Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Gunmen in Venezuela Tried to Provoke a Crisis After "Strike" Failed
Today the essential task is not to define one self as "for or against Chavez," but, rather, to defend democracy in Venezuela and everywhere. That is to say, the right of a people to take its own destiny in its hands and to construct the development model that it chooses, even if that model is outside the dominant neoliberal model.
Gunmen in Venezuela Tried to Provoke a Crisis After "Strike" Failed
By Thierry Deronne, Maximilien Arvelaiz, and Paul-Emi
December 7, 2002
CARACAS, VENEZUELA, 9:35 PM: A few hours ago, as many had predicted, unidentified snipers fired shots against government opponents who accompanied the rebel military officials at Plaza Francia, in the heart of Altamira, a wealthy neighborhood of Caracas. Two are counted dead and at least six wounded. At prime television viewing hours, the moment in which Carlos Ortega, the head of an opposition union, demanded on live TV that the Organization of American States intervene in Venezuela, as the TV screen titled the story "Massacre in Altamira." Most of the commercial TV media broadcast his statement live, as he accused President Hugo Chavez of being an assassin.
The minority opposition movement, after failing to unite the people behind its "general strike," had nothing left except to foment violence in order to accuse Chavez of repression. Last April, the victims of snipers, blamed by the White House on Chavez, served as the pretext to launch a coup d'etat. This time, incapable of gaining the support of the army, the same factions sought to create conditions of international intervention, with the same objective: Remove a democratically elected president who causes problems for the current plans of the Bush administration.
Oil is the main motive behind this media, political and economic war against the Chavez administration, the first light of a new progressive wave in Latin America embodied by the election of Lula de la Silva as president of Brazil and Lucio Gutierrez in Ecuador.
Manipulated directly or indirectly by the dominant press agencies, the world's media has started, again, calling this country "ungovernable, cut in two, and of a Chavez who is authoritarian and repressive." For weeks, a rumor has spread about Venezuela being unable to meet its obligations to supply oil, a matter directly related to the national interests of the United States. The Washington Post editorial of friday, November 19, was revealing in this aspect, asking the Bush government to "act before it is too late." The rumor became a reality two days ago when the captain of an oil tanker, in spite of the opposition by his own sailors, refused to move the ship. The Venezuelan government appeared to lose control of the situation in the eyes of the world. The deaths tonight only reinforce this sentiment.
In a letter we sent two days ago to Belgian Senator Jean Cornil and to French Mayor Georges Sarre, we said that the opposition seeks only one goal: to create one or more deaths in order to move to the next level. A script that was analyzed, with photographic documentation, by Maurice Lemoine, correspondent for the French newspaper Le Monde Diplomatique, who had been present in April 2002 during the attempted coup d'etat. A media coup that is already studied in journalism schools but that continues at full steam, completely impune. Tonight we see more evidence of this. The TV channels don't stop amplifying the attack, with permanent action music soundtracks, to blame the attack on President Chavez. Obviously, the Chavez government, which has condemned the crime with all its energy, is the last political actor with motives to produce such events, those which reinforce the possibilities of intervention. Months ago, the image of an "authoritarian government ready to do anything to keep power" was insidiously planted in global opinion, planting seeds that favor the spin that blames these new deaths on the government and opening the path for acceptance of foreign intervention in Venezuela.
It doesn't matter that the "general strike" launched five days ago failed. It doesn't matter that the opposition doesn't have public support and that the majority of Venezuela's people continue supporting this process of change led by Chavez. The Venezuelan situation demonstrates that a minority of people in alliance with a media monopoly - and certainly the support of powerful sectors in the world - can cause the blockage of a voted-upon change and social transformation.
Today the essential task is not to define one self as "for or against Chavez," but, rather, to defend democracy in Venezuela and everywhere. That is to say, the right of a people to take its own destiny in its hands and to construct the development model that it chooses, even if that model is outside the dominant neoliberal model.
Paul Emile-Dupret is an advisor to the European Parliament from Belgium who, in his role as human rights observer, was shot 41 times last summer by rogue pro-coup police forces in Caracas. Thierry Deronne, also Belgian, is a journalist with TV Tambores, a Community Television station in Venezuela. Maz Arvelaiz, a French native of Venezuelan descent, is a communications consultant to the Chavez government. Arvelaiz and Deronne are professors of the Narco News School of Authentic Journalism. These three internationally respected European leaders are in Venezuela this week in their respective roles, and collaborated on this report to give readers this accurate account of current events in that country that are too often being distorted by the Commercial Media, including U.S. newspaper and wire correspondents.
http://www.narconews.com/Issue26/article555.html
By Thierry Deronne, Maximilien Arvelaiz, and Paul-Emi
December 7, 2002
CARACAS, VENEZUELA, 9:35 PM: A few hours ago, as many had predicted, unidentified snipers fired shots against government opponents who accompanied the rebel military officials at Plaza Francia, in the heart of Altamira, a wealthy neighborhood of Caracas. Two are counted dead and at least six wounded. At prime television viewing hours, the moment in which Carlos Ortega, the head of an opposition union, demanded on live TV that the Organization of American States intervene in Venezuela, as the TV screen titled the story "Massacre in Altamira." Most of the commercial TV media broadcast his statement live, as he accused President Hugo Chavez of being an assassin.
