Venezuela's Communication and Information Minister, Andrés Izarra donated sixty-nine sets of audio-visual equipment to community television stations from around the country on Wednesday, with the objective of promoting a National System of Popular and Alternative Communication, to combat the "savage" opposition media campaign and increase the "communicational capacity" of Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution.
Speaking to over 400 community media representatives in the Cuartel San Carlos Historical Museum, Izarra stressed the importance of using community media to struggle for the truth, "to generate consciousness that allows for the creation of a new culture," as well as dealing with the day to day issues faced by the communities and promote values of solidarity.
Jhonny Pancho, a representative of Catia TV, one of Venezuela's oldest community television stations, whose slogan is "Don't just watch TV, make it!" said that the equipment would strengthen community production and consumption of communication. "The function of community media is to encourage the idea in our barrios, that the true protagonist of the new television is the people," Pancho stressed.
Pancho considered that the donation of equipment and the formation of an alternative media network "is to counterattack what the private media has done, the capitalist media, that wants to destroy our country."
Efrén Aguirre, an independent community TV producer who also welcomed the move by the government said, "The communication question reflects different interests. The private media obeys the interests of the capitalist class and our media reflects the interests of the community."
However, Gabriel Gil, President of Catia TV clarified that community media remains independent of the government. Catia TV doesn't hesitate to criticize public functionaries or incidents of bureaucracy Gil said.
"The editorial line of Catia TV responds to the necessities of the population with respect to the essential struggle against bureaucracy."
Collectives produce more than seventy percent of the programming of Catia TV, he added.
President Hugo Chavez, who spoke to the forum via telephone, also stressed the central role of alternative media in Venezuela's revolutionary process and reflected on an editorial published by a Venezuelan daily, titled "Politics is communication," that argued, among other things, communication constitutes 80 percent of success in politics.
For this reason, Chavez said, it's not strange that big capitalist interests devote their principal efforts to dominating the means of communication. "We can't allow this battle of ideas to weaken our process and our truth. It is necessary to strengthen this new communication strategy," he added.
He also called on the community media to use their programs to fight for the truth,
"We are battling for the dignity of the people and for the future of our youth. Go for the truth, criticize the government, criticize Chavez, criticize the ministers, criticize the enemy, attack hard and organized!" he said to loud applause.
A government decision not to renew the public broadcast license of private television station RCTV (which still transmits via cable and satellite), due to its consistent violations of Venezuela's Law on Responsibility in Television and Radio and active participation in the April 2002 military coup against Chavez, sparked an opposition outcry in May last year that there is "no freedom of expression" in Venezuela.
However, despite these claims, the vast majority of radio, television and print media remains in the private hands and are openly hostile to the government.
Gil argued that the Venezuelan people truly learnt the value of community TV during the military coup when the opposition forcefully shutdown media outlets such as Catia TV and state-owned Channel 8, while RCTV and other private TV channels broadcast false information.
Many government supporters argue that all the TV stations that actively participated in the military coup should be shut down and handed over to the people.
In recent weeks grass roots community groups have lodged a complaint with the Supreme Court calling for opposition private TV station, Globovision, to be investigated for violating media laws, saying it blatantly lies and manipulates information.
Even government opponents have slammed Globovision; a February 12 post on opposition blog site, Caracas Chronicles, criticized Globovision for its "frequently amateurish and breathlessly partisan reporting, at its role in keeping oppo supporters cooped up in a claustrophobic little bubble of know-nothing anti-Chávez fundamentalism."
"It's straightforward: Globo sucks," the post continued.
In recent weeks Chavez has argued that the means of communications should not be in the hands of capitalists who are "traitors to the people," and should instead be run by the people themselves.
In May and June community media collectives will hold a series of national conferences to discuss ways to further strengthen and develop the National System of Popular and Alternative Communication.
onsdag 12 mars 2008
onsdag 5 mars 2008
Venezuela: "The Colombian Government has lied blatantly"
Caracas, March 4, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com) - A diplomatic stand-off between Colombia and its neighbors Ecuador and Venezuela, triggered by Colombia's military attack on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Ecuadorian territory, (which resulted in the deaths of 16 guerrillas, among them Raúl Reyes, the FARC second in command), intensified Tuesday as Venezuela closed its border with Colombia in response to Colombia's accusations that the Venezuelan government had funded the FARC.
