As evidence, [the Venezuelan Communications Minister] cited Globovision showing footage of an assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II in 1981 accompanied by the song “This Does Not Stop Here,” sung by Ruben Blades.
“The conclusion of the specialists … is that (in this segment) they are inciting the assassination of the president of Venezuela,” Lara told reporters at the prosecutor’s office.
If ABC aired something like that here, the Secret Service might well investigate even if, to an outsider, the threat of the video seems a bit oblique.
The Venezuelan government, by their recent moves, is inviting right wing counter reaction. The question is, why these moves by the Venezuelan government now? Perhaps forces are in play we know nothing about. Turbulence ahead for Venezuela?
Actually I doubt a threat like that against POTUS would be considered oblique at all!
While I realize that being proven to be correct makes one the least popular of peoples, I have been telling you folks that this was the likely result of the consolidation of power in Chavez’s hands.
The real complaint about Globovision is that it’s showing that tens of thousands of Venezuelans have been demonstrating for 4 days against the government’s closure of RTV. Ironic, isn’t it? Chavez supporters have been claiming that that RTV was conspiring with the 2002 coup planners by not broadcasting pictures of the Chavez forces marching in the streets. Now the remaining opposition channel is going to be shut down because of….showing what’s happening in the streets? I love it.
One of the truly admirable men in Latin America right now is Lula of Brazil. A labor organizer, he was imprisoned and, I believe, tortured by the numerous vile military regimes the US supported between 1964 and 1984. Lula is part of the “pink tide” that so worries Washington. Yet his experience in dealing with the Brazilian military has left him very clear-eyed about Chávez: “of course he’s not going to permit any opposition,” Lula has said, “he’s from the military.” As I’ve been saying, Chávez is a typical Latin American military populist. He happens to lean left…today. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Only Hugo himself. You guys are going to be very disappointed with him over the long run, but ’nuff said.