US revealed to be secretly funding opponents of Chavez

[The_Bearded_Liberal]

Jeremy Bigwood, a Washington-based freelance journalist who obtained the documents, yesterday told The Independent: "This repeats a pattern started in Nicaragua in the election of 1990 when spent $20 per voter to get rid of Ortega. It's done in the name of democracy but it's rather hypocritical. Venezuela does have a democratically elected President who won the popular vote which is not the case with the US."

More...
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=500711

[Salviati]

1. I'm SHOCKED!

Shocked I tell you!

Seriously, is there anybody that thinks we don't have our fingers in pretty much anything that goes on in the rest of the world?

[The Zanti Regent]

25. Otto Third Reich at it again, I see

I hope Chavez gets his hands on that bastard, chains him up and sends him off to the World Court!

[keithyboy]

40. Is this like funding terrorists?

Hmmmmm....will funds be frozen?

[saigon68]

62. No, nothing to see Here

Move alone, keep walking </Sarcasm>

[Just Me]

2. Too bad Jeremy can't find a "market" in US media,...

,...I wonder why? I mean, if the conservative right-wing types can market their dogmatic speech,...how come freelance journalists like Jeremy can't find an outlet which will market their information?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

3. No, no, no people.

How many times do we have to say it. Chavez is a dictatorial monster manipulated by the Castro Latin American conspiracy. Get it straight, damn it.

:eyes:

[rooboy]

5. You forgot to say...

that he's a hundred times worse than Castro, Hitler and Saddam rolled into one.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

6. He's actually a clone made with DNA from:

Hitler, Mao, Khomeini, Mussolini, Stalin, Carrot Top and Dr Evil.

[Just Me]

17. Tee hee hee haw AWBWAHAHAHA!!!

Ohhhh,...sigh,...talk about history revisionists,...geez,...but,...

Tee hee hee haw AWBWAHAHAHA!!!

[Salviati]

32. wait...wasen't that Serpentor?

Serpentor

[OilemFirchen]

8. He doesn't need to.

Jimmy Carter, Elie Wiezel, Lech Walesa, Václav Havel, Mother Theresa, Elvis, Julie Andrews and The Cookie Monster already did.

[Barkley]

82. And don't forget Chavez's ties to Al Queda and

his weapons of mass destruction.
I bet Saddam hid his WMD in Caracas...

[JanMichael]

7. What's amazing is how blatently anti-Chavez the media there is.

This is a case of the Oligarchs getting scared, trying a muffed coup, then using their ownership of TV, Radio and billboards, to slowly enact a second coup.

IMO they've declared war on the People. They're saying, "Fuck off peasants, we run this show.". It'll be interesting to watch it play out, sad, but interesting.

[prolesunited]

9. Not only interesting

but educational. I think it's a precursor of what is taking place here.

[daleo]

30. I can think of a few other countries where the media has done that too.

Fox, CNBC, ClearChannel ... perhaps not quite as blatantly though.

[Robbien]

33. Watch out for the code word "Thug"

Once the media starts calling a head of state a "Thug", you know that country has been marked for an overthrow by our administration.

[MisterP]

36. does this fit?

"Sadly for the United States, President Hugo Chavez is much more than a madman who has his hand on the spigot of much needed oil. Many think him to be a terrorist who is actively trying to destabilize his neighbor Colombia, the region and much of South America. Worse, while he exports oil and gas to prop up his all-but-in-name dictatorial regime, he is actively importing terrorism, terrorists and even members of al-Qaida."
--Doug McKinnon opinion, The Houston Chronicle, Mar. 1, 2004

[abelenkpe]

72. hey

reminds me of the US.

[9215]

42. I never thought I'd see you turn to

the dark side of the farce Smirky. ((( ))))

[Zhade]

52. And the U.S. wasn't involved in the first coup, so stop saying that!

Hell, there are people on this board who not only don't believe there was coup here in 2000, but that we had nothing to do with the coups in Venezuela and Haiti!

Amazing, isn't it? Corporate media propaganda is too damned good.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. Or not so secretly

In the late 1970s, there was a book called The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence. Up to that time, it was the only book in U.S. history forced to delete passages before release, so the publishers just left the spaces that would have held the deleted material blank.

Anyway, this book, written by a former CIA agent, kept bringing home the fact that CIA "covert" activities were "covert" only to the American general public. The people being targeted knew about it, other intelligence agencies knew about it, the White House knew about it, some Senators and Congresscritters knew, people outside the U.S. in general knew--only Mr. and Ms. Average American were out of the loop.

