Chavez Close To Enacting Laws By Decree

Venezuelan Leader Gets Initial Approval From National Assembly For Sweeping Powers For 1 1/2 Years

(AP)  Venezuela's National Assembly, filled entirely with allies of President Hugo Chavez, gave initial approval Thursday to a measure that would grant the leftist leader sweeping powers — a key moment in what Chavez calls an accelerating push for socialism.

The law is expected to easily win final approval in a second session before the National Assembly next week. It would allow Chavez to enact laws by decree for a period of 1½ years.

The measure was approved unanimously in its first reading after a four-hour discussion by lawmakers, National Assembly President Cilia Flores said.

Earlier this week, Chavez decided that Venezuela's oldest private TV station, Radio Caracas Television, must go off the air for good when its broadcast license expires on May 28.

"Their days are numbered. Squeal, kick, whatever they do: the license of that fascist channel is gone," Chavez said Saturday. "RCTV's signal will be nationalized for Venezuelans."

Emboldened by his sweeping re-election victory, Chavez now seems intent on transforming Venezuela's broadcast media. An expanding web of state-run and state-financed radio and TV stations shapes his image. And almost every Sunday, he preaches socialist ideals on "Hello President," his folksy talk-show program that runs for five hours or more.

RCTV, in contrast, has been a constant irritant to Chavez. Along with a cadre of other private TV channels and newspapers he accuses of spreading disinformation and conspiring against him, he says RCTV produces "poison" through "grotesque shows" that promote consumerism and violence.

Top RCTV executive Marcel Granier insists his channel has done nothing wrong and is being punished for criticizing the government as part of an "autocratic scheme." He argues RCTV has the legal right to keep broadcasting until 2022, and plans to challenge Chavez in court.

RCTV has been one of Venezuela's leading TV networks since 1953, broadcasting a mix of news, talk shows, sports, soap operas and its own version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"

The weekly program "Radio Rochela," which like "Saturday Night Live" often lampoons politicians, was a Venezuelan institution long before Chavez was first elected in 1998.

For now, the studios still bustle with giggling teenagers seeking autographs from soap stars and comedians practicing poking fun at Chavez for "Radio Rochela." Another recent skit mocked Chavez's mentor, Fidel Castro, with an impersonator dancing and rapping in olive-green fatigues, saying: "Give me more gasoline!"

But the mood has grown somber among RCTV's 2,500 employees.

The station's supporters call Chavez's threat to deny RCTV a new license an example of how freedom of speech will be sacrificed in the "socialist republic of Venezuela" that Chavez proclaimed as he began his third term. Nearly 100 horn-honking cars snaked through Caracas Sunday in one protest caravan, with "Don't Mess With The Media!" scrawled in white shoe polish across their windows.

[trueprogress]

I often listen to so called Progressive radio, like Pacifica, who give this guy all sorts of KUDOs, and praise, as they do Castro, and formerly the Soviets. I can't understand how people who are for freedom ( as a progressive - right ?) could be so supportive of a thug near dictator who limits freedom of speech and press. Shutting down this stations is like shutting down CBS.
There has to be consistency in our world view and not selective outrage, as true progressives, as JFK Progressives, who want freedom for others, liberty for others, will stand up for others outside our borders. WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE !
This man is an enemy of the USA, and freedom loving people. Those who support him in the USA, blindly, well ..what is their agenda ? Progressives - no - Fascists .

[Syndicate]

Nazi rising.

[mrpete8-2009]

This world would be a better place with out this person.

[random_radar]

I am always suspicious of any person or institution that wants to silence their critics. If they are right, wouldn't it be more effective to answer the arguments and prove their position? Why can't they stand up to scrutiny?

No one likes to be criticized, but using your power to eliminate opposition is a vice in and of itself. The weak and powerful both never think they have any flaws. The difference is that the powerful can force the weak to accomodate their flaws.

janem4

and most that have posted so far

You are reading CBS news, CBS news also told us about Saddam and his WMD and the rest of the things we all now know as lies. Then "Janem4" starts out by slinging labels "limo libs", and simple-minded name-calling. The CBS did a horrible job in reporting on the lead up to the Iraq war, and does so on regular bases, yet people keep listening and thinking they are actually being informed. Good luck your not, when someone lies to you, usually you will not trust them anymore, a basic rule that doesn't seem to be followed when it comes to mainstream media.

If you want to be informed, find a different source of information, How is it that you still trust a news station that we know is guilty of misinformation in the past.

Here is a link to RCTV news, from a source that was reliable and accurate on Iraq and many other issues.
http://www.counterpunch.com/maher01122007.html


this one shows the slant by mainstream media, by challenging their journalists and what they wrote first hand via e-mails
http://www.medialens.org/index.php

peace

[Syndicate]

resist_now: Are you defending Chavez?