Colombian National Police director Oscar Naranjo, claimed yesterday that documents allegedly found in three computers seized during Colombia's raid, show that the Venezuelan government has provided $300 million to the FARC and that the guerrilla group has acquired 50 kilograms of uranium. The Colombian government also claims that documents show links between Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa and the FARC.
Both Ecuador and Venezuela dismissed the claims as "absolute lies" and have sent thousands of troops to their borders with Colombia and expelled Bogotá's ambassadors out of their countries. Venezuelan Agriculture Minister Elías Jaua, announced today that Venezuela has also taken measures to close its border with Colombia.
In an extraordinary session of the Organization of American States (OAS), today Venezuelan representative Jorge Valero said, "The Colombian government has lied blatantly. All of the accusations the Colombian government has made against Venezuela and Ecuador are false, totally false."
"They are trying to confuse international opinion in order to evade their own responsibility," he added.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, whose government receives $600 million a year in military aid from the U.S. insisted today he was going to take Chavez to the International Criminal Court for "sponsoring and financing genocide" by allegedly providing money to the guerrillas.
Retired Venezuelan General, Alberto Müller Rojas described Colombia's "evidence" as an "exercise in falsification" and pointed out that "the only foreign government that finances the conflict in Colombia is the United States."
Others have also questioned the validity of the documents; "The handling of that evidence has been pretty disastrous," Gerson Arias, an analyst with the Ideas Para la Paz think tank in Bogotá, was quoted as saying in the Christian Science Monitor.
However, U.S. President George Bush in a statement today said that he "fully supports" Colombia, and accused Venezuela of "provocation." He did not mention Ecuador.
Bush also called on the U.S congress to ratify a free trade agreement with Colombia, which U.S Democrats have been stalling citing Colombia's terrible human rights record.
"By acting at this critical moment we can show the Colombian people and millions across the region that they can count on America to keep its word and that freedom is the surest path to prosperity and peace," he said.
Bush reiterated, "America will continue to stand with Colombia as it confronts violence and terror and fights drug traffickers."
Venezuelan Vice President Ramón Carrizalez Rengifo, said the claims that Venezuela is funding the FARC and that the guerrilla group is planning to make a radioactive bomb are part of a crude campaign to smear Venezuelan President Chavez and an attempt to link the Venezuelan government with weapons of mass destruction. The United States government used this pretext to invade and occupy Iraq and control its oil he pointed out.
Chavez has also accused the Washington, together with Colombia of planning to invade Venezuela, which is the fourth largest supplier of oil to the U.S. and is believed to possess some of the largest untapped oil reserves in the world.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicholas Maduro expressed concern on Sunday that the Colombian military actions in Ecuador could be a prelude to a similar incident on Venezuelan soil saying he had received intelligence to that effect.
"We condemn the intention to translate the disastrous experience of Iraq to the Latin American continent. We cannot allow the warmongers of Colombia to extend the armed conflict in their country and transfer it to the entire continent, " Valero told the OAS meeting.
President Correa also warned of a potential war, "This is not a bilateral problem, it's a regional problem," he told Mexican television. "Should this set a precedent, Latin America will become another Middle East."
Latin American governments have overwhelmingly condemned Colombia's military actions. Argentine President Cristina Fernández, said "the flagrant violation of international law is inadmissible. What has occurred requires an immediate explanation by Colombia that satisfies the Ecuadorian government."
Ecuador asked the OAS to "condemn the territorial and sovereignty violation by one state against another" and asked for an OAS commission to look into Saturday's raid.
Correa has embarked on a five-nation tour to shore up support for the resolution in the OAS condemning Colombia's actions and has also called for an emergency meeting of Latin American foreign ministers by March 11 to resolve the crisis.
