10 Years of Venezuelan Revolution - public meeting

by maverick - the rock that doesn't roll Tue Mar 17, 2009 19:54

'Find out how Venezuela is setting an example for Latin America and the rest of the World' - below are some of the examples:

The Chávez government has engaged in wide-ranging acts of discrimination against political opponents and critics. At times, the president himself has openly endorsed acts of discrimination. He routinely denounces his critics as anti-democratic conspirators – regardless of whether they had any connection to the 2002 coup.

After the 2002 coup, the most damaging blow to the rule of law in Venezuela was the political takeover of the Supreme Court by Chávez and his supporters in 2004, which effectively neutralized the judiciary as an independent branch of government.

Chávez has undermined freedom of expression through a variety of measures aimed at reshaping media control and content. By expanding and toughening the penalties for speech and broadcasting offenses, Chávez and his legislative supporters have strengthened the state’s capacity to limit free speech, and created powerful incentives for critics to engage in self-censorship.

Chávez has sought to remake the country’s trade union movement in ways that violate basic principles of freedom of association. It has fired workers who exercise their right to strike, denied workers their right to bargain collectively and discriminated against workers because of their political beliefs.

by Bolivar Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:11

Readers can find a good response to the Human Rights Watch report whose claims Maverick cut'n'pastes without acknowledgement at this link:

"The September 18, 2008 Human Rights Watch report, “A Decade Under Chavez,” raises a few problems with regard to the protection of political rights in Venezuela, but the few places where it is on target are almost completely drowned in a sea of de-contextualization, trumped-up accusations, and a clear and obvious bias in favor of the opposition and against the government."

by 4WW Tue Mar 24, 2009 09:40 4worldwar at gmail dot com

Another public meeting has been organised by the 4WW in Queen's University with the same title and speaker on Thursday 26th at 2.30pm in Club Room 3, Student's Union building at Queen's University in Belfast.