Free speech under threat in Venezuela
Reuters reports:
Venezuela’s parliament approved tighter regulation of the internet on Monday in the latest of a package of laws to entrench President Hugo Chavez’s socialist “revolution” before a new Assembly is sworn in next month.
The bill prohibits online content attacking “good customs”, disrespecting public officials or inciting violence against the president.
Many of Venezuela’s lively news forums currently operate without a moderator or editor filtering out extremist or vulgar content.
But under the new regulations, all internet traffic is supposed to pass through a single, government-controlled access point.
The bill has stoked opposition fears about surveillance and censorship and concerned some free speech activists, who have drawn comparisons with how China and Cuba police the web.
Chavez is the new Castro. I doubt he will ever surrender power.
December 23rd, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Ain’t socialism great: Wrecks economies. Wrecks freedom. Wrecks lives.
December 23rd, 2010 at 12:27 pm
I posted this on the GD thread the other day but since there’s an actual thread on the subject it’s worth repeating. You can read some more of the details here as Venezuela heads towards a full-blown dictatorship:
The writer notes that this matches the “Enabling Act” passed by Adolf Hitler in 1933. But what I take note of is how much of the Western Left have dealt with this thug’s rise to power:
Mr Navasky is a former publisher and editor-in-chief of that fabulous defender of human rights, The Nation. He is also now professor at the Columbia University School of Journalism.
But why just pick on a leftist overseas when we have our very own Green Party representative here on Kiwiblog? Here’s Toad on July 5th, 2009
But what I love about that comment is what he said next:
As good a demonstration as one will ever get that the left never, never, never learn when they encounter assholes like Chavez. The next thug that pops up somewhere in the world crying about “helping the poor”, “making society better and fairer” and so forth, will gain the support of Toad and co. Moreover, when it all goes down the crapper they’ll be first in line whining about how the fabulous young revolution was twisted and perverted by the threat of outside forces, etc.
What was it that some famous leftist said? Something about about history repeating as farce? For the people of Venezuela it will be tough to see the humour about what happens next.
December 23rd, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Yet plenty on the left here in NZ will willingly defend Chavez
http://thestandard.org.nz/meanwhile-elsewhere/#comment-265243
December 23rd, 2010 at 1:01 pm
So where the Clark regime in New Zealand went, Venezuela follows.
December 23rd, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Venezuela isn’t the only country that’s enacted new media laws.
The council handpicked by the ruling party will have the power to fine television and radio stations as much as 200 million forints (about €700,000) for coverage deemed politically out of balance. Maximum fines for national newspapers and websites were set at 25 million forints and for weeklies at 10 million forints.
December 23rd, 2010 at 3:30 pm
I don’t think Chavez is the same as Castro ( I disagree with Castro’s politics, but he’s intelligent ), he’s more in the Saddam Hussein category whilst trying hard to take his country to the dizzying heights of Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe.
December 23rd, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Stunning news – Hungary, a country that was communist for 50 years has a difficult time shaking old control habits.
The lesson is not to go communist in the first place as it can still stuff a country up even years after it collapsed.
You listening Chavez?
How about you Obama, with your FCC and “Net Neutrality Act”?
Thought not.
December 23rd, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Chavez es uno mas en la larga lista de tiranos y dictadores que han asolado Sudamerica.
Bolivar y San Martin deben revolcarse en sus tumbas al ver el triste y penoso destino de Venezuela.
Quizas tome algun tiempo, pero el satrapa Chavez sera derrocado.
December 23rd, 2010 at 4:27 pm
I don’t think Chavez is the same as Castro ( I disagree with Castro’s politics, but he’s intelligent ), he’s more in the Saddam Hussein category whilst trying hard to take his country to the dizzying heights of Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe.
The first time anyone gave a shit about Chavez was when the US started complaining that he wasn’t compliant enough. There’s no sign of anything except that the US decided some years ago to paint him as a certain type of leader and the rest of the western world’s media compliantly and meekly follows that lead like a huge bunch of useful but idiotic leemings. The least anyone discerning can do is not to listen to it, lest one become yet another one of those said useful things.
December 23rd, 2010 at 4:41 pm
“The first time anyone gave a shit about Chavez was when the US started complaining that he wasn’t compliant enough.”
I started giving a shit about Chavez when he started taking authoritarian control of markets, nationalising foreign assets, suppressing free speech by closing down news stations, imprisoning dissenters and political opponents and butchers (FFS!), rigging elections, over-turning Venezuela’s consititution, spending his nations resources to grandstand on the global stage.
The US had next to nothing to do with it.
December 23rd, 2010 at 4:43 pm
Oh, and is there an iPredict stock on Venezuela* descending into famine within the next decade?
*And by Venezuela, I dont mean every part. I am sure that those supporting Chavez will always find their plates full.
December 23rd, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Lots of leemings around aren’t there Kimble. Where the hell are they all coming from??
December 23rd, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Noel’s?
December 23rd, 2010 at 7:49 pm
Chavez wouldn’t even be a problem if the CIA were any good at executing coups these days.
December 23rd, 2010 at 7:52 pm
“Chavez is the new Castro.”
God knows, we really need a new one.
Have you ever looked at the state of the old one recently?