[Syndicate]

resist_now: your links didn't work.

[rharrin1]

Instead of Venezuela you better start worrying what bush is doing to this country and your rights.

[Syndicate]

Give me a F**king break. Has Bush tried to eliminate term limits? Has Bush rewritten the constitution? Has Bush socialized the news services? Again give me a F**cking Break.

[Syndicate]

As long as there is a second amendmant my rights are safe.

[hardlynormal-2009]

Does Chaves really belive that the Ven. people are SO Ignorant. That guy is pushing HIS ideas and thoughts on those people. You know if hes so right about HIS bad mouthing everyone then dont be a COWARD- let the people make there own choices.
And since DANNY CLOVER belives and pulls for CHAVES as he said he does,along with HARRY BELEFONTA, then go live in ven. an Stop reeping the rewards of the american people that made them who they are today.

[processor2]

Like most leftist-liberals , Chavez doesn't like alternative ideas.

Kind of like how leftist-liberals (aka Democrats) in the USA that want to silence FOX news & Rush Limbaugh......... No wonder the left-wingers in the USA adore Chavez/Castro, etc.

Liberals just do not like alternative ideas for some reason ?!?!?

........

[gunnerv1]

Don't buy CITGO Gasoline or its products from it stations. It is owned wholly by Venezuela and therfore all moneys go to This A**bag, who is going to takover after Castro dies. (I don't watch CBS, FOX, NBC or ABC. But I do read a lot.

[olebd]

Freakin' El Diablo

[fredegrar]

As a liberal democrat, I'm offended that some would make comparisons with people like me and Chavez. I believe in free speech and am oppposed to censorship, no matter the views being espoused. I am also for checks and balances in gov't, which Chavez is not. Sure, many of my fellow liberals loathe Fox news and do their best to muzzle them, but since when have they had any success? The conservative side has much more success muzzling CNN (no longer available in many hotel rooms across America) or public television/public access (see recent FTC decisions) than any ***** liberals may have put in Fox's armor.

I will defend Chavez this far... as an apparently freely elected official, it's the Venezualan electorate on the hook for whatever problems he may cause. If they want a socialist economy with a central dictator hostile to the US, that was their choice. We'll see how they feel in 6 years when they can no longer get rid of the guy.

[webdepot]

"Liberals just do not like alternative ideas for some reason ?!?!? "
Posted by processor2

Hmmmmm... seems that shoe fits the Repukes.. the same obstructionist Repukes that are sabotaging good legislation... Whassa matter??? don't you repukes like alternative ideas.. like ethics reform, higher min wage, tackling global warming... rescinding windfall perks for the energy industry.... Guess not... since you all vote against those things..

[shingles1]

I'm sure that processor2 LOVES alternative ideas.
As long as these ideas have Hugh Hewitt and Michelle Malkin's stamp of approval.

[fredegrar]

correction to my last post: meant *FCC* not FTC

[agnim]

Media are private enterprises.

Media are money-making businesses, which makes money by stirring up issues and then selling advertisement space, etc.

So if the country's government cannot get its media to support it as America's media, say, supports the American government, then it makes good sense to put it out of business.
Let those business people find another way of making money besides being divisive.

[Syndicate]

fredegrar: You make some good points. But I think CNN lost a lot of Credibility when they started helping Saddam Husein so that thier Bagdad people wouldn't be Hurt.

[shingles1]

cbscrash07, how did CNN "help" Saddam again?
OR are you being generous with the use of the word "help".
Links would be nice.

[agnim]

To tell the truth, those guys are lucky to just be losing a silly license.

For supporting the fascist US-backed coup and trampling the rights of Venezuelans, they should consider themselves lucky for not losing their freedom and even their lives for their treasonous behavior.

[processor2]

Like most leftist-liberals , Chavez doesn't like alternative ideas.

Kind of like how leftist-liberals (aka Democrats) in the USA that want to silence FOX news & Rush Limbaugh......... No wonder the left-wingers in the USA adore Chavez/Castro, etc.

Liberals just do not like alternative ideas for some reason ?!?!?

........

[shingles1]

Keith Obercrapam?!

It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it.

[saraity100]

In almost all of the socialist countries, people live in poverty and their rulers live in wealth. This is what is going to happen to Venezuela so soon.

[jsilver2th]

saraity100: "In almost all of the socialist countries, people live in poverty and their rulers live in wealth. This is what is going to happen to Venezuela so soon."

Sounds like the US Empire as Tony Snow started to call us the other day

[canaima]

Agnim, you're being too obvious at being an opinionated "Chavista" with your anti-democratic and, quite frankly, foolish statements.

"Treasonous behaviour", eh? Yeah, right! What a joke of a statement!

