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Caribbean-Latin America

US video game angers Chavez allies in Venezuela

2006-05-26

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan lawmakers are complaining that a video game to be marketed by a U.S. company next year provides a blueprint for violently overthrowing President Hugo Chavez.

The game, "Mercenaries 2: World in Flames," simulates a military invasion of the oil-rich South American nation and will be released by Pandemic Studios of Los Angeles. "A power-hungry tyrant messes with Venezuela's oil supply, sparking an invasion that turns the country into a war zone," Pandemic says of the game on its Web site.

Venezuelan lawmakers who back Chavez called it the latest example of a U.S. government-inspired propaganda campaign against Chavez that could even help lay the psychological groundwork for an actual invasion. "This could be a point of departure," lawmaker Luis Tascon said on Thursday. "The United States has an impressive media machine. In that machinery the gringos are always the heroes and their adversaries are always the villains."

Yep, that's true. We enjoy being the heroes, smacks of real life.

An executive at Pandemic said the video game would be released in 2007 but declined to comment on its content. A public relations firm representing the company did not return calls for comment.

Last week Venezuela, the world's No. 5 oil exporter, staged a mock invasion complete with naval landing craft and camouflaged tanks to train military troops and communities to defend against an attack.

That's in the game, too, Hugo, you might want to see how we deal with it.

Posted by:ryuge

#12 Hugo and staff, please mates. FYI, Condi adores "Mercenaries 2." Now button up your beaner holes and get on board!

Posted by: Besoeker 2006-05-26 10:14

#11 Octagon.

Posted by: Redneck Jim 2006-05-26 20:03

#10 Hello. Would you like to play a game?

I suggest "Global Thermonuclear Combat."

Sorry, the game is currently in use by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. How 'bout a nice game of checkers instead?

Posted by: DMFD 2006-05-26 14:49

#9 A power-hungry tyrant messes with Venezuela's oil supply, sparking an invasion that turns the country into a war zone

Don't worry about it Hugo, they couldn't possibly have been REFERRING TO YOU.

Posted by: DMFD 2006-05-26 14:47

#8 Vice City 12: Caracas Smackdown

Posted by: Phump 2006-05-26 11:42

#7 How many points to score a sprocket?

Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-05-26 11:32

#6 Hello. Would you like to play a game?

I suggest "Global Thermonuclear Combat."

Posted by: mojo 2006-05-26 11:30

#5 shouldnt Hugo have objected to Tropico?

Posted by: liberalhawk 2006-05-26 11:29

#4 Dayamn. I just realized that if some gaming company made a total war in Iran game, they would become wealthy beyond the dreams of avarice.

Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-05-26 11:03

#3 Yeah. Future games could feature a fat slob little Venezuelan, in a sash and a too tight suit flinging all his sprocket medals at Delta Force like ninja stars...

Posted by: tu3031 2006-05-26 10:15

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Posted by: Besoeker 2006-05-26 10:14

#1 Hugo's a little late, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon:Advanced Warfighter takes place in Mexico City. He's got to wait his turn. Heh.

Actually, Hugo et al should take advantage of all this convergence and get a PR firm to sell their likeness to a game development company like the sports stars. It'll make a nice little nest egg for retirement or a good set of lawyers in the future.

Posted by: Clealing Gletle3270 2006-05-26 09:42

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