Colombian National Police director Oscar Naranjo, claimed yesterday that documents allegedly found in three computers seized during Colombia's raid, show that the Venezuelan government has provided $300 million to the FARC and that the guerrilla group has acquired 50 kilograms of uranium. The Colombian government also claims that documents show links between Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa and the FARC.
Both Ecuador and Venezuela dismissed the claims as "absolute lies" and have sent thousands of troops to their borders with Colombia and expelled Bogotá's ambassadors out of their countries. Venezuelan Agriculture Minister Elías Jaua, announced today that Venezuela has also taken measures to close its border with Colombia.
In an extraordinary session of the Organization of American States (OAS), today Venezuelan representative Jorge Valero said, "The Colombian government has lied blatantly. All of the accusations the Colombian government has made against Venezuela and Ecuador are false, totally false."
"They are trying to confuse international opinion in order to evade their own responsibility," he added.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, whose government receives $600 million a year in military aid from the U.S. insisted today he was going to take Chavez to the International Criminal Court for "sponsoring and financing genocide" by allegedly providing money to the guerrillas.
Retired Venezuelan General, Alberto Müller Rojas described Colombia's "evidence" as an "exercise in falsification" and pointed out that "the only foreign government that finances the conflict in Colombia is the United States."
Others have also questioned the validity of the documents; "The handling of that evidence has been pretty disastrous," Gerson Arias, an analyst with the Ideas Para la Paz think tank in Bogotá, was quoted as saying in the Christian Science Monitor.
However, U.S. President George Bush in a statement today said that he "fully supports" Colombia, and accused Venezuela of "provocation." He did not mention Ecuador.
Bush also called on the U.S congress to ratify a free trade agreement with Colombia, which U.S Democrats have been stalling citing Colombia's terrible human rights record.
"By acting at this critical moment we can show the Colombian people and millions across the region that they can count on America to keep its word and that freedom is the surest path to prosperity and peace," he said.
Bush reiterated, "America will continue to stand with Colombia as it confronts violence and terror and fights drug traffickers."
Venezuelan Vice President Ramón Carrizalez Rengifo, said the claims that Venezuela is funding the FARC and that the guerrilla group is planning to make a radioactive bomb are part of a crude campaign to smear Venezuelan President Chavez and an attempt to link the Venezuelan government with weapons of mass destruction. The United States government used this pretext to invade and occupy Iraq and control its oil he pointed out.
Chavez has also accused the Washington, together with Colombia of planning to invade Venezuela, which is the fourth largest supplier of oil to the U.S. and is believed to possess some of the largest untapped oil reserves in the world.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicholas Maduro expressed concern on Sunday that the Colombian military actions in Ecuador could be a prelude to a similar incident on Venezuelan soil saying he had received intelligence to that effect.
"We condemn the intention to translate the disastrous experience of Iraq to the Latin American continent. We cannot allow the warmongers of Colombia to extend the armed conflict in their country and transfer it to the entire continent, " Valero told the OAS meeting.
President Correa also warned of a potential war, "This is not a bilateral problem, it's a regional problem," he told Mexican television. "Should this set a precedent, Latin America will become another Middle East."
Latin American governments have overwhelmingly condemned Colombia's military actions. Argentine President Cristina Fernández, said "the flagrant violation of international law is inadmissible. What has occurred requires an immediate explanation by Colombia that satisfies the Ecuadorian government."
Ecuador asked the OAS to "condemn the territorial and sovereignty violation by one state against another" and asked for an OAS commission to look into Saturday's raid.
Correa has embarked on a five-nation tour to shore up support for the resolution in the OAS condemning Colombia's actions and has also called for an emergency meeting of Latin American foreign ministers by March 11 to resolve the crisis.
América Latina debe intervenir en solución de conflicto en Colombia
El bloque de países de América Latina debe intervenir de manera más decidida en una solución pacífica al conflicto armado en Colombia, para evitar daños mayores a la paz de la región.
Así lo aseveró el analista Heinz Dieterich, quien señaló que esta salida debe propiciarse, aunque el gobierno de Álvaro Uribe de Colombia y el de George W. Bush de Estados Unidos, no quieran transitar ese camino.
