away”. Until now a lot of folks turned a blind eye on Chavez as long as they received some benefit. In a country where democracy was taken for granted, and where democracy was looked upon as rather ineffective to solve the country’s problems, that Chavez was a little bit authoritarian was OK as long as money seemed to flow down to the masses.

But the RCTV will change that perception. All of these folks, except, according to polls, the rabid 20% chavista core, are opposed to the RCTV closing because they know exactly what it means. For some it is the end in soap opera choice. There will be only the novelas of Venevision, and those for not too long as many chavistas have said for a long time that novelas should not be shown on TV anymore. For many it will be the end of dissenting information. In all the areas where Globovision does not reach there will be no more air borne information where governmental deficiencies are shown, where the local people can go and denounce governmental abuses or poor services. For others it will be the end of choice in trashy entertainment such as the silly TV games. That announces to them in a unique way the arrival of a puritanical aspect of the revolution that they never believed in.

Now, for the first time all Venezuelans will learn that there is a price to pay for everything and that the “gifts” from Chavez were not so. Cassandras from the newspapers to this modest blogger have said it all along, the Piper will come to cash his due. And the RCTV closing is only the first installment we will have to pay for shoddily supplied Mercal stores and free aspirin at Barrio Adentro. The time of choices is coming and a complaisant country will start realizing what the revolution really meant all along. The consequences are for all to figure out easily.

-The end-

Freedom of Expression Under Threat, Ajo!

by Alex Beech

Following a meeting with alternative media representatives, Communications and Information Minister Willian Lara said that the government will decide whether to renew a concession with Radio Caracas Television, a major private television network.

Lara said: “The community media expressed an interest in promoting a democratic dialogue so that the Venezuelan people can express their opinions over whether a concession should be renewed which allows RCTV to operate a television channel.”

Lara said the final decision must be made by “the chief of state, the Council of Ministers. But what we’re proposing...in the revolutionary Venezuelan state, is that the opinion of the people is expressed through the alternative and community media.”

Lara’s statement echoed recent comments made by Chavez himself, who said he “had in mind the question of whether to renew or not the concession of RCTV.”

According to its website, RCTV broadcast its first live transmission in 1953. The broadcast, a baseball game between Cuba and Venezuela, was the first of its kind in Venezuela. A year later, RCTV produced its first soap opera, entitled “Camay,” which lasted fifteen minutes and was performed live.

Growing up in a tiny Venezuelan city, I recall watching two channels on our black and white TV set: RCTV and Venevision. I relished the great soaps produced by those pioneering networks even though my mother had a NO SOAPS rule in the house. (I guess she thought my impressionable mind would absorb the smoldering lasciviousness of Raul Amundaray or Marina Baura…) Then there were the laughs which rung through our house as the iconic characters of Radio Rochela performed their silly sketches. “Ajo!” or, even funnier, “Y tu que le dijiste.”

Today, RCTV news programming, often critical of the government, is a fundamental voice within the country's eroding freedom of expression.

I’m sure that when Minister Lara meets with the “Venezuelan people", he won’t ask any Venezuelans I know whether the chief of state should renew the RCTV concession. But if he asked me, I would urge the state to keep RCTV around. It’s a thread in the fabric of our national consciousness as much as tostones and gaitas.

Venezuelans have a right to quality programming, which the new community media outlets will never replace. Not because the alternative media is comprised of amateurs, even though it is. Not because it's one hundred percent loyal to one ideology and man, even though it is. You simply can't replace over fifty years of experience in a single revolution. As my favorite Radio Rochela would say, “ajo!”

Source: El Universal

Definition of the day
Alternative: Allowing or necessitating a choice between two or more things.

Tags: rctv, freedom of expression, chavez, venezuela

Le Monde against Chavez

Taking my coffee this morning I was treated to the Le Monde editorial of Saturday, with very extraordinary words against Chavez. An editorial nothing less. A Le Monde editorial has more influence in the world at large, with foreign offices, with intellectuals, than any editorial of any US or UK newspaper. For all its problems and failings, Le Monde is still one of the greatest papers, and always one of the special treats for those lucky enough to visit France and hold in their hands the light paper, read its tight font, enjoy the literary style of Le Monde. This is not a paper written for the masses, it is a paper deliberately written for the intelligentsia of the world. I could venture to say that this Editorial of Le Monde, which I translate below, is perhaps more damaging to Chavez in the long run than the EU or the US Senate resolution. Because more than any other paper, even London's Guardian, Le Monde is the reference of the democratic and sensible left. And it has a nifty way to link to its articles :)

Censure à la Chavez
LE MONDE | 26.05.07

©

Below my translation, followed by very briefs comments:

President Hugo Chavez ordered the disappearance of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV), the principal television operator of Venezuela. Friday May 25, the army received the order of the Supreme Court [TSJ] to take the control of the buildings and installations of RCTV, in order to “ensure a serene transition” with the official chain which will replace it.

