Venezuela Uproar Concerns Carter Center

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/AP: Venezuela Uproar Concerns Carter Center
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: May 31, 2007

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- The Carter Center called for dialogue Thursday between President Hugo Chavez and opponents protesting his decision to force an opposition TV channel off the air, while calm returned to the streets after three days of demonstrations.

The Atlanta-based organization founded by former President Jimmy Carter expressed concern about the potential for escalating violence after the government halted broadcasts by Radio Caracas Television on Sunday. Police have repeatedly clashed with angry crowds hurling rocks and bottles since Chavez refused to renew the station's broadcast license.

''Healthy democracies require spaces for political dialogue and debate to allow divisions about the future direction of the country to be addressed in peaceful ways,'' the Carter Center said....

***

The Carter Center, which has observed past elections here, said it is concerned that ''non-renewal of broadcast concessions for political reasons will have a chilling effect on free speech.''

''A plurality of opinions should be protected,'' it said. ''The right of dissent must be fiercely defended by every democratic government.''...

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Venezuela-Chavez-vs-TV.html

[mike_c]

1. I think there is a great deal of propaganda and misinformation...

...swirling around the events in Venezuela. It's my understanding that RCTV's broadcast license was not renewed because they participated actively in a coup attempt to violently overthrow the elected government, not because they criticized the government. Other media in Venezuela routinely criticize the government. RCTV attempted to manipulate events and incited violence during the failed coup. That's not just dissent.

I wonder what would have happened if some WXYZ had urged people to revolt against the government in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, praising the hijackers for their bravery and inciting others to follow their example? That's roughly equivalent to RCTV's actions.

[originalpckelly]

2. You know, at some point you'd think someone would snap out of it.

Who else has to come out against this?

Does Chavez just have to come right out and say he's a dictator for you to get it?