Venezuela: demonstrations scheduled in front of the National Assembly

There's a large demonstration scheduled in front of the National Assembly. I'll post on it later today UPDATED through the day.

2:10PM Update Adam Housely's reporting from a demonstration in Caracas, and he's wearing a bullet-proof vest.

Silenced Venezuelan TV station moves to YouTube

Radio Caracas Television, the station silenced by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, has found a way to continue its daily broadcasts -- on YouTube, the popular video Web site.

Although the station is officially off the air, CNN's Harris Whitbeck said its news department continues to operate on reduced staffing, and the three daily hour-long installments of the newscast "El Observador" are uploaded onto YouTube by RCTV's Web department.

In addition, RCTV's Colombia-based affiliate, Caracol, has agreed to transmit the evening installment of "El Observador" over its international signal. The program, which will run at midnight, could reach about 800,000 people in Venezuela

So far Nielsen ratings suggest Government gained little by RCTV's shutdown

Carter's Chavezuela

Carter himself had a direct hand in the rise of the dictatorship and in weakening the free press.

In 2004, Carter was an official observer to a rigged recall referendum. He swiftly declared it free and fair. Venezuelans cried fraud and chased Carter around Caracas, beating pots and pans. Despite this, outside Venezuela, Carter's report was taken by the media as credible, and Chavez's regime used it to bolster its legitimacy.

The truth was far sorrier. Carter allowed Chavista officials to select ballot boxes for the observers to inspect and to keep them out of the counting room where fraud is most likely. Carter ignored evidence of electronic rigging and dismissed red flags of irregularities raised by a number of economists.

That wasn't the only problem he created.

In 2004,Venezuela had four robust TV stations, all of which were under fire for their criticism of the regime. Chavez declared them "four horsemen of the apocalypse," and vowed to destroy them.

Just a few days ahead of the August recall referendum, Carter mediated a meeting between one station owner, Venevision's Gustavo Cisneros, and Chavez. The result: Venevision ended its critical coverage of Chavez in exchange for its continued existence. As a result, another station, Televen, caved in, and RCTV stood alone with tiny Globovision, as Chavez critics.

For Chavez, it was a bonanza. Because of the media deal Carter mediated, not only did he get a supine press, but it became easier to shut down the lone holdouts who refused to halt criticism.

Read it all.

3:45PM
New names for Chavez's country:

Chavenezuela
Chavezuela
Hugoslavia

Add more in the comments section
pdate: Venezuelastan!

U.S. and others may rap Venezuela for TV closure next week.

4:15
Fred Thompson: Hugo Opportunity, and you can listen to his podcast.
Students protest in Venezuela
'CNN links Chavez to al-Qaeda'

5:45PM
The week the Bolivarian Revolution died

It does not matter whether Chavez remains at Miraflores Palace until he dies of old age in his sleep: this week his revolution died.

The students might succeed in overthrowing Chavez, or might go home when they get bored, or might end up in a blood bath. But in three days they have nailed the coffin of the pseudo revolution that has been tormenting us for too long.

Read the rest.

8:45PM Update: Via Miguel, you can subscribe to the RCTV channel on You Tube, (see also Ars Technica)


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