The non-renewal of the concession of RCTV, created fifty-three years, deprives a popular public of its favorite programs. Serials, spectacles and humor constitute the essence of its programming. The identification with these programs encouraged part of the abandoned elements of Venezuelan society to express their complaints with the authorities via the microphones and cameras of RCTV. This role an echo chamber for their dissatisfactions undoubtedly annoyed the Chavez government as much than the programs of information and opinion devoted to the opposition.

None the charges carried by the president against RCTV, in connection with his role in the missed coup of 2002 or the oil strike of 2003, was the subject of a debate in front of a court. The Supreme Court was solicited by RCTV whereas Mr. Chavez had already announced his decision, irrevocable. This political decision reduced pluralism and increases the concentration of audio-visual tools within the hands of the government. Whatever the administrative or legal arguments called upon by the president, it is a hard blow carried against the freedom of expression in Venezuela.

The replacement of a private chain which was open to the opposition by a public chain circumstantially created piece meal is presented by the state power like “a democratization of the media”. The government controlled already several chains and had gained by various means the favors of the majority of the others. Following the disappearance of RCTV of the hertzian waves, Monday May 28, there will not remain but one opposition chain, whose [open] signal does not go beyond Caracas and whose audience is negligible.

In December 2006, neither RCTV nor the opposition prevented the re-election of president Chavez with nearly 63% of the voices. The National Assembly, where the totality of the elected officials are acquired to him, became a simple registration room. The Head of the State moreover made a point of benefiting from special capacities allowing him to legislate. Justice does not dare to contradict the executive and does not escape the generalized corruption.

The independence of powers does not exist any more in Venezuela. The opposition fears that, after the media, the president will proceed in a similar way towards the trade unions, the nongovernmental organizations or the political parties. With Mr. Chavez, the Venezuelan democracy is threatened.

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Just to make things clear: this is not Le Monde Diplomatique which is another paper that has nothing to do with Le Monde anymore but which managed to retain the title wording for the obvious publicity advantage. Le Monde Diplomatique is a mercenary paper through its director Ignacio Ramonet who has no problem flying to Caracas to support his master, widely murmured to have paid for the Paris new headquarters of that yellow racket.

Le Monde is a very serious paper who people critical of its editorial line read anyway. I remember even a picture of Chirac reading Le Monde in the railway during one of his campaigns. It is also a paper that endorsed Segolene Royal in the recent elections, so there is no way to corner it as a right wing paper, paid for by Bush or any other inanity that the chavista crowd might want to use to disqualify it. You would be hard pressed to find kind words for Bush in Le Monde.

At any rate, such an editorial assures that the next French government that comes from the June legislative elections will not be a friend of Chavez. And as yet another public relations disaster for Chavez, it ranks way up.

-The end-

That sinking feeling: the Chavez revolution meets a reef

Now, before anyone’s hopes raise, the title of that article does not imply that Chavez is about to be undone ; it just means that the violent momentum that chavismo seemed to have acquired last December has met sudden obstacles. To begin with, the momentum claimed by chavismo was rather unjustified. After an enigmatic campaign which started with love and ended up in the infamous “rojo rojito”, chavista voters had voted more for the man than for his programs though they did understood fuzzily that the policies of a socialism of the XXI century would be somewhat more leftwards than in the previous already long 8 years. They were fine with it for many reasons, in particular for shelves reasonably supplied and money to accede to them, but it seems that these reasons might not apply anymore.

It all started with the RCTV closing announcement. As usual when Chavez announces something that big, he does that when nobody listens, under the cover of some holidays preferably when everyone is out at play. It seemed to have worked out for while. The opposition, as always its incompetent self, went away on vacation after the election forgetting that when you are in the opposition you have no vacation if you ever want to become government. And even more so if you pretend to unseat Chavez who has no other life but clinging to power. The silence of the opposition was even more inexcusable: far from celebrating victory on December 3 by giving the country a much needed political rest, an angry Chavez was already mentioning constitutional changes, a unique party, and a line of no concession to the opposition not even freedom for political prisoners. December 3 was not a truce and yet the opposition leadership went on vacation as if we were in peace.

In fact part of the problem that Chavez suffers today is the unexpected pay off from the opposition errors in December, though a small pay off and even meager consolation. The coalition that won 37% started promptly splitting apart. Chavez felt no restraint in speeding up his agenda. And as it is usually the case, when you have no opposition to force you to at least tune up carefully your strategy, problems appear.

Chavez started by firing Jose Vicente Rangel. Rumor has that the Vice did not approve of shutting down RCTV. After all this broadcast station had been strident for years and Chavez popularity had never been seriously affected except or a few months in 2002-2003. So found the exit door the Vice. Then Chavez appointed to replace Rangel the only operator he had, former Jorge Rodriguez of the CNE. A slick character but a totally untrustworthy one, and someone whose zero credibility precluded any discussion to negotiate anything with anyone at the opposition. Sure, Chavez did not need to negotiate a thing but Rodriguez arrogance, “resentimiento social” where not going to be the kind of advice Chavez needed.

