Houston Chronicle op ed: Chavez as Castro? It's not that simple in Venezuela

[Larkspur]

Chavez as Castro? It's not that simple in Venezuela
U.S. critics overlook the all-important details
by Bart Jones

Alarm bells are sounding in Washington, on Wall Street and around the world over President Hugo Chavez's latest moves to consolidate his Bolivarian Revolution in oil-rich Venezuela. He is — we are told — shutting down a television station, creating a single-party state, nationalizing key industries including some major oil projects, threatening perpetual re-election and vowing to impose "21st century socialism."

On the surface, it seems to Chavez's critics that he is finally doing what they have long predicted — creating a totalitarian state in the image of his mentor, Fidel Castro. But the situation in Venezuela is a little more complex than what many in the media and the establishment make it out to be. Take, for example, Chavez's decision not to renew the license of RCTV television network when it expires in May.

At first blush, this would certainly seem to be reason for alarm — a government shutting down a television station because it doesn't like its editorial bent. But RCTV is not exactly your average television station. In April 2002, it promoted and participated in a coup against Chavez in which a democratically elected president was overthrown by military rebels and disappeared for two days until large street protests and a counter-coup returned him to power.

For two days prior to the coup, RCTV suspended all regular programming and commercials and ran blanket coverage of a general strike aimed at ousting Chavez. Then it ran nonstop ads encouraging people to attend a massive anti-Chavez march on April 11, 2002, and provided wall-to-wall coverage of the event itself with nary a pro-Chavez voice in sight.

When the protest ended in violence and military rebels overthrew the president, RCTV, along with other networks, imposed a news blackout banning all coverage of pro-Chavez demonstrators in the streets demanding his return. Andres Izarra, a news director at RCTV, was given the order by superiors: zero chavismo en pantalla, no Chavistas on the screen. He quit in disgust and later joined the Chavez government.

SNIP

The author of this op ed is a former foreign correspondent for The Associated Press in Venezuela, and is the author of the forthcoming book "Hugo! The Hugo Chavez Story From Mud Hut to Perpetual Revolution."

[Missy M]

1. bush and company never bother to let the truth get in their way....

they love to shout dictator and then leave out the facts.

[oldtimecanuk]

2. This is another passionate topic of mine...

I love Chavez, and I believe that what he is doing is the best thing for both the country and the people. As stated in the above story, Chavez was voted in with an overwhelming majority.... and he has the balls to stand up against the Bush Administration.

ww

[cdnwannabe]

3. I like him too!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, nationalizing resources is a great thing.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Great article. There's one area which needs attention, and it concerns the author's claim

Fidel Castro didn't compensate companies the Cuban government nationalized in the early days of the Cuban revolution.

Compensation was offered and accepted by property owners in other countries, like Canada, and countries in Europe, etc.

Owners who lived in the U.S., or "fled" to the U.S. were advised by this government to refuse compensation, and they all lived on under the belief the U.S. would overthrow the Cuban government and they would return and get their property back.

Compensation has been left open to all of them throughout. It was even mentioned by Che Guevara and noted in a memo which was declassified after a secret meeting between Richard Goodwin, an advisor to John F. Kennedy and Che Guevara.

It has been discussed openly at other times, as well. Everything leading to the belief they simply wished to steal it is completely in error.

A lot has been done to bury the subject with propaganda, but there are too many former property owners living who settled with Cuba long ago to allow that story to continue unchecked.

[Vidar]

6. Thanks for the illuminating correction, Judi.

[groovedaddy]

5. Except for the fact that Chaves

WAS ELECTED! Big difference.