[Crachet2004]

22. It has always been that way, and it's what pisses me off most about our...

government...they treat us like children. And you KNOW all the Top Secrecy is only covering up what we would'nt let them do, if we knew. Covering up all the lost (stolen) money, goofed weapons projects, assasinations, coup attempts (like Venezuela), and on and on and on.

The whole clandestine world, needs the cover ripped off, and let the sunshine in.

How can we be a free nation if the government can 'classify' any thing it wants?

IMHO, we can't.

Congress needs to reign in the executive branch and do their job-Oversight.

[Just Me]

24. Precisely *eom*

[AP]

Interesting part:

"It the sort of stuff that used to be done by the CIA," said Mr Bigwood. "I am not particularly interested in Mr Chavez - I am interested in what Washington is doing." In Venezuela, the NED channelled the money to three of its four main operational "wings": the international arms of the Republican and Democratic parties - the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs respectively - and the foreign policy wing of the AFL-CIO union, the American Centre for International Labour Solidarity.

These groups ran workshops, training sessions and provided free advice to three political parties in Venezuela - Democratic Action, Copei and First Justice - the leaderships of which have been at the forefront of efforts to recall Mr Chavez.

I understand that Jimmy Carter and Barney Frank are both Democrts.

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. I'm a Democrat too.

Are you?

[AP]

26. I'm not the kind that doesn't advocate for exactly the same kind of...

...democracy abroad that I advocate at home.

[Zhade]

54. You're a DLC Democrat, and I've always wondered...

...don't some of the DLC policies undertaken by the man whose picture you show bother you?

The DLC is not the little guy's friend any more than the Republican party is.

[DUreader]

60. Don't forget James Carville

[AP]

65. Incidentally, Wes Clark is on the board of directors of NED.

[suegeo]

68. Viva Vin Weber!

Ahh, but the ring leader of NED is ex-Republican congressman Vin Weber (of minnesota). He also signed the PNAC "PAX Americana" plan calling for American global domination, to be triggered by a new Pearl Harbor.)

In addition to overthrowing elected governments worldwide, Weber was also the head of the funeral cops in Minnesota during the 2002 elections. Then, Weber was at the forefront of fomenting republican rage over the memorial to the late great Paul Wellstone.

Weber sucks way way more than Mr. Clark.

Oh, here's the story that shows Vin Weber's dirty works on the NED.

http://www.citypages.com/databank/23/1119/article10388.asp

[Robbien]

10. So, three attempted gov't overthrows in a month

First Haiti
Then Venezuela
Then Equatorial Guinea
(there is a great story on the Guinea attempt in today's Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/zimbabwe/article/0,2763,1168524,00.html }

All funded by our taxes paid into the National Endowment for Democracy. I see that Bush has asked to double their budget in the 2005 Budget. Wonder who we are going to overthrow next.

[AP]

11. Brazil. Zimbabwe. South Korea.

[Robbien]

12. Zimbabwe maybe

But South Korea and Brazil both have decent armies, do they not? We do not seem to pick on nations that can fight back.

[AP]

19. We don't pick on them with armies any more (which is the point...

...of this article, I believe).

[Robbien]

29. Yes, you are probably right. Iraq had an army

and to overthrow that government these guys just went in and bought them off with loads of our taxpayer money.

[UpInArms]

14. I heard Cambodia

is on the list

[OutlawCorporatePolls]

18. Venezuela's oil won't decline until 2025.

Venezuela - Oil Production


USA - Oil Production


Link to Top 42 Countries
http://dieoff.org/42Countries/42Countries.htm

[salin]

76. information?

hadn't heard about recent dabbling in Cambodia.

[maggrwaggr]

15. Hm, so maybe Shrub IS an asshole, like Chavez charged!

do ya think?

This administrations crimes have no end.

[Zhade]

16. So, where are the disinformation agents now?

The Independent beats your opposition propaganda by a mile. Chew on that, propagandists!

[AP]

21. Between this and the mercenaries in Zimbabwe, it's a bad week for the neo-

cons and neoliberals.

[Ignis]

96. They're victims of the wind and the sea, I'd say.

Perhaps internet connectivity isn't a sure thing when you're in a US Navy boat off the coast of Venezuela....

[eablair3]

20. anyone know if any of these FOIA docs are available online?

from the article:

Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that, in 2002, America paid more than a million dollars to those political groups in what it claims is an ongoing effort to build democracy and "strengthen political parties". Mr Chavez has seized on the information, telling Washington to "get its hands off Venezuela".

anyone know if any of these FOIA docs are available online?

