March 13, 2010 12:44 pm
Miami News, “Venezuela Murder Rate Has Quadrupled Under Hugo Chávez”
by Kyle Munzenrieder
One person is murdered every two hours in Venezuela, according to new statistics released by the independent Venezuelan Observatory of Violence.
The murder rate in the South American country has more than quadrupled since Hugo Chávez came to power in 1999. There were 54 homicides per 100,000 people last year, a rate only exceeded on the continent by El Salvador, where there were 70 homicides per 100,000 citizens.
“The problem is not so much the criminals, but rather the government’s inaction and lack of policies,” Roberto Briceño León, director of the VOV, told reporters.
Miami News article continues here.
February 10, 2010 10:15 am
Times Online, “Hugo Chávez takes to the airwaves – 24/7”
by Hannah Strange
Hugo Chávez has launched his latest radio venture, a programme called Suddenly with Chavez in which he can take to the airwaves any time of the day or night.
Heralded by the Venezuelan Government as a “communicational guerrilla” in its battle to advance the country’s Bolivarian revolution, the new show on state radio has no schedule and can be broadcast whenever Mr Chávez desires.
Inaugurating the new show yesterday, the President said that the programme could surprise viewers “at midnight or at dawn”, because “we have many things to report”.
The first edition took in Venezuelan-Argentinian relations, the World Boxing championship, the upcoming 200th anniversary of Latin American independence and the launch of a new state supermarket chain using stores expropriated from the French chain Exito.
Times Online article continues here.
February 10, 2010 10:15 am
Google News (AP), “Pro-Chavez lawmakers plan to punish dissidents”
by Christopher Toothaker
Legislators allied with President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday they plan to adopt rules that will punish any lawmaker who abandons the socialist leader.
The announcement came after Chavez urged members of his United Socialist Party of Venezuela to pick candidates for congressional elections in September who “aren’t going to jump ship” after the voting.
Carlos Escarra, a governing party lawmaker, said it was unclear what sort of sanctions could be applied.
“We are going to discuss that,” he said.
Google News (AP) article continues here.
January 26, 2010 11:27 am
Fox News (AP), “Clashes After Anti-Chavez TV Channel Removed”
Police and supporters of President Hugo Chavez clashed with students in cities across the country Monday during protests over the government forcing an opposition channel off cable TV. One youth was reported killed and 16 people suffered injuries.
The biggest confrontation occured in Caracas, where police fired tear gas and plastic bullets to scatter thousands of students who tried to march on the headquarters of Venezuela’s state-run telecommunications agency. At least six demonstrators and a journalist were treated for injuries.
In the western city of Merida, a youth was killed during fighting between anti- and pro-Chavez forces and clashes when police tried to separate the rival groups, Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami said late Monday.
FOX News (AP) article continues here.
January 25, 2010 10:09 pm
The Heritage Foundation, “Hugo Chavez Shuts Down Cable Channel Amid Growing Popular Unrest”
Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez took another step aimed at consolidating his authoritarian choke hold on Venezuela by forcing cable providers to dump Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) from their broadcasting lineups. The popular, anti-Chavez channel first ran afoul of the populist leader for its critical programming back in 2007. At the time the Chavez government refused to renew its license to broadcast over open airwaves. It disappeared from the cable channels on January 24.
Government officials cited violations by RCTV such as failure to broadcast Chavez endless diatribes, airing soap operas during children’s hour, and other egregious infractions. This censorship by restrictive regulation is the favored tool of the Chavez regime as it accelerates throttling of individual rights and liberties.
The Heritage Foundation article continues here.
January 22, 2010 11:05 pm
January 11, 2010 8:54 pm
Bloomberg, “Chavez Says He’ll Seize Businesses That Raise Prices”
by Daniel Cancel
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that businesses have no reason to raise prices following the devaluation of the bolivar and that the government will seize any entity that boosts its prices.
Chavez said he’ll create an anti-speculation committee to monitor prices after private businesses said that prices would double and consumers rushed to buy household appliances and televisions. The government is the only authority able to dictate price increases, he said.
“The bourgeois are already talking about how all prices are going to double and they’re closing their businesses to raise prices,” Chavez said in comments on state television during his weekly “Alo Presidente” program. “People, don’t let them rob you, denounce it, and I’m capable of taking over that business.”
Bloomberg article continues here.
January 10, 2010 3:52 am
Financial Times, “Venezuela devalues currency”
by Benedict Mander
Venezuela devalued its currency late on Friday, introducing a multi-tiered exchange rate regime in a surprise move aimed at kickstarting a stagnating economy but which risks fuelling already high inflation.
Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s president, announced that the official value of the dollar, which has remained at 2.15 bolivars since March 2005, will now be fixed at 2.6 bolivars, a rate which will be reserved for the import of essential goods. He also announced the introduction of the “oil dollar”, pegged at 4.3 bolivars, which will be made available for non-essential goods.
Mr Chavez also acknowledged the existence of a third floating rate – until now known as the parallel rate – that he said will be managed through central bank intervention to avoid excessive speculation.
“This is to boost the productive economy, to reduce imports that aren’t strictly necessary and to stimulate exports,” Mr Chavez said during a televised meeting with ministers. “We need to stop being a country that only exports oil.”
Financial Times article continues here.