[glidescube]

What? Silence the media? Steal from the rich to give to the poor? Is this the best Socialism can offer?

[canaima]

Chavez sees himself as the new "Simon Bolivar" of Latin America. The difference is that he doesn't really care about the Latin American people, as Simon Bolivar did, but rather cares only about the accumulation of power.

Latin America as a whole will NEVER allow Chavez to be the regional leader he wants to be, however. Most latin leaders, except for those of Bolivia, Ecuador, & Nicaragua, will let him THINK he's in a position of leadership as long as they can get free or reduced-price oil from him. And Chavez is a sucker for it because he thinks he can buy "sincere friendship" with his oil. In the end, Chavez is really not too smart.

[annd2302]

gunnerv1

Wadda you read then, MAD Magazine, TV Guide, Prevention, or Good Housekeeping? Get a life, grow-up dude read a man book, Playboy, Hustler, Big Boobs and so on. Just maybe you can expand your thought process or reasoning ability.

I feel the image of a hermit type person. I bet you do not believe in GOD either do you?

Only in America, land that I love.

You should read a little bit further,

A statement found on Citgo's homepage of their website. "CITGO Petroleum Corporation decided to allow its gasoline-supply contract with 7-Eleven to expire at the end of Sept. 2006."

[shingles1]

You know, Agnim's arguments in favor of Chavez sound an awful lot like the Bush supporter's arguments against the US media.

[notblue]

Chavez is a grotesque pig, a dictator that took power by force, made in the same mold as all the other fascist despots left such as Castro, Kim Jung Il, Achmanajad, etc.

[tibu987]

Chavez will have a limited run.
What is done, as an example, is give a man who is making ten pesos a day twenty pesos a day. The guy is elated and becomes a Chavez fan. The cost to the country is negligible but it keeps the little people happy. In the meantime, Chavez, lives in a palace, has limousines and jets at his disposal. Cooks and maids, all the ultimate luxuries, while the country, like Cuba, deteriorates.
Stories like this are many. The Shah of Iran, Bautista, Castro, Ortega, Kim, Morales, Emperor Helassie of Ethiopia, The Nicaraguan General, The Chilean General,(I forget their names), et al.
All were, are, destined for ultimate failure, but in the meantime, these despots live like kings and they and their families and cohorts become filthy rich.
It is an old story. So easy to pacify the poor while they steal from them. Been going on for years in Mexico, a supposedly democratc nation.
Socialism will always be destined for failure because it is human nature to want to be individually successful. Socialism can only work for the short term, eventually, people wake up and find that they want better. Re: China, Russia, East Germany, et al.

notblue

could you please give us the source that states Chavez took power by force ?



The reason corporate America has it in for Chavez are:
1 - Oil revenues from Venezuelan oil are now split 33% for Venezuela's government, and the rest for the corporations; the split before Chavez took office, 1% for the government, and 99% for the corporations.
2- Chavez chaired an OPEC meeting in which he put forward the idea that all oil producing countries start selling their oil in Euro based funds, instead of American dollars
3- Venezuela is helping other Latin American countries buy out their debts to the World Bank and IMF, meaning the West no longer has a strangle hold on the economies of these countries, which means no more deals that heavily favor the corporate west.

Chavez was just re-elected with 63% of the votes in Venezuela, and no one is disputing the elections when it comes to fairness, or them being corrupt. Chavez got voted in 6 years ago, with promises to take more of the oil revenues away from the corporations to help the poor. Then he does exactly that, poverty drops dramatically, and he gets re-elected with a massive victory. This is how democratic systems work.

why is it so many people get lied to by the mainstream media, and keep believing what corporate owned mainstream media keeps printing.

how about trying some different sources, and see how they compare.

search for:

Robert Fisk, Jonathan Cook, Richard Bulliet, Michel Chossudovsky, Scott Ritter, Colonel Sam Gardiner, Noam Chomsky

try: Global Research, Media Lens, GNN

insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. So why keep going to the same mainstream media to be informed, when they are infamous for mis-information.


Imagine if this debate was about: pre the Iraq war, and the debate was about %u2018the threat Iraq was to the world and the WMD%u2019. In that case and in hindsight, which is 20/20 - notblue, and the rest supporting mainstream media would most definitely be wrong. Yet now they argue like they are most definitely right, all the while using the exact same information sources as the Pre Iraq debate.

this logic, is insane

peace


re links in earlier post, copy and paste them in your web browser
here is media lens, a must see look at big media and their slant
http://www.medialens.org/alerts/index.php

here is Latin America articles with Global Research


http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=region&regionId=3

[bill1fj]

When its all over Chavez will be remembered as just another dictator.

[exusmcsgt]

Bubba Dubya achieves the same thing through signing statements.