[AP]

23. I think they're on here somewhere.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/

Here are some other FOIA docs, but not the ones referred to in the article, I believe.

http://www.venezuelafoia.info/

[Just Me]

27. My guess is that FOIA docs are committed to "memory",...

,...since there is a concerted effort to preserve such information *smile*. Doncha' think? :bounce:

[MidwestMomma]

28. Can we find a country willing to send us money to defeat Bush?

Seems only fair!

[burrowowl]

31. OH! Really!

OMG I'm SHOCKED, I tell you SHOCKED!
The U$!? Oh, I am so SHOCKED!

[windansea]

34. LOOK!!! MORE SECRET DOCUMENTS

what investigative journalism!! secret NED documents found!!!

LOOK!!!

oh my god...NED supported overwhelmingly by Congress....we are doomed

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMEDD

LOOK EVERYONE.....I FOUND THE SECRET WEBSITE!!

NED's congressional support has grown steadily during its first twenty years. From the early days of close and frequent votes on its authorizing and appropriating legislation, it has moved beyond survival to widespread bipartisan endorsement on the Hill. In fact, identical Senate and House resolutions (S. Con Res 66; H. Con Res 274) commending the National Endowment for Democracy “for its major contributions to the strengthening of democracy around the world on the occasion of the 20th anniversary” of its establishment, and endeavoring “to continue to support vital work” were passed in October, 2003. The Senate resolution was passed by unanimous voice vote; the House resolution sailed through on a roll call vote of 391-1. Both resolutions had strong, bipartisan co-sponsorship.(10) These votes were a reflection of how far the Endowment had come over the years in establishing not only its legitimacy but also the widespread bipartisan approval of its work. But the road had not always been a smooth one.

http://www.ned.org/about/nedhistory.html

[Robbien]

35. Still on your smear campaign I see

Label everything a conspiracy theory, or say hey the Democratic party is doing it too.

The US (and it doesn't matter which party is in charge at the moment) is on a global course and any nation in the way loses.

[9215]

45. BUYING THE VOTE IN A Foreign country is

promoting democracy!!!!!??????????

Is that what you are saying???

[windansea]

46. no

thats what the entire US Congress is saying...for about 30 years...

:)

[9215]

49. So the Dems and Repugs are equally culpable?

Is that what you are saying?

[windansea]

53. no..they are equally proud to support NED

and Kerry wants to increase funding...

Kerry faulted Bush for providing funding for the National Endowment for Democracy that he said "is less than 3 percent of what this administration gives Halliburton." Bush, however, has proposed to double the endowment's budget in the next fiscal year, and he has made the promotion of democracy in the "Greater Middle East" a key goal of his administration this year.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A12301-2004Feb27?language=printer

[eablair3]

61. The U.S. has laws making it a crime ...

The U.S. has laws making it a crime to take money from a foreign government and for foreign agents to make political contributions.

Why does the U.S. make these types of things crimes, and then turn around and go out to other countries and make "political" contributions in other countries, thereby doing the same in other countries that is illegal here?

[9215]

66. Yea, and Dems voted for the Iraq War, but in both cases

they were being decieved. I know what you are trying to do here. It is the old: "everybody is culpable" game. Well, that doesn't wash anymore. It gets back to the question: "What did they know and when did they know it". Supporting a program that becomes corrupt can be inadvertant or concious, THAT is the real issue here.

Bush is using NED to do what the CIA would have done in earlier times. The CIA is too busy running Al Qaeda I guess.

[eablair3]

80. Why does Kerry want to increase the funding of NED?

It's been well-known for quite a while what the NED does. You can't claim to be deceived on this one. So, I'd like to know from some Kerry supporters why he wants to fund the NED even more.

Hell, Kerry even was criticizing Bush for underfunding NED.

So, come on you Kerry backers.

And, for the record, I can't stand Bush or the Repugs.

[9215]

103. Please provide sources.

thanks

[bobbyboucher]

47. What took you so long?

You better get on these threads a little bit quicker, Mister, or else.

[Zhade]

55. Please. You're just embarrassing yourself.

The Independent has established credibility. You are an anonymous poster spreading misinformation. Who do you think is going to fall for your propaganda after reading Greg Palast and sources like the Independent?

Pick another target, you're failing miserably here.

[windansea]

67. LOL

misinformation?? ha ha ....just posting info from NED website

when you can prove that the NED does not enjoy overwhelming support from congressional Democrats or that our presumptive nominee John Kerry does not want to raise NED's funding let me know

PS The Independent article is a laugh...trying to act like they found out some big secret when it is common knowledge

[0007]

69. deleted

[windansea]

70. dunno,,they both want more funding for NED

I haven't seen Kerry attacking NED funding have you?

