Chavez to close private TV stations

[guyone]

Chavez to close private TV stations

Story Highlights
• Tensions rise between Hugo Chavez and private media before Sunday's vote
• Chavez often has clashed with Venezuela's private TV and radio networks
• The Venezuelan leader warns he may refuse to renew some broadcast licenses

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez backed the possibility of holding a national referendum, if he's re-elected, on whether to shut down private television stations that he has accused of subversive activities.

Chavez's comments late Thursday came amid rising tensions between the government and the country's largely opposition-aligned private media ahead of Sunday's vote.

Chavez was asked in a televised interview if he would consider asking the nation whether the government should block certain channels from renewing their broadcast licenses next year. (Watch Chavez land a nod as Time magazine's Person of the Year Video)

"That is perfectly possible," Chavez said. "It's perfectly possible that the country gives its opinion, including for how long."

Chavez also said he regretted not having shut down the country's major private broadcasters right after a short-lived 2002 coup against him, citing four in particular: Globovision, Venevision, RCTV and Televen.

Chavez has clashed with the country's private television and radio networks, which are often highly critical of his government and have favored the opposition in recent years.

During the coup, several TV channels chose to broadcast cartoons and movies instead of his return to power by loyalists in the military amid a popular uprising.

Many media outlets also supported a devastating 2003 strike that failed to unseat Chavez.

In the run-up to Sunday's vote, Chavez has warned that he may refuse to renew their licenses, accusing them of fomenting conspiracies against his government, and also said he's ready to shut down any that try to disrupt the election.

On Thursday, he threatened immediately to shut down any outlet that defies electoral rules prohibiting exit polls and other unofficial counts from being reported until after the National Electoral Council issues its preliminary bulletin.

"You can be sure that they will be closed for breaching the law," he said.

Just a day earlier, a top lawmaker from Chavez's ruling party told government supporters to take over private TV stations on Election Day if they report that opposition challenger, Manuel Rosales, is in the lead ahead of official results, alleging the channel may use rigged exit polls to mislead the public.

"When they start to do that, we must take over the TV channels ... a peaceful takeover as we have always done at the doors of these TV stations," Iris Varela said.

Asked about the possibility that closing private TV stations likely would provoke an international backlash, the Venezuelan leader said that was what held his hand earlier but declared the days of a "permissive Chavez" were over.

"I don't care what the world says. I care about what happens in Venezuela," he said. "The world can say, 'Oh, dear!' but this is my country; I'm responsible."

Local media executives -- joined by the United States and the Miami-based Inter American Press Association -- argue that Chavez has sought to limit freedom of expression since taking office in 1999.

His government has passed a law restricting violence and sexual content over the airwaves, but critics call it a "gag law" that is deliberately vague so that the government can punish media outlets that oppose the administration.

Chavez has denied taking excessive measures, arguing that he is not trying to stifle criticism but rather clamp down on those allegedly using journalistic activities as a front for illegal efforts to topple his government.

Chavez was speaking in a joint interview with two state-backed and two private TV stations in the final hours before the end of campaigning.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

You wanted it...you got it...socialisms shining moment. For the good of the people. My guess is within six month this bozo will get capped from one of his loyal supporters.

(Thanks LG that pill was pretty tastey)

[guyone]

(the sound of crickets)

[White_Male_Canada]

Where the sheeple at ?

Fun being a dictator isn`t it. Getting "elected" with over 70% of the "vote". Imprisoning those who speak up. Shutting down independant media,etc,etc.

Nationalized oil and still lots of poor people.

Socialism sure does werk goodz!

[rico del rio]

Nationalized oil and still lots of poor people

Poor People = stupidity . But they will have free housing

with cold water and can wait on line for Free Bread.

Ciao Isla Magarita

[Coroner]

You´ve never been living in socialism, so shut the fuck up. You don´t know what´s going on out of your borders and that´s what your media tries to keep forever. And yeah: poor people=stupidity.

You´ve never been living in socialism, so shut the fuck up. You don´t know what´s going on out of your borders and that´s what your media tries to keep forever. And yeah: poor people=stupidity.

LOL. The old "Real socialism/communism has never existed. USSR/East Germany/China communism is not the way Lenin intended"

LMAO!

Simply put. I'm a capitalist. I believe if a man works for what he has, he deserves to keep it. Be it 1 dollar, 1000 dollars, 100,000 dollars, 1,000,000 dollars, 1,000,000,000,000 etc.

He should keep it. Every single dollar.

[rico del rio]

Latin America has the world's most unequal distribution of wealth outside of sub-Saharan Africa. Its richest 10 percent earns 48 percent of total income, while the poorest earns just 1.6 percent, according to the World Bank.

[Coroner]

You´ve never been living in socialism, so shut the fuck up. You don´t know what´s going on out of your borders and that´s what your media tries to keep forever. And yeah: poor people=stupidity.

LOL. The old "Real socialism/communism has never existed. USSR/East Germany/China communism is not the way Lenin intended"

LMAO!

Simply put. I'm a capitalist. I believe if a man works for what he has, he deserves to keep it. Be it 1 dollar, 1000 dollars, 100,000 dollars, 1,000,000 dollars, 1,000,000,000,000 etc.

He should keep it. Every single dollar.

if he works for it, ok. but not if he takes it away from another man. neo-liberalism is the perfect way you´re gonna die in a couple of years. maybe it´s going good for you now but remember, there are always those who are bigger than you. lenin was doing the right thing, stalin´s the one who´s destroyed everything. stalinism is not communism and reaganism is not democracy. mao has also done a lot of crap but he should have known that he was going too fast to realize the idea of socialism in a country with such a huge population. it was not easy to start something after the past civil wars. the soviet union was formed after WWI, the february revolution, the october revolution and a civil war. and finally after it was formed, another civil war followed and WWII was waiting. and they got stalin.

socialism means to satisfy all material needs of the people. that´s not what happened/happens in the soviet union or china. and never forget, that´s not what happens in the united states. you live in twilight zones.

[guyone]

Coroner...

remember Animal House by George Orwell?

"Some animals are more equal than others."

In a single party system which is the only way socialism can work some members will always come up with a way to subjugate others so they can achieve complete control. It's basic human nature. There will always be an Alpha Male trying to excert his will on the rest. Democracy has no place in Socialism or Communism since these systems are governed by the will of the State and what is the will of the State? The animal who is more equal than the others who starts closing down TV stations and does away with the countries constitution.