Thursday, June 15, 2006

Venezuela: Colonel Hugo Threatens To Eliminate Private TV Stations


Still sulking after getting kicked in the teeth in his international ambitions, Mr. Chavez has now shifted his short attention and big mouth into the business of trying to cement his control over Venezuela proper.

In a speech he announced that he ordered the review of the broadcast licenses of private Television channels, which expire in 2007. This he justified by claiming it would be "irresponsible" to continue granting to concessions to the "small group that owns them." Chavez blasted the broadcasters for allegedly uttering messages that "divided Venezuelans." And that under the banner of "supposed freedom of expression" unnamed groups used private channles to emit messages "against ourselves" He further said he didn't "give a damn" about what "international oligarchs" would think; that he only cared about "his country" and "Venezuelan Unity."

This is a direct threat to freedom of the press in Venezuela, and evidence of Chavez intentions to fully impose dictatorial rule in that country. It is up to the people of Venezuela to hopefully defeat this character, whose arrogance rises with the price of the barrel of oil.




El presidente Hugo Chávez anunció ayer que ordenó la revisión de las concesiones de las televisoras privadas que se vencen en el 2007 y dejó entrever que podrían ser caducados los permisos.

''He ordenado la revisión de las concesiones de las plantas de televisión'', dijo Chávez durante un acto en el Ministerio de la Defensa, luego de realizar duras críticas a las televisoras locales a las que acusó de transmitir mensajes dirigidos a ``dividir a los venezolanos''.

''Habrá que revisar las concesiones de las televisoras que se van a vencer pronto en el 2007 ... Nosotros no podemos ser tan irresponsables de seguir dándole concesiones a un pequeño grupo de personas'', comentó el mandatario.

''Me importa un comino lo que digan los oligarcas del mundo. Me importa la suerte de mi patria y la unidad de Venezuela'', señaló el gobernante al asegurar que estaba dispuesto a no renovar las concesiones a las televisoras privadas.

1 comment:

Boli-Nica said...

Caring for the people???

Would help if you read some Venezuelan history before you say anything.

Chavez is just the latest in a line of Venezuelan rulers in boom times. They all act the same....through a highly centralized state, which allows foreign companies to operate to do some of their work, then take the money, doling it out first to cronies, buying off the rich - and then dole out money to the poor directly and through clientilistic networks.

Venezuelas prior regimes built more housing.