[muriel_volestrangler]

71. It was common knowledge the USA funded the anti-Chavez side?

Suspected by many, especially here, but I didn't realise the USA had admitted it until now. Do you think it's a good idea for the USA to support political groups trying to get a president voted out? As another poster says, the USA has laws aginast foreign money being used in US elections. That ought to apply the other way round, surely.

[Robbien]

73. Who is going to stop us?

Both parties have signed on to NED, so neither will be complaining. Only public pressure may have some effect. But very little of this information has gotten into the mainstream press. We here really only know about it from the international press. Our press keeps labeling US intervention as a good thing by ousting Thugs who oppress their people.

You ask do these countries have laws against our intervention? Yes, some do. But again, how are they going to stop us? Chavez has filed a complaint against us, but guess who the complaint goes to. The answer, Ashcroft.

[Name removed]

83. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

85. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dax]

88. What point are you making?

As in most of your posts-you try to justify a policy or substantiate a fact by saying look who thinks this is a good thing ..."NED ...overwhelming support from congressional Democrats..." like that makes it alright to interfere in other countries to foment disruptions that cause death, impose power on a population and tell them how they have to live and what kind of economy (privatized that global corporations can control) that they must have-those Dems who support NED and Kerry as well if he supports what NED does are WRONG that is what we are talking about. Kerry has said he doesn't agree with interference and it is certainly not worth the price-he probably needs to review the Iran Contra hearings he helped push and refresh his memory-As wrong as he might be having supported NED in the past-I don't think he would promote regime change of the month club as Bush appears to do so we will be ALOT SAFER with a Kerry Whitehouse. Why do you think there is such an increase in TERROR right now? Oppressed populations everywhere are recognizing that if the Bush junta is allowed to continue as it is now, all governments will be subject colonies-it is only a matter of time any country that doesn't do what the US DICTATES will have its govt replaced by, oh, some rich talk show host or maybe a right wing movie star, or they might start using football players because they are just figure heads anyway-if they dress nice, talk well and are also photogenic, it just looks prettier for the photo ops doesn't it!!!

[TankLV]

97. Again, the timeline is very important.

Under democratic party leadership control, the NED did what its name implys - promote democracy and democratic ideals abroad, such as those on which this country was founded.

Under repuke control, which has happened since 1) repukes took control of congress, and 2) bunkerboy was installed in OUR White House, the purpose, goals, and efforts of the NED have been changed to essentially support the neocons agenda - including destabilizing anyone who dares oppose or criticize bunkerboy and his band of thugs or has something of value that the same thugs want. Refunding radio MARTI and sneaking agents into Cuba, Venezuala and other similar countries are just some examples.

Kerry, Carter, and other such nobel persons are actively supporting the NED's return to it's original purpose.

Context is EVERYTHING

[dax]

86. After listening to the hearings on Haiti

I don't think Congress and the Senate have been paying attention to what NED does-they all seemed shocked to know what we have been paying for- They are getting lied to as much as the average American, they rely on "experts" like Noriega and Ambassador FOley who are in on the games and know how to manipulate through language and bogus press reports they write how to make people believe anything with conviction, even it has zero connection to reality.

[lazarus]

37. Did you see who's doing the funding?

The National Endowment for Democracy. Here's a few members:

Julie Finley
Council for Republicans: Founding Member
Republican Primary PAC: Chairperson and Founder
The WISH List (Women in the Senate and House): Founding Member
Council for Republican Environmental Advocacy (CREA): Founding Member
Republican Leadership Council: Member of Steering Committee
Committee for the Liberation of Iraq: Treasurer
U.S. Committee on NATO: Founding Board Member
Project on Transitional Democracies: Chairman of the Board of Directors
National Endowment for Democracy: Trustee
District of Columbia Republican Party Chairperson: 1992-2000
Host Committee for the Prague NATO Summit: Chairperson, November 2002