The minority opposition movement, after failing to unite the people behind its "general strike," had nothing left except to foment violence in order to accuse Chavez of repression. Last April, the victims of snipers, blamed by the White House on Chavez, served as the pretext to launch a coup d'etat. This time, incapable of gaining the support of the army, the same factions sought to create conditions of international intervention, with the same objective: Remove a democratically elected president who causes problems for the current plans of the Bush administration.
Oil is the main motive behind this media, political and economic war against the Chavez administration, the first light of a new progressive wave in Latin America embodied by the election of Lula de la Silva as president of Brazil and Lucio Gutierrez in Ecuador.
Manipulated directly or indirectly by the dominant press agencies, the world's media has started, again, calling this country "ungovernable, cut in two, and of a Chavez who is authoritarian and repressive." For weeks, a rumor has spread about Venezuela being unable to meet its obligations to supply oil, a matter directly related to the national interests of the United States. The Washington Post editorial of friday, November 19, was revealing in this aspect, asking the Bush government to "act before it is too late." The rumor became a reality two days ago when the captain of an oil tanker, in spite of the opposition by his own sailors, refused to move the ship. The Venezuelan government appeared to lose control of the situation in the eyes of the world. The deaths tonight only reinforce this sentiment.
In a letter we sent two days ago to Belgian Senator Jean Cornil and to French Mayor Georges Sarre, we said that the opposition seeks only one goal: to create one or more deaths in order to move to the next level. A script that was analyzed, with photographic documentation, by Maurice Lemoine, correspondent for the French newspaper Le Monde Diplomatique, who had been present in April 2002 during the attempted coup d'etat. A media coup that is already studied in journalism schools but that continues at full steam, completely impune. Tonight we see more evidence of this. The TV channels don't stop amplifying the attack, with permanent action music soundtracks, to blame the attack on President Chavez. Obviously, the Chavez government, which has condemned the crime with all its energy, is the last political actor with motives to produce such events, those which reinforce the possibilities of intervention. Months ago, the image of an "authoritarian government ready to do anything to keep power" was insidiously planted in global opinion, planting seeds that favor the spin that blames these new deaths on the government and opening the path for acceptance of foreign intervention in Venezuela.
It doesn't matter that the "general strike" launched five days ago failed. It doesn't matter that the opposition doesn't have public support and that the majority of Venezuela's people continue supporting this process of change led by Chavez. The Venezuelan situation demonstrates that a minority of people in alliance with a media monopoly - and certainly the support of powerful sectors in the world - can cause the blockage of a voted-upon change and social transformation.
Today the essential task is not to define one self as "for or against Chavez," but, rather, to defend democracy in Venezuela and everywhere. That is to say, the right of a people to take its own destiny in its hands and to construct the development model that it chooses, even if that model is outside the dominant neoliberal model.
Paul Emile-Dupret is an advisor to the European Parliament from Belgium who, in his role as human rights observer, was shot 41 times last summer by rogue pro-coup police forces in Caracas. Thierry Deronne, also Belgian, is a journalist with TV Tambores, a Community Television station in Venezuela. Maz Arvelaiz, a French native of Venezuelan descent, is a communications consultant to the Chavez government. Arvelaiz and Deronne are professors of the Narco News School of Authentic Journalism. These three internationally respected European leaders are in Venezuela this week in their respective roles, and collaborated on this report to give readers this accurate account of current events in that country that are too often being distorted by the Commercial Media, including U.S. newspaper and wire correspondents.
http://www.narconews.com/Issue26/article555.html
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
Tension remains high in Venezuela after Friday's violence in the capital, Caracas, as a general strike crippling the country's vital oil industry enters its sixth day.
Both opposition and government supporters plan major demonstrations later on Saturday, following a day which saw three people killed and almost 30 injured when shots were fired at an opposition rally,
It is unclear who was responsible for the shooting near Plaza Altamira in the capital, although two suspects were detained by police.
President Hugo Chavez has called for calm and denounced the killings. He also promised to hold talks with opponents, who are demanding his resignation.
But some opposition leaders said that the government was behind the attacks.
"I have no doubt that the only one responsible for this violence is Mr Chavez. No-one else is responsible," said labour leader Carlos Ortega.
Defiance
Rebel army General Enrique Medina Gomez issued a defiant challenge to the president.
"Chavez is responsible for this crime. Come get me if you're a man. Don't kill the people, assassin," he said.
But Mr Chavez, whom many protesters want to submit to a referendum on his rule, stood firm at an impromptu midnight news conference.