So Chavez went on. In January and February he seemed to coast. The unique left party started building as the tool to segregate citizens the way communist parties were used for in other areas of the world. RCTV was finally served notice of its official closing time. Extensive constitutional changes were announced but with an incredible gall: they would be discussed SECRETELY by chavismo. Clearly the 37% of the citizens that voted against Chavez were told to rally the regime or assume a nonentity status.

The opposition came back from its vacation sometime late January as ineffective as ever, with Primero Justicia giving the more than pitiful example of squandering its 2006 capital. So, by early February the media, understanding that once again they would be left alone in front of Chavez, started reacting. After all if anyone understood clearly what Chavez was up to with the constitutional changes and the RCTV closing it was the media: the end of freedom of expression in a not so distant future.

But chavismo was starting accumulating mistakes. Apparently it seems that indeed there is not as much money coming into the coffers of the regime. We suspect that the oil production is not what it is supposed to be, and any savings has been spent in 2006 to buy votes. Maybe during early 2007 the government tried to store some cash away for preparing the constitutional votes of late 2007? Whatever it was the crows started coming home to roost. As consumption kept growing, production did not follow and inflation went up. The sales tax went down by three points. Inflation started again to grow and suddenly there were not enough imports to hide the critical state of Venezuelan production: we are further away than ever in feeding our own country and since February item by item started missing in the shelves: some on an almost permanent basis such as white sugar, other intermittently but with increasing frequency.

Of course in such situation folks start becoming more aware of difference between real inflation and the official one. The so much vaunted economic growth suddenly seemed to reach less people than expected: there was no scarcity of old scotch or Hummers, but there was scarcity of sweetened coffee, the national drug. It is in the middle of this that we must place the developing media campaign to support RCTV. Suddenly in April the government was faced with polls unfavorable as it had not met since 2003! Even more, the RCTV thing was looking more and more like a temper tantrum of Chavez and for the first time since he has been submitted to polling, the Teflon scratched.

In April the disarray within chavismo could not be hidden anymore. The government looked everyday more incompetent at filling shelves, not even those of Mercal. The unlimited reelection of Chavez was not generating the enthusiasm that this one was expecting after his December victory as apparently some of the folks who voted for him are not too keen on having him go beyond 2012. Suddenly Chavez started traveling a little bit less overseas, and the constitutional changes were casually described as not that urgent and perhaps able to wait for 2008!!!! Bread and butter and circus were suddenly thrown in front of Chavez as an issue he could not doge anymore.

But it got worse, by the early days this May the rate of international condemnations as to the closing of RCTV started speeding up, announcing a possible international image disaster. To make things worse the PUS registration did not meet the hoped for success even when Venevision reported lavishly on them during their evening news as if it were a great success. Not only people were not lining up to join the new unique left party, but many people went open on public employees being forced to join. People felt it clearly: the creation of the PUS was nothing more than a reverse Tascon list.

And the opposition in all of this? Fine, thank you very much! People only discuss the break between part of PPT and PODEMOS with chavismo (another surprise for chavismo in February and March!). But people do not discuss Rosales or PJ or anyone else for that matter. The opposition leadership credit seems to be at a nadir! And curiously Granier of RCTV might become in the next few weeks the leader of the opposition which would cause a major realignment of the situation if it were to assume such a leadership. In fact we see some hurried return of Rosales to support RCTV and even PJ seems to be distracted on occasion from its navel gazing. Sometimes I am catching myself day dreaming of a Didalco Bolivar- Marcel Granier team standing up to Chavez. And you know what? They would have no difficulty in becoming more successful than the folks that have appropriated without merits the loudspeaker of the opposition voters in the last few years.

To crown it all today we even got an Hinterlaces poll that says that 3 out of 10 Chavez voters regret their votes already. Do not chant victory yet: do the math and even if you take that 3 out of 10, Chavez would still win an election today as those 3 would have likely stayed home rather than vote for Rosales. But would Chavez win a referendum?

But back to reality. One thing is certain: the recent supposed displays of strength such as making the army salute to the horrible chant of Patria, Socialismo o Muerte, or the degrading refusal to make public the constitutional discussion are only a mark of weakness. Even the wish to shut up RCTV so has to have less “negative” information on the air is a mark of governmental weakness. No matter how often the ineffable William Lara puts down recent polls, we see in him trouble, if anything concern for his job as his anti RCTV campaign is floundering. Suddenly chavismo has remembered that the sic transit gloria mundi could also apply to them someday. Not today, but someday.

Late December there was a total hopelessness, a complete resignation in the country. But chicken started missing and the Venezuelan hoi polloi suddenly looked up. Anger is felt again.

To be continued for sure.

-The end-