Vin Weber
Humphrey Institute: Senior Fellow; Co-Director of Policy Forum
National Endowment for Democracy: Chairman of the Board
Empower America: Co-Founder
George W. Bush Campaign: Adviser
Project for the New American Century: Letter on War on Terrorism: Signatory (2001)
Project for the New American Century: Letter to Gingrich and Lott on Iraq: Signatory (1998)
Project for the New American Century: Letter to President Clinton on Iraq: Signatory (1998)
Project for the New American Century: Statement of Principles: Signatory (1997)
Aspen Institute Domestic Strategy Group: Co-Chairman
Center of the American Experiment: Senior Fellow
German Marshall Fund: Member of Board of Trustees
National Public Radio: Member of the Board
Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government: Member of Visiting Committee
George Washington University National Council for Political Management: Member
Progress and Freedom Foundation: Former Senior Fellow
Senator Rudy Boshwitz Campaign: Manager and Chief Minnesota Aide (1978-1980)

National Commission on Public Service: Member
U.S. House of Representatives: Minnesota Congressman (1980-1992) Founder of Conservative Opportunity Society
U.S. Representative Tom Hagedorn: Press Secretary (1974-1976)
Minnesota State Republican Convention: Delegate (1972, 1978)

Bill Frist
Killer of Kittens

At one time, Frank Carlucci was on the board.

Disturbingly, Wes Clark and Evan Bayh are on the board right now; I'd like to see some answers from these two VP candidates, and quickly. Very, very quickly. As in within the next few hours.

[Robbien]

39. Yes, Clark and Bayh support the NED

And a couple of weeks ago Kerry criticized Bush for not providing enough funding for the NED.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A12301-2004Feb27?language=printer

So, no matter what happens in this next election our foreign policy is going to be one of exploitation.

[Zhade]

58. Wow, I missed the "Kerry wants more money for NED" thing. Krikey!

That is very not good. Very, very ungood.

[Zhade]

56. Interesting note: Vin Weber is a lobbyist for ChoicePoint...

...which, as Greg Palast has evidenced with documentation, was involved in the pre-Coup scrub of 90,000+ voters in Florida in 2000.

http://www.gregpalast.com/searchresults.cfm?searchtype=columns&keyword=vin+weber&option=Search

[lazarus]

64. Just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?

I'm gonna go get my Reynolds Wrap now. Is it shiny side out, or shiny side in?

[kiahzero]

79. Why aren't you calling for Kucinich to answer questions, then?

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2003/roll532.xml

Kucinich supports it... does that make him an evil PNAC plant, now?

[windansea]

84. good point

:thumbsup:

[lazarus]

89. Did I say they were evil PNAC plants?

I mentioned that many evil PNAC people are involved. And I'd like answers from the non-PNAC Dems who are also involved.

If DK supports it, I'd like answers from him, too. It's entirely possible he doesn't know the history of the people involved.

On edit: Or are you denying that these people are PNACers? I mean, that's rather impossible to do, isn't it? They're founding members of PNAC, signatories of the PNAC letters about Iraq, that sort of thing, and here they are running an organisation that's funding the overthrow of the leaders of Haiti and Venezuela. Yeah, I think we deserve an answer from Democrats supporting that group, and I don't care how good their liberal credentials are.

[kiahzero]

90. I was engaging in hyperbole

Disturbingly, Wes Clark and Evan Bayh are on the board right now; I'd like to see some answers from these two VP candidates, and quickly. Very, very quickly. As in within the next few hours.

Clark is not a member of PNAC - he was one of, if not the first, candidate to out them on television. He also wrote about them in his second book. I don't know about Bayh, so maybe he's a member, but I doubt it.

If DK supports it, I'd like answers from him, too. It's entirely possible he doesn't know the history of the people involved.

If a Kerry supporter said that about his/her candidate, wouldn't Kerry be slammed as a moron who should have known better? Why is it different with DK?

On edit: Or are you denying that these people are PNACers? I mean, that's rather impossible to do, isn't it? They're founding members of PNAC, signatories of the PNAC letters about Iraq, that sort of thing, and here they are running an organisation that's funding the overthrow of the leaders of Haiti and Venezuela. Yeah, I think we deserve an answer from Democrats supporting that group, and I don't care how good their liberal credentials are.

The structure of the NED is such that the Republicans and the Democrats, along with the AFL-CIO and one other group that doesn't come to mind, each get to do their own thing. It's essentially four organizations that are rolled into one. Hence, you've got to do more than link a person to the NED to demonstrate that their are complicit in the coups (not to mention, demonstrate that the NED is doing more than just giving money to opposition parties).

[lazarus]

91. The key is, though

That the 4 icky conservatives I listed are on the Board of Directors.

The answers I want are from all the Dems involved in the NED, DK, JFK, WK, EB, all of them.

[kiahzero]

92. To be perfectly honest, it's not likely you're going to get them

The press has an establishment bias, and almost no one in the establishment has a problem with the NED. Hence, the press won't question them about it.

