Reuters is reporting that President Hugo Chavez Frias is defying international censure of his treatment of media critics, warning anti-government private television channels that they could be shut down if they encourage "destabilization or violence." Despite the fact that the right is established in the 1999 Constitution, the international newswire service is continuing to insist that Chavez Frias is "resisting a campaign to hold a referendum on his rule" and says the latest move to establish law & order comes two weeks after the government confiscated (illegal) broadcasting equipment from Globovision TV ... He accuses the 24-hour news channel of backing a short-lived coup against him last year."
Venezuela's telecommunications regulatory agency CONATEL had moved to confiscate Globovision's illegally used ENG equipment and mini-disk transmitters ... the net result being that live broadcasts from the street were severely limited ... the action was, however, condemned without investigation by international press freedom groups who, somewhat astonishingly. called on the President to return the illegal transmission dishes and antenna... Chavez Frias has, however, told businessmen in Caracas that "if the private TV channels go back to promoting destabilization and violence in the country ... they won't be able to broadcast any more ... the government has established that Globovision was illegally transmitting on unregistered frequencies."
The war of words between the opposition and the government is part of a domestic political plot that has been a running media show since President Chavez Frias was elected in a landslide victory in December 1998 ... he has effectively waged war with the solidly opposition-controlled private media and has complained of "media terrorism," repeatedly accused the private TV stations of promoting efforts to force him from power. Unable or unwilling to accept or even tolerate a situation of continuing illegalities that would certainly not be viewed with much tolerance north of the Rio Grande, Chavez Frias says categorically that "it's as though they light a match and throw gasoline on it ... we can't permit it! I am willing to assume my democratic responsibilities in front of the whole world ... I will not allow the United States or the opposition in Venezuela to impose a dictatorship on the people!"
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