“Es necesario que el bloque regional de los países latinoamericanos tome cartas en el asunto y trate de imponer una solución pacífica, que Uribe (presidente de Colombia) no quiere y Washington (gobierno de Estados Unidos) tampoco quiere”, dijo Dieterich.
No obstante, agregó el investigador socio-político que en las manos de los países de esta región la crisis puede avanzar de manera más satisfactoria, puede terminar con el conflicto armado que está afectando a toda la región.
Señaló que la reunión extraordinaria de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA) que se llevó a cabo este martes, mostró el alto grado de aislamiento del gobierno de Colombia y de Estados Unidos en América y el Caribe.
“Ningún país de América Latina y el Caribe está dispuesto a apoyar la violación de la soberanía de otros países”, expresó Dietrich durante un foro realizado la noche de este martes en Barquisimeto, en el estado Lara.
“Creo que esta acción unilateral de Uribe ha tenido un costo político considerable porque ningún gobierno está de acuerdo con los métodos empleados por Estados Unidos e Israel en el Medio Oriente, como lo hizo Colombia en Ecuador”, sostuvo Dieterich, quien agregó que esto se hace desconociendo la base del derecho internacional.
Manifestó que cuando el gobierno de Colombia incluye por la fuerza a otros países en este conflicto se convierte en un problema regional, razón por la cual los países de este hemisferio deben intervenir.
“No puede quedar en manos de este gobierno guerrerista de Colombia el desenlace de este conflicto”, señaló el docente y analista de los asuntos de América Latina.
Por ello, indicó que debe considerarse la beligerancia de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Farc) u otra fórmula que permita avanzar en el proceso de paz.
Calificó como acertada la respuesta de Venezuela y Ecuador ante la crisis generada por la intervención militar de Colombia en territorio ecuatoriano.
'A mi me parece acertada la respuesta militar de Venezuela y de Ecuador con el despliegue de batallones en las fronteras con Colombia, por el conflicto surgido con la intervención en Ecuador', aseveró.
Igualmente, refirió: 'Esta movilización militar la entiendo como una necesidad mediática, de llamar la atención internacional, de presionar un debate regional sobre el caso Colombia'.
No obstante, Dieterich considera inconveniente profundizar el despliegue militar que pueda llegar a una confrontación armada entre estos países, en virtud de que sería motivo para la intervención militar de Estados Unidos en esta región, una de las acciones que desea la administración Bush.
'Considero positivo que Venezuela y Ecuador aseguren militarmente sus fronteras como una política de prevención, pero creo que no sería benéfico para los países latinoamericanos que realmente se llegue a una confrontación bélica, porque eso es lo que desea el gobierno norteamericano', destacó Heinz Dieterich.
Así lo aseveró el analista Heinz Dieterich, quien señaló que esta salida debe propiciarse, aunque el gobierno de Álvaro Uribe de Colombia y el de George W. Bush de Estados Unidos, no quieran transitar ese camino.
“Es necesario que el bloque regional de los países latinoamericanos tome cartas en el asunto y trate de imponer una solución pacífica, que Uribe (presidente de Colombia) no quiere y Washington (gobierno de Estados Unidos) tampoco quiere”, dijo Dieterich.
No obstante, agregó el investigador socio-político que en las manos de los países de esta región la crisis puede avanzar de manera más satisfactoria, puede terminar con el conflicto armado que está afectando a toda la región.
Señaló que la reunión extraordinaria de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA) que se llevó a cabo este martes, mostró el alto grado de aislamiento del gobierno de Colombia y de Estados Unidos en América y el Caribe.
“Ningún país de América Latina y el Caribe está dispuesto a apoyar la violación de la soberanía de otros países”, expresó Dietrich durante un foro realizado la noche de este martes en Barquisimeto, en el estado Lara.