[johnshaft4]

Chavez could very well be a dangerous, psycho/sociopath. He is acting like he thinks he's AG Gonzales.

[johnshaft4]

PS...Read over the past weekend how Chavez reiterated and strengthened his alliance with Iran? When der Fuhrer Bush and his co conspirators, the Israelis go and drop tactical nukes on "make believe" Iranian nukes (just like Iraq 'WMDs'), how long do you think it will Chavez to cut off the 3nd largest supply of crude oil to the US? Start thinking $6 @ gal. gasoline.
What are we even doing hanging around with the Israelis anyway. They haven't got a drop of oil. Some 'promised land'. Jeez...

[exusmcsgt]

JohnShaft4-

If Chavez shuts off the valve, just think how Exxon and the other multi-nationals, that Cheney still refuses to admit participated in the formation of the energy policy, will reap their windfalls.

[Syndicate]

shingles1: I'm being generous/careless with the word. Basicly they Supressed information unfavorable to the regime to protect thier personel. They slanted their reporting world wide to protect a few people in bagdad. They should have pulled out of Iraq.

[agnim]

"You know, Agnim's arguments in favor of Chavez sound an awful lot like the Bush supporter's arguments against the US media.

Posted by shingles1 at 03:32 PM : Jan 18, 2007"

The big difference is that Chavez isn't killing people by the hundreds of thousands.

And our lost leader didn't not even suffer and impeachment, much less a coup!

Chavez, the elected leader of Venezuela was overthrown by that treasonous media and their overlords in the US white house!

That station should have been closed a long time ago and its treasonous owners rotting in Venezuelan jail!

[processor2]

Like most leftist-liberals , Chavez doesn't like alternative ideas.

Kind of like how leftist-liberals (aka Democrats) in the USA that want to silence FOX news & Rush Limbaugh......... No wonder the left-wingers in the USA adore Chavez/Castro, etc.

Liberals just do not like alternative ideas for some reason ?!?!?

........

[Syndicate]

We should allow the tv station to set up operations here in the US. we could beam the signal into Venezuela on every channel. This should serious pi$$ this SOB off. I gave this guy the benefit of the doubt since he was "Elected", But if he is going to start acting like Hitler he should be eliminated.

[scouser691]

Hamas, Chavez, Ortega. Isn't democracy wonderful.

tibu987

You believe Chavez is a dictator; firstly make note he is democratically elected, unlike Bush, the vote was not rigged.



tibu987 you state:
Stories like this are many. The Shah of Iran, Bautista, Castro, Ortega, Kim, Morales, Emperor Helassie of Ethiopia, The Nicaraguan General, The Chilean General,(I forget their names), et al
Re:China, Russia, East Germany

The Shah of Iran, a socialist government really, wow!
The Shah was not a socialist, actually a brutal dictator funded in 1953 by the USA and Britain, to perform a military coup to oust a Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh a democratically elected leader. Who like Chavez was voted into power on a platform of promising to take more of the oil profits, from the %u2018Anglo-Iranian Oil Company%u2019.


The Chilean General = Salvador Allende%u2019
Your correct her he was socialist. He was removed from power by the CIA backing of Augusto Pinochet with a military coup, to remove Allende due to American economic interest in the region. Pinochet remained in power as a brutal dictator until 1990, as he was more friendly to corporate America%u2019s interest.

I%u2019ll stop there as we can see your level of knowledge on world leaders and politics is very minimal. Keep reading the pablum on mainstream media kids, I%u2019d like to see some of you on here backup your ideas, with some info that doesn%u2019t come from corporate owned media.

Funny they never found any WMD in Iraq

[agnim]

"Hamas, Chavez, Ortega. Isn't democracy wonderful.

Posted by scouser691 at 08:35 PM : Jan 18, 2007"

Ha ha ha. LOL

Are you forgetting our dear leader?
Or you didn't count him because he and his power-hungry cohorts stole the US elections? LOL

[agnim]

"Chavez could very well be a dangerous, psycho/sociopath. He is acting like he thinks he's AG Gonzales.

Posted by JohnShaft4 at 06:32 PM : Jan 18, 2007"

LOL
You guys are funny.

This must be the season of the power hungry *****. LOL

why is it Chavez is bad, he does speak out against American hegemony and imperialism, and has the majority of the world sharing his views.
Remember there is only around 350 million people in the USA, and lots of them don't support bush and can now see through the corporate lies. Then there are 6.3 billion non-american people in the world. Give that some thought when one is here on the CBS being a supporter of corporate America%u2019s plans for world domination. How is it your right, the rest of the world wrong, and your news sources are mainstream propaganda.
Where are those WMD that Iraq has been leveled for, and somewhere around a half million people dead, including 3000 Americans.

and Chavez is a threat to the world, just like the leader of Iran ----

whatever and wake up