Boston Globe: Chavez military moves eyed

[Eugene]

http://www.boston.com/news/world/latinamerica/articles/2005/07/17/chavez_military_moves_eyed/

Chavez military moves eyed

US, other critics fear Venezuelan leader's intent

By Indira A.R. Lakshmanan, Globe Staff | July 17, 2005

CARACAS -- President Hugo Chavez's weapons deals with Russia, his
curbs on military cooperation with the United States, and his plans
to train as many as 2 million Venezuelan civilians to repel a
possible invasion by an ''imperialist" superpower have the United
States and his domestic critics worried about what the leftist
former military officer is up to.

Chavez insists that the moves are purely defensive, born of an
overdue need to update obsolete military hardware and protect his
country from nations that might want to take control of South
America's largest petroleum- producing state.

His domestic opponents scoff at the idea that Washington would ever
invade Venezuela, and charge that Chavez's true intention is to arm
a huge cadre of loyal reservists who would protect him against any
internal uprising and to promote himself as a militarized
counterweight to US influence in Latin America.

Even more troubling, say his detractors in Washington, is that as
Chavez grows closer to his major ally, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, his
arms purchases and indoctrination of civilian militias could be part
of a strategy to restructure Venezuelan democracy in the image of
Cuban-style militarized socialism and foment leftist revolutions
throughout the continent.

more...

[Oversea Visitor]

1. Better do it fast hey

Look at Iraq. Better still buy some nuke. Look at Iran they going nuclear. That will sure prevent attack hehe.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. What an example we have set.... monkey see, monkey do.... makes

for a lot of doo doo....

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/02/12/Worldandnation/Chavez_s_threat_feste.shtml
Last month he announced exchange controls that he says will be used to suffocate his enemies in the import-driven private sector. "No one can buy a single dollar in Venezuela without the permission of the revolutionary government," he told a crowd of cheering supporters. "Not a single dollar more for the coupmongers or the terrorists," he added, using his favorite two words to describe his opponents.

At the same time, the government filed legal complaints against the four main private television stations as a first step toward muzzling the opposition-dominated media. Chavez has also proposed adding 10 judges to the Supreme Court in order to quash any last vestige of independence.

[julianer]

4. Propaganda

The article you link to is fairly typical propaganda attacking Chavez. These attacks frequently concentrate on peripheral scare stories like the arms purchase from Russia or the supposed threat to a free press, while the real objection that imperialism has to Chavez is that his policies threaten existing wealth.

More information about Chavez, including the CIA and media involvement with the 2002 coup attempt and the 2002-3 employer's strike, as well as current stories about US backed subversion, can be found at:

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/

Given our recent experience of the lying of our political leadership and the role played by the media in encouraging the Iraq disaster, do you think it is wise to uncritically re-broadcast similar propaganda directed against Venezuela?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. Yup.... I screwed up... I usually side with the SPTimes.... no more.

[rman]

3. questions:

How are the Venezuelan militias "indoctrinated"?
Given the amount of domestic support for Chavez, there's little need for indoctrination.
Maybe it's a typo, and writer meant to say "introduction"?

How is it that Cuban socialism is "militarized"? Is it any more militarized then US democracy?

about the sptimes article:
In what way are the legal complaints filed by the Venezuelan government against the private television stations, a first step toward "muzzling" these media?
It seems quite possible to file a complaint without the intention to "muzzle", and no evidence is presented in the article that indicates an intention to muzzle.
Going by the lies and innuendo (Chavez clinically insane, etc, etc) spread by these media during the time of the coup against Chavez, there sure seems to be plenty of ground to file complaints against these media (see the docu "The revolution will not be televised").