Hundreds of Thousands March in Support of Chavez

Credit: Prensa Presidencial

Hundreds of Thousands March in Support of Chavez
Chavez Dismisses International Disapproval
of Venezuela's Media Policy Monday, 

By: Gregory Wilpert – Venezuelanalysis.com

Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Chavez demonstrate in favor of
the government's decision to not renew RCTV's broadcast license .

As several hundred thousand Chavez supporters rallied in Venezuela's
largest avenue on Saturday, President Chavez rejected all international
interference with his decision not to renew a television station's
broadcast license. Referring to the Marxist theorist Antonio Gramsci,
Chavez also spoke at length about how private media maintains a
cultural hegemony that must be broken.

"Go to hell, representatives of the global oligarchy, we are a free
country!" said Chavez to wild applause, once marchers reached the
Avenida Bolivar in the center of Caracas. >> LINK

The truth behind the RCTV campaign

The International Action Center stands with the people of Venezuela and their democratically-elected President Hugo Chavez and we condemn Washington's propaganda campaign against the Venezuelan government, carried out with the complicity of the U.S. corporate media.

We have included below a letter from Venezuelan Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez Herrera to Nancy Pelosi (in English and Spanish) responding to her attack on President Hugo Chavez.

Over the next few days, the International Action Center will be launching an campaign to challenge and expose Washington's campaign of lies and disinformation against the people of Venezuela.

Also see: Myths and Facts About the Radio Caracas Television Case at http://www.embavenez-us.org/RCTVFactSheetFinal_2007.pdf

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May 30, 2007

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.

Madam Speaker Pelosi,

I am writing in the opportunity to respond to your May 30 statement on Venezuela’s decision not to renew the broadcast license of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV). In it, you accused President Hugo Chávez of engaging in efforts to “suppress the media.” I would like to assure you that the decision was made in full accordance with Venezuela’s laws and does not represent a threat to the country’s vibrant media or the ability of the Venezuelan people to receive information and opinion that is critical of the government. Equally, and as many observers have pointed out, since President Chavez came to power the government has tried to democratize the media to foster a diversity of voices to combat the historical monopoly on the broadcasting of information that causes so much harm to any democracy.

The decision not to renew RCTV’s broadcast license was a simple regulatory matter that was made according to the country’s constitution, laws and public interest standards. It was not made based on RCTV’s critical editorial stance against the government, nor was it directed at silencing criticism of the government. The Venezuelan media has enjoyed, and will continue to enjoy the right to report and offer opinions, whether or not they agree with President Chávez. This has also been recognized by numerous observers. As Bart Jones, a longtime correspondent for the Associated Press wrote in an op-ed published in the Los Angeles Times on May 30, “Radio, TV and newspapers remain uncensored, unfettered and unthreatened by the government. Most Venezuelan media are still controlled by the old oligarchy and are staunchly anti-Chávez.”

It is also important to note that while RCTV enjoyed access to the public spectrum, it far exceeded its prescribed role as a media outlet in a democracy. In April 2002, RCTV promoted a coup against the democratically elected government of President Chávez. After that, it participated and encouraged the sabotage of the oil industry of Venezuela, causing tremendous suffering on the Venezuelan people.

In both instances, RCTV went beyond taking a critical editorial stance against the government. It used its privileged position as a media outlet to help subvert Venezuela’s constitutional order. In no other country would a media outlet be allowed to play such an overtly undemocratic role, much less using a public broadcast spectrum. Again, in so doing, RCTV single-handedly subverted Venezuela’s democracy. I wonder how the FCC would have responded had such events taken place in the United States.

The decision to not renew RCTV’s license will not affect Venezuela’s longstanding commitment to freedom of expression, freedom of the press and freedom of information as your statement suggests. In fact, the majority of Venezuela’s media outlets remain in private hands – of the 81 television stations, 709 radio broadcasters and 118 newspapers throughout Venezuela, 79, 706 and 118, respectively, are privately owned and operated. More importantly, they all exercise their rights freely, often criticizing the government in strident terms reflecting the vitality of Venezuela’s democracy. Since the non renewal took effect, the great majority of media outlets in Venezuela have openly reported on and offered their opinions on the decision.