A similar thing happened with AWOL Bush, up until Moore brought it up at a Clark rally, and Clark responded to questions about it.

[Disturbed]

38. Crimes

Haiti
Then Venezuela
Then Equatorial Guinea

If these charges can be legaly proven they are High Crimes by the President of the USA.

Of course, if they were it is doubtful that any charges would be brought. The majority of the Dems have no spine to do so.

[Chicago Democrat]

41. This is obvious! TRUE and an OUTRAGE!!!!

Down with BUSH

[9215]

43. I FACKIN' knew it!!

I knew this. This makes the referendum NULL and VOID!!!

One thing all the observer orgs didn't count on. No wonder the opposition groups were so eager to have things monitored.


VIVA CHAVEZ!!!

[Zhade]

57. They were doing this same thing way back in '53 with Mossadeq in Iran.

Funded a bunch of opposition groups, which believed in the cause and were in the dark about the machinations of the U.S. and Britain. That's why these opposition groups are so good for propaganda - they actually believe they are doing the right thing, when in 99% of the case they are aiding the very people who will later exploit them.

It's a sick, twisted mind that conceives of and executes such a fiendishly brilliant plan, and one which no doubt savors the irony. The Nazis took "a secret pleasure" in watching the propaganda at work, and I'm certain this government absorbed some of that relish for secret plots and the "useful idiots" who help them along in much the same way they absorbed Nazi scientists and upper elite into the American fold.

[9215]

78. At least now we have the Internet to help get the word out. nt

[9215]

44. Now what needs to be investigated is whether

people were directly paid to vote, given favors, presents etc. Check bank accounts, question the voters, etc.


That sudden turnout of all these pro-fascists stunk from the beginning.

[Robbien]

48. The people already reported they were forced to sign

or they would lose their jobs or were threatened with physical harm.
The article
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1115
outlines the extreme lengths that were taken to get people to sign. But they were bucking the US funded system, and they lost.

[9215]

50. Thanks, I hadn't seen this.

This is what Hugo needs to present to the observers. Wonder why he hasn't?

[JoeKSimmons]

51. The popular vote in the USA does not matter

I'm surprized the UK Independent does not know this small fact.

All we now is the CBC to help support Chavez like they support Aristide.

[Zhade]

59. I'm confused. Are you saying the CBC are supporting Aristide...

...or is that your way of saying they aren't supporting him?

I ask because I work in broadcast media and watch a lot of tv (it's my job). I've seen the CBC via Newsworld International (owned by Vivendi Universal, btw) and they seem to repeat the same propaganda about Aristide "fleeing" and other myths.

[JoeKSimmons]

75. All we now NEED...

All we now need is the CBC to help support Chavez like they support Aristide.

I mistyped my post. Sorry.

[Zhade]

77. Hey, no worries. We all do it sometimes. Welcome to DU, by the way!

:)

[Vladimir]

63. Wait a minute

Hold on. US Government. Rich opposition groups. Popularly elected leader. Money changing hands. Oooh sir! Suit you sir!

Besides, its printed in a UK journal. So it must be pinko-commie-maoist propaganda like those stories of torture at Camp X-Ray which aren't true so stop saying that!

V

[peterh]

74. Chavez just doesn’t fit that “New World Order” mode….

That’s on the PNAC assembly line…..I think Perle is out to perfect the methodology of Kissinger’s….:freak:

[Just Me]

81. This "funding" must be revealed to those who PAY for it,...

,...without any knowledge of how their hard-earned dollars are being taken and given away. Doncha' think?

THE PEOPLE deserve to know!!!!!

Doncha' think?

THE PEOPLE deserve demonstrable PROOF that THE PEOPLE are being served,...as opposed to the interests of a few in power

[windansea]

87. we're paying for it...the Congress allots it

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2003/roll532.xml

[CerealMurderer]

93. Which opponent is the US supposed to be backing?

Is there a name to go with this "backing"?

[rman]

105. it's called "big corporations"

or "no-bars-hold-capitalism" if you will.

[pescao]

94. two goodies from the toronto star today

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1079133608564&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795

Is Chavez in America's crosshairs?

LINDA MCQUAIG

The president of Venezuela was addressing an International Women's Day gathering in Caracas last week, when he broke into song. The overflow crowd, familiar with their exuberant president's penchant for singing popular songs when the spirit moves him, went wild, chanting for more. He obliged.

Sitting in the audience, I was struck by the emotional connection between the crowd and Hugo Chavez — democratically elected president, revolutionary style leader, champion of Venezuela's poor, scourge of Venezuela's rich, and, some say, next on Washington's hit list.