December 23rd, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Chavez has been elected President (or his party has won parliamentary) in democratic elections many times. There are a lot of poor people in Venezuela. Chavez give them hope. Maybe more people feel better off under Chavez. Maybe for poor people losing power for a few hours is better than having no electricity. Maybe having a supply of Cuban doctors is better than having no medical assistance.
Yes he has manipulated the majority of the media but then so has Berlusconi. Do those who attack Venezuela also attack Italy?
He has increased spending on the military. Yes but as a percentage of GDP Venezuela spends less than Colombia, Brazil or Argentina.
Yes some people are worse off and some people have been stripped of their property rights.
Chavez came to power because the former governments of Venezuela allowed severe poverty. He at least appears to do something about that. If he does not I am sure the people of Venezuela (not just the very wealthy and middle classes) will get rid of him. At the moment he still governs
December 23rd, 2010 at 8:28 pm
“Yes he has manipulated the majority of the media but then so has Berlusconi. Do those who attack Venezuela also attack Italy?”
Well I don’t really know Inky but I do know that anybody who has attacked Italy has always won.
December 23rd, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Oh well – I was laying bait for Toad but I got Inky-The-Red instead.
Different leftist but fulfills the same stereotype. As I said, no learning capacity whatsoever. History, Schmistory! This time it will be different.
December 23rd, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Stereotypes are bad tom.
Mmmmm k.
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:29 pm
I refer all present here to Joe Bennett column “How will Hugo go?”, which was included in the compilation “Eyes Right” (2007, Harper Collins, NZ)
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:04 pm
tom hunter (1,517) Says:
December 23rd, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Oh well – I was laying bait for Toad but I got Inky-The-Red instead.
That’s insulting for tow reasons first Toad is a Liberal Greenie while I’m a Democratic Socialist. I really do not like to be associated with Greens because they (like Tories) like to find ways to punish the poor by imposing costs and tax that disproportionately attack the poor. The major difference between greens and Tories is Greens feel guilty and try to fix the problem (created by the increased taxes etc) by subsidising to compensate (which defeats the purpose of the carbon tax, smoking tax or whatever).
Second I never bothered reading your tripe
I apologise for going off topic
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:28 pm
Brilliant: “Lawmakers who promoted the bill had argued that it would make the Internet faster.”
Like the Green Party assault on free speech in New Zealand, Chavez’s laws are justified as being for the good of society (the usual trump card played when human rights are being violated.)
December 23rd, 2010 at 11:55 pm
Mayor Daley 1.0 won democratic elections many times also. His strategy became a national joke known as “vote early and often”, but he only controlled the city of Chicago with crony corruption. Chavez goes one better by also employing thugs to intimidate (e.g. beat up) opposition voters. He’s learned a lesson since first trying to come to power via a military coup in 1992 – probably would have been called another South American right-winger had he succeeded.
He also tried to get the constitution changed in 1997 to allow him to become President For Life. He lost that vote but kept at it until he now has the ability to run for multiple terms of office. Combined with the vote fraud it’s as good as changing the constitution.
They’ll be even more by the time he’s finished. Oil production has already dropped hugely thanks to his socialist management.
He gave them cash and bullshit. We’ll see how long it lasts as the oil falls away.
You should check out the size of those protests against the constitutional change. And this year Caracas became the most violent city in the world. And he cancelled Valentines Day so that it would not interfere with another referendum. No word on whether Christmas has been canceled yet.
Classic. Absolutely the central tenet of a left-winger who sees freedom going down the toilet. As long as the trains run on time.
Berlosconi has revoked the licences of 34 radio stations that did not toe his party’s line? It’s caused street protests by local journalists?
No? Oh right – that’s all happened in Venezuela – so it’s just the usual shallow moral equivalence argument that does not stand up to scrutiny.
Funny. I could have sworn that left-wingers have been bitching at me for years that money should be spent on the poor rather than on weapons. Exceptions must be made for young revolutions under threat of course. Still, if he wants to piss money away on tanks for use in the heavy jungles of his country and submarines then why should Russia complain.
When people get stripped of their property rights it’s always the first step towards having other rights stripped – although to be fair I’m sure you’re not being hypocritical about that.
Indeed. He’s going to create extreme poverty – and for everybody bar his mates. But Democratic Socialists and Socialist Democrats will support him all the way down the line, even as the poor become poorer – with Walter Duranty rationalisation, apologetics and outright lies that they’d never grant a right-winger doing the same things, as long as Chavez says he’s for the poor.
In light of his control of the military, his subversion of the judiciary over the years, control of the media (just love the Castro touch of 3-4 hour stem-winders on TV), you’re certainty that they will be able to is touchingly naive. Of course I note you did not say they’ll get rid of him democratically, which, given the control he has, might be the only wise thing you’ve written.
December 24th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Ack!
December 24th, 2010 at 12:46 am
“He has increased spending on the military. Yes but as a percentage of GDP Venezuela spends less than Colombia, Brazil or Argentina.”
Two of those countries share a border with Venezuela. Two of them also share a border with Bolivia. Maybe they know something you dont?
Inky the Red, your support for Chavez is both naive and despicable.
When this washes out, that wont be ink on your hands.