Phone taps target Chavez opponents in Venezuela

[Bacchus39]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/08/19/ap/latinamerica/main20094490.shtml


(AP) CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez's political rivals are on notice that anything they say over the phone might be not only recorded by eavesdroppers but also played and flaunted on national television.

Though wiretapping without a court order is illegal in Venezuela, such recordings have been surfacing on state TV and radio and have become a standard tactic in attempts to ridicule and embarrass opposition politicians.

Oswaldo Alvarez Paz, a longtime Chavez adversary and a presidential hopeful, denounced what he called "dirty tactics" by the government after state media this month aired recordings of him and an activist gossiping over the phone and complaining about other anti-Chavez politicians.

"That made me feel indignation and made me laugh, because it's not the first time. They've already put me on that program like four times," Alvarez told The Associated Press in an interview last week.



when is the investigation???

[naaman fletcher]

1. When Chavez does it, it's ok. It's only bad when Uribe does it. nt.

[gbscar]

2. Assuming this is actually true and not misreported, I don't think it would be alright at all (nt).

[ChangoLoa]

4. On public TV, there's a show called La Hojilla where they regularly put taped conversations

of opponents. Its host, Mario Silva, is an important member of PSUV. He was the party's candidate for Carabobo region, which is the 3rd most populated.

There's a new show too, specially used for the purpose. It's called "Mesa de Alacranes" and aimed to show the lack of unity in the opposition (MUD (opposition coalition) means Mesa de Unidad Democratica and alacran means scorpion).

Here are some of the tapings by the intelligence services that have been aired

This is a whole show (go to minute 30 for example):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE8ICUm91tM&feature=related

These are the extracts of the aired taped conversations:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYFPNp3ytNI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49nfMY_w-0Q&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnJcLuQURwo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo531U-Z4QM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Z4wyIKq90&feature=related

Here's the show on Chavez's visit:

[EFerrari]

5. You are attributing without evidence, aren't you?

[naaman fletcher]

8. lol. nt.

[ChangoLoa]

9. Who can tape dozens of opponents with regularity and who is using the tapings?

It strikes all opposition parties indiscriminately and it deeply affects them. Who benefits from this?

[joshcryer]

7. That is beyond the pale.

Not that I particularly agree with these conversations but talk about obscene lack of justice.

[naaman fletcher]

3. kicking

for our friends who must be on a long weekend vacation, as we know how seriously they take this issue.. i want to make sure they see it.

[joshcryer]

6. Rec'd to zero.

Never get over the blatant hypocrisy.

[naaman fletcher]

10. There is zero intellectual honesty with certain people. nt.

[naaman fletcher]

11. have you seen any updates on this? nt.

[Bacchus39]

12. I haven't heard anything new. there will be no investigation

but as I've said, I'd love to be proven wrong on this one.