...

In an upscale pastry shop, a fashionably dressed young man, seeing that I'm a foreigner, volunteers how Chavez has destroyed Venezuela. Meanwhile, a bellhop at the hotel beams when the president's name is mentioned: "Ese es el hombre!" (He's the man!)

...

The elite owns all the private TV stations, which seem to run nothing but reports on Hollywood celebrities and the tyranny of Chavez. CNN picks up its Venezuelan footage from these stations, which explains why almost everything North Americans learn about Venezuela is negative. (A recent Globe and Mail editorial, titled "The obstinate Chavez," suggested he should learn a lesson from the coup in Haiti, and posed the question: "Doesn't Hugo Chavez watch CNN?" — presumably the Globe's main information source.)

...



http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1079219409779

How America determines friends and foes

NOAM CHOMSKY
SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Every self-respecting president has a doctrine attached to his name. The core principle of the Bush II doctrine is that the United States must "rid the world of evil," as the president said right after 9/11.

...

Venezuela now presents a similar problem. A recent lead article in the Wall Street Journal says, "Fidel Castro has found a key benefactor and heir apparent to the cause of derailing the U.S.'s agenda in Latin America: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez."

As it happens, last month, Venezuela asked the United States to extradite two former military officers who are seeking asylum in the United States. The two had taken part in a military coup supported by the Bush administration, which backed down in the face of outrage throughout the hemisphere.

The Venezuelan government, remarkably, observed a ruling of the Venezuelan supreme court barring prosecution of the coup leaders. The two officers were later implicated in a terrorist bombing, and fled to Miami.

...

[Rex]

95. No surprise here, this has been our policy towards S.A. for, oh,

150 years (give or take a decade). It really heated up during the Cold War with the US/CIA dictating which person would be in power in which S.A. country by undermining the legitimate ruler. We've been doing it all over the world for generations, S.A. just happens to be where we do it the most.

[proud patriot]

98. God why is it that whenever a bush family member has power

they pull covert illegal shit like this ?

[Judi Lynn]

99. "A deplorable and reiterated insult to human dignity"

"A deplorable and reiterated insult to human dignity"
Racist Comments in Venezuelan TV “an Offense to the African People”, African Ambassadors Say

Sunday, Mar 14, 2004

Caracas, Mar 14 (Venezuelanalysis.com).- As “a grotesque and indecent spectacle full of racist content” a group of Ambassadors from African nations in Venezuela described the ridicule of the President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe in a local TV show broadcasted by the commercial network Globovision.
(snip)

The clip featured humorous music and snoring sounds in the background while the show’s host Leopoldo Castillo mentioned that it reminded him of the movie “The Planet of the Apes”. One of the show’s guest, Humberto Calderon Berti, added that the Mugabe incident reminded him “of a little dog falling off a taxicab”. Berti is a former president of the Venezuelan oil company PDVSA and former president of OPEC during the governments headed by the parties that ruled the country for more than forty years, and which are now seeking to oust Chavez. Leopoldo Castillo also enjoyed privileges during previous governments as Venezuela's ambassador to El Salvador in the 80's. The other show host, Marisabel Párraga, also laughed at Mugabe.
(snip)

The Chavez administration is the only government in the history of Venezuela to allow the local media to make fun of government politicians or the President. In spite of that, the opposition and the commercial media who oppose Chavez call the government “a Castro-communist dictatorship.” However, this is the first incident in which the leader of a country is ridiculed in such manner.

The Minister of Education, Aristobulo Isturiz, who is black, has been called “a monkey” and “an ape”, by commercial media political commentators who oppose the government.
(snip/...)


"Aló Ciudadano" host and Chavez opponent Leopoldo Castillo laughs at the President of Zimbabwe, who reminded him of the movie “The Planet of the Apes”.
Photo: Globovision TV.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1226

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'd like to point out that Globovision is owned by Gustavo Cisneros, a "hunting friend" of George H. W. Bush. Do a search on him to learn how much he owns in Venezuelan media, etc.

Anyone who doesn't know already, can start searching for informtion on the "opposition" and its position toward non-Spanish, and non-Caucasian people to become more acquainted with their boundless racial hostility. They don't make any attempt to conceal it.

