Chavez targets Globovision

| March 21, 2008

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Howard Yane/AP Photo

The Miami Herald reports this morning that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has threatened to allow television network Globovision’s license expire in November – the same tactic he used against RCTV last year when that network was forced to the internet from broadcast television.

President Hugo Chávez’s dismantling of the critical press looks to be continuing as the leftist leader whips up public support to shut down Globovisión — less than a year after he refused to renew the license of the country’s most popular TV station.

Chávez has called Globovisión, a 24-hour news channel, ”an enemy of the Venezuelan people,” and one of the owners has been verbally attacked. Fervent government supporters have called on the national tax office to investigate the station. Hundreds rallied outside of its offices last month.

Chavez’ memory must be as short as his legs – closing RCTV was what angered students and inspired opposition to his rewritten Constitution in a referendum last November. Closing Globovision may the thing that drives him from office.

Category: Foreign Policy, Hugo Chavez

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Kate

If I had a buck for every time el macacón called Globo “an enemy of the people” or some other lovely epithet, I would be living it up in Georgetown. Seriously, puras pajas nomás. If he shuts down Globo, he is done. Given his track record, I don’t think he will; RCTV was the beginning of the end, he’s pissed way too many people off by caring for Colombians before Venezuelans.

Jonn wrote: I remember the first thing he did after he shut down RCTV was to threaten Globovision – but he’s pushing his luck.

Skye

Closing Globovision may the thing that drives him from office

Help me out here, Jonn, how is this a bad thing???

Jonn wrote: Well, Skye, a lot of Venezuelans will get hurt.

We’ll have to get the Troika together and discuss this at the Irish Times again.

BYW, Skye, did you see Bruhn showed up at my YouTube channel to comment on his video interview. He’s begging me to post the rest.