The Armadillo's Dream: Liberator or thug?

I've been following Chavez for about 5 years and have been alternately impressed and frustrated by him. I respect several of the programs his administration has put into action (especially in education like the Mision Robinson: http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=42510&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html), but I cringe when he pulls shit like announcing the cell phone numbers of his critics on TV and asking his supporters to call and harass them.

Lately, he's been getting a lot of flak for, as CNN put it, "forcing a TV station off the air". It's not quite as dramatic as all that. Actually, he is simply not renewing RCTV's license to broadcast over public airwaves. They still get to show their soap operas and game shows on cable and satellite. Seems like they got off pretty easy considering they committed the treasonable offence of inciting people to overthrow a democratically elected president. What if CNN anchors started telling Americans to overthrow Bush? As much as I might like that to happen, I can appreciate that the illegality of that situation would cause more damage than good.

In any case, Chavez and RCTV are both right and they are both wrong. Alan Mota explains it in detail: http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=363833&rel_no=1

And for even more detail: http://www.mediachannel.org/wordpress/2007/05/30/venezuela-rctv-and-media-freedom-just-the-facts-please/

With all of the propaganda and misinformation being beamed at us constantly, it's easy to think everything is in black and white. The situation in Venezuela seems to be the rich vs. the poor or freedom against tyranny (depending on whose side you are on). However, if you do a bit of research, you'll find a myriad of opinions and differnet ways of perceiving the situation. In Venezuela there are other forces at work besides the wealthy elites and the teeming Chavistas.

!Vivan los Libertarianos y Anarquistas!http://www.nodo50.org/ellibertario/english.html