[Judi Lynn]

100. Globovision kick.

:kick:

[Judi Lynn]

101. A look at the Miami Herald's anti-Chavez stance

It moves the Herald to completely mislead American readers:

The Miami Herald Makes the Case for Suspected Venezuelan Terrorists

Wednesday, Feb 04, 2004 Print format
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By: Martin Sanchez, Venezuelanalysis.com

On Feb. 02, 2004, The Miami Herald ran an editorial about petitions for asylum by two Venezuelan rebel military officers who escaped to Miami after investigations linked them to terrorist attacks against the diplomatic buildings of Colombia and Spain in Caracas in February 2003.
(snip)

But perhaps the most disturbing paragraph of the Herald’s piece includes suggestions for the terror suspects on possible arguments to make in their asylum request, and suggests that the Death Penalty is practiced in Venezuela; “They may even choose to ask for protection from deportation under the Convention Against Torture. They could argue that they would be executed in Venezuela on trumped-up charges” In contrast to the U.S., Venezuela stands proud as one of the first countries in the world to abolish Capital Punishment by doing so in 1899.

With regard to the charges, the evidence presented by the prosecutor is compelling enough to prompt Venezuela’s Supreme Court of Justice to back the detention request for extradition recently made by the Venezuelan government against these two individuals. The Supreme Court of Justice is clearly not controlled or influenced by the Executive branch, as evidenced by the Court’s exoneration of all charges of those involved in the 2002 coup d’etat against Chavez.

Newspapers must have total freedom to express their views about particular issues, but making false claims such as hinting at the existence of the Death Penalty in Venezuela is a matter that perhaps should merit an official request for apology and retraction by Venezuela’s government. There is clear intent here to harm Venezuela’s democratic government, not with facts, but with lies.
(snip/...)

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/articles.php?artno=1099

How many knew there's no capital punishment in Venezuela? I didn't, before today.

[Judi Lynn]

102. The Script of Destabilization as Applied to Venezuela

The Script of Destabilization as Applied to Venezuela

Wednesday, Mar 03, 2004 Print format
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By: Dario Azzellini

These days the audience of Venezuela’s four most important private TV-channels must have the impression that there is a popular revolt against the Chávez government going on. Globovision is in a leading position with an uninterrupted live program. The local news-source for CNN is selling the idea of street fighting throughout the whole country. Even images of two burning litterbags or simply some rocks lying around are supported with dramatic music while aggressive politicians from the opposition talk about a supposed dictatorship and make calls for disobedience. Reporters of the same channel are filmed in front of a completely normal city highway and declare with a certain flavor of invitation: „The protests here will begin about midday, we’re gonna stay here until the blockades start.” On Venevision, also an organ of the coup-friendly sector of the opposition, we can observe messages of supposed calls of the audience on the bottom of the screen: „Out on the streets!” “Fight the dictatorship.” “Blockades with any means.” “Shame! Nobody can stay at home!” And a hysteric voice declares in a phone call: “People have to wake up! The regime is executing people on the streets all over the county!”

Reality on streets is obviously different. Several members of the opposition have been arrested during violent acts, while Carlos Melo, a former leader of “Causa R” (CR – Radical Cause), was arrested by the investigative police (DISIP) with two automatic high-powered rifles in his car.

But just as during the April 11th 2002 coup attempt, the mass media, controlled by rightwing businessmen, play a central role in the destabilization strategy of the opposition. So the virtual reality of the opposition, which is mainly formed by the same sectors that robbed the country for 40 years and kept most of those who now support the Chávez government in poverty and controlled them with repression, finds an echo in the international mass media.

The documentary “The revolution will not be televised” won several international prizes and was shown all over the western world; in some countries such as Germany and Britain even on public television. Nevertheless, very few journalists seriously thought about the virtual set-up of the coup. The same politicians that participated in the coup are today once again presented as the “democratic opposition” and the same TV channels that helped organize and support the coup are today once again the main source of information for the international press.
(snip/...)

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/articles.php?artno=1118

[9215]

104. Ironically, we have real mass protests in the US against Bush and we

get very little coverage and then surreptitious protests sponsored by big money, bribes, and coercion in Venezuela and that's all you see. :wtf:

[Judi Lynn]

106. Absolutely!

Do you remember some half-A's comment made in Washington D.C. by the police department, saying they discontinued trying to estimate crowd sizes of protests years ago? I can't remember their rationale, but it was truly laughable.

The coverage of ACTUAL crowd sizes wasn't even up to minimal reference. It just wasn't there. It was wildly devaluated. The press just wasn't interested.

Undoubtedly there was total pressure from the _Bush admin. to ignore the protests, with the overriding threat that to do otherwise would be to encourage "the enemy."

Do you think we'll EVER get our media back? Sure looks doubtful from here.