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Chavez Cancels Venezualean News Broadcasts for the Foreseeable Future
NewsdayCARACAS, Venezuela -- Media regulators cut cables to satellite dishes and seized broadcasting equipment at a 24-hour news station that had endorsed an opposition-led strike aimed at ousting President Hugo Chavez on Friday. So much for seeing Jesse Ventura's debut.A protest over the move Friday was dispersed with rubber bullets and tear gas. Authorities with the state telecommunications committee, Conatel, on Friday took equipment used to broadcast live reports outside of Globovision's channel studios, but didn't remove the equipment because of protesters who had gathered outside, said Globovision Director Alberto Federico Ravell. "This is the first step they are taking to shut down the channel," Ravell said. Conatel officials could not be immediately reached for comment. Information Minister Jesse Chacon denied that the government was closing the TV channel, saying only that Globovision "doesn't have permission to use that frequency." Chacon said Globovision must apply for authorization to recover the confiscated equipment, which could be granted in 90 days. Zimbabwe and Venesuala have purcahsed the same script. At Conatel headquarters in Caracas, national guardsmen fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse dozens of protesters who threw cans of paint and glass bottles at the building. Authorities plan to crack down on other broadcasters illegally using certain frequencies, Infrastructure Minister Diosdado Cabello said. Since taking office in 1998, President Hugo Chavez has repeatedly clashed with the mostly opposition-aligned news media, threatening to revoke broadcast licenses of TV channels that he accuses of conspiring against his government. Most broadcasters openly supported an unsuccessful general strike aimed at toppling Chavez that ultimately cost the country an estimated $7.5 billion. They also suppressed reports of Chavez's dramatic return to power when a 2002 military uprising failed. I'm sure that the cut in revenues would have severely impacted the budgets of FARC and Al Queda, had Castro not stepped in. Chavez said last year's short-lived coup and the crippling two-month strike would not have been possible without the support of four of Venezuela's TV channels, including Globovision. "The destabilization ... wouldn't have happened, it wouldn't have been of the magnitude it was if it wasn't for television," said Chavez. "It was only possible with the unlimited support of four private channels." In the past year, Chavez supporters have harassed and attacked dozens of reporters, photographers and news cameramen. Explosives have been tossed at newspaper offices and radio and television stations. Prominent journalists have received death threats. The U.S. State Department said in a statement that embassy officials were talking to Venezuelan authorities to determine the legal basis for Friday's move. "We urge the government of Venezuela to ensure that press freedoms in Venezuela not be infringed upon in any way," the statement said. Why make such a lame statement at all? Posted by: Superhose 2003-10-04 |
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