“Creo que esta acción unilateral de Uribe ha tenido un costo político considerable porque ningún gobierno está de acuerdo con los métodos empleados por Estados Unidos e Israel en el Medio Oriente, como lo hizo Colombia en Ecuador”, sostuvo Dieterich, quien agregó que esto se hace desconociendo la base del derecho internacional.
Manifestó que cuando el gobierno de Colombia incluye por la fuerza a otros países en este conflicto se convierte en un problema regional, razón por la cual los países de este hemisferio deben intervenir.
“No puede quedar en manos de este gobierno guerrerista de Colombia el desenlace de este conflicto”, señaló el docente y analista de los asuntos de América Latina.
Por ello, indicó que debe considerarse la beligerancia de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Farc) u otra fórmula que permita avanzar en el proceso de paz.
Calificó como acertada la respuesta de Venezuela y Ecuador ante la crisis generada por la intervención militar de Colombia en territorio ecuatoriano.
'A mi me parece acertada la respuesta militar de Venezuela y de Ecuador con el despliegue de batallones en las fronteras con Colombia, por el conflicto surgido con la intervención en Ecuador', aseveró.
Igualmente, refirió: 'Esta movilización militar la entiendo como una necesidad mediática, de llamar la atención internacional, de presionar un debate regional sobre el caso Colombia'.
No obstante, Dieterich considera inconveniente profundizar el despliegue militar que pueda llegar a una confrontación armada entre estos países, en virtud de que sería motivo para la intervención militar de Estados Unidos en esta región, una de las acciones que desea la administración Bush.
'Considero positivo que Venezuela y Ecuador aseguren militarmente sus fronteras como una política de prevención, pero creo que no sería benéfico para los países latinoamericanos que realmente se llegue a una confrontación bélica, porque eso es lo que desea el gobierno norteamericano', destacó Heinz Dieterich.
tisdag 4 mars 2008
“Colombia is the Israel of Latin America.”
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez labeled Colombia the "Israel of Latin America" on his Sunday talk show Aló Presidente yesterday. Responding to events on Saturday in which the Colombian military made an illegal attack across the border in Ecuadorian territory, the Venezuelan leader called Colombia a "terrorist state," and gave orders to mobilize troops on the Venezuelan-Colombian border.
"The Colombian government has turned into the Israel of Latin America," said Chavez during his show on Sunday.
"Colombia is a terrorist state that is subject to the great terrorist, the government of the United States and their apparatus," he explained.
The Venezuelan president spoke in response to an attack and killing on the part of the Colombian military of several FARC guerrillas, including top leader Raul Reyes, on Saturday morning. Chavez called the killing a "cowardly murder" and condemned the attack for having illegally crossed the Colombian border into Ecuador.
"They bombed from the north and the south of the border," he said. "In other words, they attacked inside Ecuadorian territory."
President Chavez spoke on the telephone with Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa about the attack and the violation of Ecuador's sovereignty. According to Correa, who ordered an investigation of the events, the Colombian military attacked the guerrillas using precision bombs while they were sleeping inside Ecuadorian territory, killing at least 15 men and women, and leaving two female guerrillas injured. The Ecuadorian military said the bodies were still in their pajamas when they found them.
"This was not a battle. It was a cowardly murder," said Chavez. "This was all coldly calculated, and the truth is starting to come out."
Chavez offered any necessary support to his Ecuadorian counterpart and informed his audience that the government of Ecuador would be withdrawing their ambassador from Bogota, and mobilizing troops to the Colombian border. Chavez gave orders during the show for his government to do the same.
"Move ten battalions to the border with Colombian immediately," he said to his defense minister. "We don't want war, but we are not going to allow the North American empire, which is their master, and their puppy-dog President Uribe and the Colombian oligarchy to come divide us, to weaken us. We are not going to allow it."
The Venezuelan president then gave orders to his foreign minister to close the Venezuelan embassy in Bogota and withdraw all the officials that work there, bringing relations between the countries to their lowest point in recent history.
Chavez sharply criticized Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, accusing him of leading a "criminal" government, and warned the Colombian leader that any kind of incursion into Venezuelan territory on the part of the Colombian military would be a cause for war between the two countries.