"With the blood still warm on the square, with everyone still shocked by what happened and trying to call for calm, some people want to clamber on top of that blood and pain and use them for their own gain," he said.
The shootings, which took place at 1800 local time (2200GMT) on Friday, caused panic in the square, as people dashed to take cover.
Local television stations showed pictures of ambulances at the scene, with medics attending to an estimated 28 wounded.
Oil hit
Crude oil production has dropped by up to a sixth of the total national output since refinery workers and oil tanker crews joined other strikers, threatening the economic backbone of the world's fifth biggest oil exporter.
As tension on the streets increased, government officials held talks with mediators on restarting negotiations with opposition union leaders.
The BBC's Nick Miles in Caracas says any agreement will have to allow both sides to save face, but as confidence within the opposition movement reaches new heights it is unlikely to give President Chavez that luxury.
President Chavez attracts huge popularity among some Venezuelans, but equally vehement hatred among others.
A day after President Chavez ordered the military to guard oil installations and reclaim three striking tankers, Ali Rodriguez, the president of the Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) state oil company, acknowledged that production had been hit hard.
"As refining and exports are affecting, millions of dollars are being lost," said Mr Rodriguez.
Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said crude oil production had been slashed by up to 500,000 barrels per day, but denied exports were suffering.
"We're selling all our production," he told the BBC.
"We don't have any disruption in our exportation. We have a problem just with our internal market," he said.
Mr Ramirez said exports were only being delayed and that ships in port had a "window" of five days to depart with their loads.
But analysts have warned that a shutdown for longer than two days could have a major impact on US and world oil prices.
---
Venezuela facts
Population of 23.5 million, up to 85% live in poverty
World's fifth largest oil exporter and key Opec player
Former coup leader Hugo Chavez elected president 1998 on anti-corruption platform
Chavez briefly toppled by coup in April 2002 but back in power within 48 hours
Both opposition and government supporters plan major demonstrations later on Saturday, following a day which saw three people killed and almost 30 injured when shots were fired at an opposition rally,
It is unclear who was responsible for the shooting near Plaza Altamira in the capital, although two suspects were detained by police.
President Hugo Chavez has called for calm and denounced the killings. He also promised to hold talks with opponents, who are demanding his resignation.
But some opposition leaders said that the government was behind the attacks.
"I have no doubt that the only one responsible for this violence is Mr Chavez. No-one else is responsible," said labour leader Carlos Ortega.
Defiance
Rebel army General Enrique Medina Gomez issued a defiant challenge to the president.
"Chavez is responsible for this crime. Come get me if you're a man. Don't kill the people, assassin," he said.
But Mr Chavez, whom many protesters want to submit to a referendum on his rule, stood firm at an impromptu midnight news conference.
"With the blood still warm on the square, with everyone still shocked by what happened and trying to call for calm, some people want to clamber on top of that blood and pain and use them for their own gain," he said.
The shootings, which took place at 1800 local time (2200GMT) on Friday, caused panic in the square, as people dashed to take cover.
Local television stations showed pictures of ambulances at the scene, with medics attending to an estimated 28 wounded.
Oil hit
Crude oil production has dropped by up to a sixth of the total national output since refinery workers and oil tanker crews joined other strikers, threatening the economic backbone of the world's fifth biggest oil exporter.
As tension on the streets increased, government officials held talks with mediators on restarting negotiations with opposition union leaders.
The BBC's Nick Miles in Caracas says any agreement will have to allow both sides to save face, but as confidence within the opposition movement reaches new heights it is unlikely to give President Chavez that luxury.
President Chavez attracts huge popularity among some Venezuelans, but equally vehement hatred among others.
A day after President Chavez ordered the military to guard oil installations and reclaim three striking tankers, Ali Rodriguez, the president of the Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) state oil company, acknowledged that production had been hit hard.
"As refining and exports are affecting, millions of dollars are being lost," said Mr Rodriguez.
Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said crude oil production had been slashed by up to 500,000 barrels per day, but denied exports were suffering.
"We're selling all our production," he told the BBC.
"We don't have any disruption in our exportation. We have a problem just with our internal market," he said.
Mr Ramirez said exports were only being delayed and that ships in port had a "window" of five days to depart with their loads.
But analysts have warned that a shutdown for longer than two days could have a major impact on US and world oil prices.
---
Venezuela facts
Population of 23.5 million, up to 85% live in poverty
World's fifth largest oil exporter and key Opec player
Former coup leader Hugo Chavez elected president 1998 on anti-corruption platform
Chavez briefly toppled by coup in April 2002 but back in power within 48 hours
What is happening in Venezuala and Haiti reminds me of what happened in Chile under Allende. This oil company strike reminds me the the strikes of the truckers and copper miners in Chile under Allende. It was later prove that the CIA was financing the strikers and was directly involved in instigating trouble in Chile, with some help from ITT, which was retaliating against having their holdings in Chile nationalized. When there was a coup in Chile, it lead to one of the most blatantly inhumane dictatorships in history.
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$330.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network