Democracy in Venezuela

marjorie says...

Have folks been following the news in Venezuela? Opposition parties pulled out of last weeks elections alleging that the vote would not be sufficiently secret. And the U.S. press actually report it as if what they say really is true.

Please. To the U.S. press: Get A GRIP and stop thinking we have no historical memory.

SO…let’s remember a few crucial details:

1. Venezuela is 80% poor. The remaining 20% control the vast majority of the media and the wealth of the country.
2. Hugo Chavez has overwhelming support by the vast majority of the people in the country. Yes, poor people, who have no media and no wealth but do get to vote.
3. There is an ongoing effort to get rid of Hugo Chavez by the small percentage of the population that doesn’t like him. They have:
1. Attempted to depose him in a coup in 2002 (which the population refused to allow).
2. Attempted to economically ruin the country in 2003 by shutting down businesses (which they failed at).
3. Have him recalled in a referendum in 2004 (which they lost).
4. Pulled their measly parties that have practically no support out of the congressional elections in 2005 (because they knew they’d be trounced).

In every single case Hugo Chavez has maintained broad democratic support.

At every single juncture the SMALL opposition has received relentlessly positive media coverage, in the private media of Venezuela (which they own) and in the U.S. press here. This in spite of the fact that they are obviously undemocratic. And they are incredibly dishonest. The Carter Center ratified the 2004 referendum--they were very clear that it was a very clean election. And yet, the opposition continues to shrill that there was fraud. Now, they pull out of the election to give the impression that the election wouldn’t be fair even though the government conceded their demands for how the voting would happen and the OAS clearly stated that the election was quite fair.

Given that they own the media in Venezuela, it’s not surprising at the coverage there. But given that the media in the U.S. is supposedly “free” and “fair” you’d think we’d see more favorable coverage and less coverage that regurgitates the U.S. government line. Just because our government doesn't like Chavez doesn' t mean he shouldn't be president.

To the U.S. press, not to mention the Venezuelan elite,

THIS is how you spell it: D-E-M-O-C-R-A-C-Y.

Give the man his due.

Technorati tag: venezuela, hugo chavez