If you have any questions or concerns about Venezuela or the Venezuelan media, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you at your earliest convenience to discuss this matter. Most importantly, I invite you to visit Venezuela and judge for yourself the vibrant state of the media and freedom of thought and expression enjoyed by all Venezuelans.

Respectfully,

Bernardo Alvarez Herrera
Ambassador

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30 de mayo de 2007

Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Presidenta
Cámara de Representantes de Estados Unidos
Washington, D.C.

Sra. Presidenta Pelosi,

Le escribo en la oportunidad de responder a su comunicado del 30 de mayo sobre la decisión de Venezuela de no renovar la licencia de transmisión de Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV). En ella, usted acusa al Presidente Hugo Chávez de participar en esfuerzos por “suprimir a los medios de comunicación”. Quiero asegurarle que la decisión fue tomada en plena concordancia con las leyes venezolanas y no representa una amenaza a los medios de comunicación vibrantes del país o la habilidad del pueblo venezolano de recibir información y opiniones que son críticas del gobierno. De la misma forma, y como muchos observadores han indicado, desde que el presidente Chávez llegó al poder ha tratado de democratizar los medios de comunicación para promover la diversidad de las voces para combatir el monopolio histórico sobre la transmisión de la información que causa tanto daño a cualquier democracia.

La decisión de no renovar la licencia de transmisión de RCTV, fue una simple medida regulatoria que fue hecha de acuerdo a la constitución del país, las leyes y los estándares del interés público. No fue tomada basándose en la línea editorial crítica de RCTV en contra del gobierno, y no fue dirigida a silenciar el criticismo del gobierno. Los medios de comunicación venezolanos han gozado, y continuarán gozando del derecho de reportar y ofrecer opiniones, así estén de acuerdo o no con el Presidente Chávez. Esto también ha sido reconocido por numerosos observadores. Como Bart Jones, un corresponsal de larga trayectoria en Associated Press, quien escribió en un editorial, publicado en “Los Angeles Times” el 30 de mayo, que “la radio, la televisión y los periódicos continúan trabajando sin censura, constricciones o amenazas por parte del gobierno. La mayoría de los medios de comunicación venezolanos todavía son controlados por una vieja oligarquía y siguen siendo incondicionalmente opositores a Chávez.”

Es también importante señalar, que mientras RCTV ha gozado del acceso al espectro público, excedió sobremanera su rol preescrito como un medio de comunicación dentro de una democracia. En abril de 2002, RCTV promovió un golpe de estado en contra del gobierno democráticamente elegido del Presidente Chávez. Luego de eso, participó y promovió el sabotaje de la industria petrolera en Venezuela, causando un tremendo sufrimiento al pueblo venezolano.

En ambas instancias, RCTV fue más allá de tomar una línea editorial crítica en contra del gobierno. Utilizó su posición privilegiada como un medio de comunicación, para ayudar a subvertir el orden constitucional venezolano. En ningún otro país se hubiera permitido que un medio de comunicación juegue un rol tan antidemocrático, ni mucho menos que utilice el espectro de transmisión público. Una vez más, al hacerlo, RCTV trastornó unilateralmente la democracia venezolana. Me pregunto cómo el FCC hubiese respondido si tales eventos se hubieran llevado a cabo en Estados Unidos.

La decisión de no renovar la licencia de RCTV, no afectará el largo compromiso de Venezuela con la libertad de expresión, la libertad de prensa y la libertad de información como su comunicado sugiere. De hecho la mayoría de los medios de comunicación venezolanos permanecen en manos privadas—de las 81 estaciones de televisión, 709 estaciones de radio y 118 diarios a lo largo de Venezuela, 79, 706 y 118, respectivamente, son controlados y operados por el sector privado. Lo que es más importante es que todos ejercen sus derechos libremente, a menudo criticando al gobierno en términos estridentes reflejando la vitalidad de la democracia de Venezuela. Desde que la no renovación entró en efecto, la gran mayoría de los medios de comunicación en Venezuela han ofrecido abiertamente sus opiniones sobre la decisión.

Si tuviera preguntas o preocupaciones sobre Venezuela, o los medios de comunicación venezolanos, por favor no dude en contactarme. Le daría la bienvenida a la oportunidad de reunirme con usted cuanto antes para discutir este asunto. Mejor aun, la invito a que visite Venezuela y juzgue por usted el vibrante estado de los medios de comunicación y la libertad de expresión disfrutada por todos los venezolanos.

