Rice Protests Venezuelan TV Closure

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Venezuela's foreign minister traded verbal broadsides over the closure of an opposition television station in Venezuela.

Rice on Monday protested the shuttering of Radio Caracas Television, RCTV, calling it Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez's "sharpest and most acute" move yet against democracy as thousands of university students marched in Caracas to protest.

Venezuela's top diplomat, Nicolas Maduro, then accused her of hypocrisy, unacceptable meddling in his nation's affairs and compared the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and secret prisons elsewhere to something not seen since "the time of Hitler."

The dispute between Washington and Caracas took center stage at a gathering of foreign ministers of the Organization of American States, a meeting intended to focus on environment and development issues.

Rice told reporters en route to Panama that Chavez's closure of RCTV was just the latest and perhaps strongest attack on democracy since the Venezuelan leader came to power in the late 1990s pursuing an increasingly anti-U.S. and leftist line.

At the meeting, she urged the OAS to send its secretary-general, Jose Miguel Insulza, to Venezuela to look into the closing of the station and deliver a full report on his findings.

"Freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of conscience are not a thorn in the side of government," Rice told the ministers. "Disagreeing with your government is not unpatriotic and most certainly should not be a crime in any country, especially a democracy."

Maduro, speaking after Rice, reacted angrily, saying her comments were an "unacceptable intervention is the internal affairs of a nation, and that is why we reject it."

"Venezuela is asking for respect," he said. "We demand respect for our sovereignty."

Maduro defended the decision not to renew RCTV's license as "democratic, legal and fair" and accused the United States of repeated violations of human rights, including at the U.S.-Mexico border where immigrants "are chased and hunted like animals" and at Guantanamo Bay, where he said terrorism suspects are being "held hostage."

Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala and Chile have expressed support for RCTV and on Monday in Panama, newspapers and a consortium of media groups published ads, saying, "Without freedom of expression, there is no liberty, not in Venezuela or any other part of the world."

Protests have surfaced at most of Caracas' public and private universities since the opposition-aligned channel RCTV was forced off the air May 27 by Chavez's decision to not renew its license. The demonstrations have spread to other universities nationwide.

In Caracas on Monday, about 10,000 university students marched through the capital, chanting "Freedom! Freedom!" and handing white carnations to police officers as they paraded toward the Supreme Court, where they presented magistrates with a document demanding the government respect freedom of expression.

[donaldd8]

It appears Dr. Rice is only concerned with freedom of speech when news organizations quote the US propaganda line.

All those "Free Countries" that support Condi on this issue have individually signed pledges not to prosecute Bush's Administration in the World Court for War Crimes.

[donaldd8]

I haven't seen Dr. Rice as upset over the closing of an unpopular with government issues TV Station Since the Bush Administration wanted to shut down Al Jazeera.

Didn't Al Jazeera get "accidentally" smart bombed out of business in Iraq?

[mmhm2]

Bravo Rice!!!
In addition, for those who write here against Rice performance and her position and intervention defending the freedom of speech, think a moment, because of this freedom you are able to make your comments in this paper.
For those who recommend the movie %u201CTHE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED%u201D%u201D this is a film made by the government, in which things are portrait the way they want to. The true has been manipulated in a bias film. Nobody has tried to kill him, or he already will be dead, is only a way to control ignorant and misinformed people.
Chavez is a Dictator promoting a radical communism that only he understands, and financing, with our oil, most of Latin American candidates that are extreme left, trying to make the neighbors of this country a huge and strong block against United States (look the recent history in Latin American countries since Chavez took power). He is a gigantic threat to United States; do not let your self be fool by this man.
The referendum and even the elections are the result of a power that controls all the state organizations, including the one that makes the accountant of the votes.
THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH NOT ONLY SHOULD BE DEFENDED BY RICE, BUT BY EVERY JOURNALIST AND EVERY MAN AND WOMAN IN THIS COUNTRY, BECAUSE IS THE FACTOR THAT MAKES DEMOCRACY POSSIBLE.

[starleo146]

Here we go again telling everyone how to run their country. Why do we feel it is our business to instruct everyone to run their country as we see it. This man Chevez hates Bush, He called him the "devil"do you condi,(the person who is suppose to promote peace) think he gives a hoot what you think. He doesn't even care what his people think. I really think you just should have kept your mouth shut, and let the people of Venezuela handle it. We just don't need any more people ready to kill us and it will not take much for this whaco to explode.

[bluestardad]

NO ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE HERE WITH CONDI!

THOUSANDS ARE DEAD BECAUSE OF HER INEPTITUDE!

SHE MUST GO TO STUPID REHAB!

[gil3al]

Ms. Rice - a glowing example of what you get when you appoint an oil person, with zero diplomatic experience or ability, has no other talent aside from that of being an extended mouthpiece for georgie. Give her an airplane, 3 squares a day, unlimited expense account, and instructions to avoid settling any issues except one - clearly illustrate to the world that America has a knucklehead for a secretary of state.

[brianbwb-2009]

To Casper, I differ, and with personal knowledge that blacks are indeed allowed in Havana, in fact, Black musicians and artists are frequently invited to Havana. I haven't had the time to go, but I have had the honor of being invited several times to visit Cuba, and participate in music festivals with legendary Cuban artists (also Black) for concerts and festivals in Havana. And I a "hated" American!

Don't get your facts from right wing rags, and then suppose them to be truth simply because it fits with your brainwashing...

Rice surely is one to talk, after travelling the world as a shill for Bush's war crimes...

[honest_news]

You are so right, newster! The world hates us because we speak our mind and voice our opinions! Why should Rice be permitted to exercize that freedom???

*SOB* Now the whole world hates us! Or at least Hugo Chavez and his supporters (yourself included) hate us. Too bad you can't treat Rice the same way you treat the voice of opposition in Venzuela! That's the trouble with freedom and democracy -- it's always revealing the uncomfortable truth.

[nothappyatall]

"Rice on Monday protested the shuttering of Radio Caracas Television, RCTV"

Rice should shut her stupid face and mind her own dam business, THIS is why were the most hated nation on earth- we live to meddle in other country's affairs and tell them what WE want them to do!

[xzavierbrown]

its amazing that despite the overwhelming act by chavez to destroy freedom of speech..the champions or so they call themselves, of freespeech turns a blind eye and instead attack another person..

I think these people should move to valenzuela and take cindy sheehan and harry belafonte with you.