"This is very serious. If this were to happen in Venezuela it would be a cause for war," said Chavez. "Don't even think about it or I'll launch an air attack."
Chavez compared the actions of the Colombian government to those of Israel in the Middle East who he accused of "invading," "bombing," and "killing" the Palestinian people with the intention of "preventing the union of the Arabic world."
"It is the fist of the empire," he said. "And we're not going to let them plant another Israel here in Latin America."
Washington, who supports the Colombian war against the FARC and provides the Colombian government with more military aid than any other country outside the Middle East, said it was monitoring events in the region.
Crime Prevention
Earlier in the show, President Chavez spoke with police and security forces in Caracas about how to reduce the level of crime in the country. Although he reported that crime has fallen significantly in the last year, Chavez discussed plans to better coordinate forces in the fight against crime, and to focus on prevention.
He also announced a raise in the salaries for public officials like police officers, firefighters, and other security forces.
Chavez ended the show with the approval of more than Bs.F. 123 million (US$ 57 million) to finance public works to improve roads and public spaces around the city of Caracas.
"The Colombian government has turned into the Israel of Latin America," said Chavez during his show on Sunday.
"Colombia is a terrorist state that is subject to the great terrorist, the government of the United States and their apparatus," he explained.
The Venezuelan president spoke in response to an attack and killing on the part of the Colombian military of several FARC guerrillas, including top leader Raul Reyes, on Saturday morning. Chavez called the killing a "cowardly murder" and condemned the attack for having illegally crossed the Colombian border into Ecuador.
"They bombed from the north and the south of the border," he said. "In other words, they attacked inside Ecuadorian territory."
President Chavez spoke on the telephone with Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa about the attack and the violation of Ecuador's sovereignty. According to Correa, who ordered an investigation of the events, the Colombian military attacked the guerrillas using precision bombs while they were sleeping inside Ecuadorian territory, killing at least 15 men and women, and leaving two female guerrillas injured. The Ecuadorian military said the bodies were still in their pajamas when they found them.
"This was not a battle. It was a cowardly murder," said Chavez. "This was all coldly calculated, and the truth is starting to come out."
Chavez offered any necessary support to his Ecuadorian counterpart and informed his audience that the government of Ecuador would be withdrawing their ambassador from Bogota, and mobilizing troops to the Colombian border. Chavez gave orders during the show for his government to do the same.
"Move ten battalions to the border with Colombian immediately," he said to his defense minister. "We don't want war, but we are not going to allow the North American empire, which is their master, and their puppy-dog President Uribe and the Colombian oligarchy to come divide us, to weaken us. We are not going to allow it."
The Venezuelan president then gave orders to his foreign minister to close the Venezuelan embassy in Bogota and withdraw all the officials that work there, bringing relations between the countries to their lowest point in recent history.
Chavez sharply criticized Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, accusing him of leading a "criminal" government, and warned the Colombian leader that any kind of incursion into Venezuelan territory on the part of the Colombian military would be a cause for war between the two countries.
"This is very serious. If this were to happen in Venezuela it would be a cause for war," said Chavez. "Don't even think about it or I'll launch an air attack."
Chavez compared the actions of the Colombian government to those of Israel in the Middle East who he accused of "invading," "bombing," and "killing" the Palestinian people with the intention of "preventing the union of the Arabic world."
"It is the fist of the empire," he said. "And we're not going to let them plant another Israel here in Latin America."
Washington, who supports the Colombian war against the FARC and provides the Colombian government with more military aid than any other country outside the Middle East, said it was monitoring events in the region.
Crime Prevention
Earlier in the show, President Chavez spoke with police and security forces in Caracas about how to reduce the level of crime in the country. Although he reported that crime has fallen significantly in the last year, Chavez discussed plans to better coordinate forces in the fight against crime, and to focus on prevention.
He also announced a raise in the salaries for public officials like police officers, firefighters, and other security forces.
Chavez ended the show with the approval of more than Bs.F. 123 million (US$ 57 million) to finance public works to improve roads and public spaces around the city of Caracas.
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