Respetuosamente,

Bernardo Álvarez Herrera
Embajador

Rainbow Solidarity for the Cuban Five

Please sign on and circulate the call for Rainbow Solidarity for the Cuban Five: http://www.freethefiveny.org/rainbow4the5.shtml

Please contact five to Free the Five!

The call for Rainbow Solidarity for the Cuban Five has not received one word of big-business media coverage--print or electronic.

The call first went out in January, from a multi-national and multi-lingual group of U.S.-based lesbian, gay, bi and trans activists, to build solidarity with these five political prisoners—Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, and René González. They are serving long sentences in U.S. penitentiaries for the “crime” of infiltrating CIA-backed fascist commando groups in order to halt terror attacks against Cuba from U.S. soil.

The Rainbow Solidarity for the Cuban Five call demands a new trial and freedom for these political prisoners, defense of Cuban sovereignty and self-determination and a halt to the illegal U.S. acts of war against Cuba—including the economic blockade and CIA-trained, funded and armed attacks by mercenary “contra” armies operating from this country.
Without any help from the monopoly media, the call has circled the globe. Individuals and organizations from more than 32 countries and 43 states in the U.S. have signed on. To see a list of signers or to sign on yourself, please visit www.freethefiveny.org. Look for the Rainbow!

Volunteers have translated the introduction to the initiative and the call itself, so that it is now available in Spanish, English, simplified and traditional Chinese, Farsi, Turkish, Greek, Portuguese, Japanese, Italian, French and German. ASWAT—the Palestinian lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersexual organization—is translating the introduction and call into Arabic. LGBT and feminist activists in Croatia are translating and circulating the call.
But the arc of this Rainbow of Solidarity must widen.

You can make a great contribution. Take a moment now to send this email to at least five of your loved ones and friends, co-workers and neighbors, and ask them to help free the Five.

Contact five to Free the Five! Your help is decisive.

For more information about the Cuban Five visit www.freethefiveny.org or www.freethefive.org.

Free the Five!
Leslie Feinberg

The Legacy of Agent Orange in Viet Nam

The Legacy of Agent Orange in Viet Nam

On Monday, June 11, 2007, - Join Ramsey Clark, Vinie Burrows,
the film producers, lawyers and veterans

See the new film
The Last Ghost of War
A compelling NEW 57 minute documentary film, narrated by Kevin Kline, shot in Viet Nam, France and the U.S. on the legacy of the largest chemical warfare operation in history and the continuing law suit seeking justice.

Meet the Producers - Pham Quoc Thai and Janet Gardner

Monday, JUNE 11 6:30 pm
Cantor Film Center.
36 East 8th Street, NY, NY 10003

Today 3 million Vietnamese suffer the effects of chemical defoliants used by the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers are also affected, along with hundreds of thousands of children of those exposed decades ago on both sides. The thousands of veterans and civilians disabled from depleted uranium weapons in present wars face similar long term consequences

Donate or purchase tickets at http://www.iacenter.org/agentorangetickets.html

A benefit for:
VAVA - Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin
$5 to $15 Film Donation suggested
Advance Ticket purchase is highly recommended
Even if you are not able to attend, please send a DONATION for:
VAVA - Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin

Hear from Constantine Kokkoris, part of the legal team representing the Vietnamese plaintiffs on the appeal of the civil suit in U.S. courts against the 37 U.S. chemical companies which produced the toxic chemicals during the war.


Hear update from: Viet Nam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign

June 11 Host Committee:
International Action Center,
National Lawyers Guild
Int?l Association of Democratic Lawyers
Women's Int?l Democratic Federation
Women's Fightback Network
National Writers Union ? NY Chapter,
Peoples Video Network,
Depleted Uranium DU Education Project,
Harlem Tenants Council
Jersey City Peace Movement,
WILPF - Women's Int?l League for Peace & Freedom ? NY
BAYAN - USA
Asia Pacific Action
Pakistan/USA Freedom Forum
Stop War On Iran Campaign
December 12th Movement
Workers World Party
Grannies Peace Brigade
Artists and Activists United for Peace
WESPAC Foundation


For more information: International Action Center,
55 West 17th St, #5C, NY, NY 10011
Call 212-633-6646, www.IACenter.org

Donate or purchase tickets at http://www.iacenter.org/agentorangetickets.html