Chavez Supporter: Chávez Is More Of The Same

Tuned Globovisión (the only opposition channel left) this morning for a debate between two students: one against the closure of RCTV and one for Chávez, sorry, supporting the closure of RCTV. The pro-Chávez student had the final word (due to how the TV program was planned, bravo for Globovisión) and said the following, which is worth studying:

Former Presidents closed RCTV, too. He said with a great conviction (it must be true, although I can't remember) that both Jaime Lusinchi and Carlos Andrés Pérez closed RCTV for some days. This student may not recall (he was probably 10-12 years old at the time) that Chávez was elected because he represented a break from the past, not because he was like Lusinchi and CAP. If now Chávez and his supporters think that he is allowed to do what previous Presidents did, we can just call it a day and declare that his "revolution" has failed miserably. On the other hand, if Chávez wants to emulate these Presidents, then he should reopen RCTV in a couple of days.

It's only one voice that was closed. Coincidentially, my son, it's not your voice that was closed, so it doesn't matter to you. Does it? It should matter, because in 1996, Chávez's voice wasn't silenced. This voice was the one that eventually convinced you. Imagine if the government of the time would have censored Chávez "because it was only one voice".

RCTV's voice was from a minority. This way of thinking (which is similar to what Rosales said) is very, very, dangerous. You cannot limit people's freedom of speech because they are a minority. If that were the case, we would shut down the voices of the religions that are not from the Catholic majority. As if the world needed more religious conflicts, we would censore Jews, Muslims, etc. because they are from a minority in Venezuela.

RCTV promoted a coup on April 11-13, 2002. Where's the fair trial? Where's the Truth Committee? As Venezuelans, we want to know what happened those days. Why did my friend get shot in his hand with a bullet coming from Puente Llaguno? Why did all those people die? Who put Carmona in charge? Chávez's government has replaced the search for answers with the imposition of its own version of the story. Whoever disagrees, is silenced.

Seven Stories, Only One Allowed

This is the country that Chávez wants, one in which banners that span 7 floors tell the "truth" about what's going on. Banners that talk about the revolution and how it benefits all Venezuelans. He wants people to believe the motto "Now Venezuela Is For Everybody" while shutting down the voice of the oldest TV station in the country and threatening anybody else that dare say something different from the official party line.

Billionaires With Chávez