|
Edited on Wed May-30-07 04:50 PM by Crisco
We had some first hand accounts on DU of what was going on; unfortunately the archives for that time period aren't searchable. In lieu .. All this helps explain why, in the days leading up to the April coup, Venevisión, RCTV, Globovisión and Televen replaced regular programming with relentless anti-Chávez speeches, interrupted only for commercials calling on viewers to take to the streets: "Not one step backward. Out! Leave now!" The ads were sponsored by the oil industry, but the stations carried them free, as "public service announcements."
They went further: On the night of the coup, Cisneros's station played host to meetings among the plotters, including Carmona. The president of Venezuela's broadcasting chamber co-signed the decree dissolving the elected National Assembly. And while the stations openly rejoiced at news of Chávez's "resignation," when pro-Chávez forces mobilized for his return a total news blackout was imposed.
Izarra says he received clear instructions: "No information on Chávez, his followers, his ministers, and all others that could in any way be related to him." He watched with horror as his bosses actively suppressed breaking news. Izarra says that on the day of the coup, RCTV had a report from a US affiliate that Chávez had not resigned but had been kidnapped and jailed. It didn't make the news. Mexico, Argentina and France condemned the coup and refused to recognize the new government. RCTV knew but didn't tell.
When Chávez finally returned to the Miraflores Palace, the stations gave up on covering the news entirely. On one of the most important days in Venezuela's history, they aired Pretty Woman and Tom & Jerry cartoons. "We had a reporter in Miraflores and knew that it had been retaken by the Chávistas," Izarra says. " the information blackout stood. That's when it was enough for me, and I decided to leave." http://www.thenation.com/doc/20030303/klein <-- 2003 In the days leading up to April 11, 2002, Venevision, Globovision, Televen and RCTV suspended regular programming replacing it with anti-Chavez speeches and virulent propaganda featuring strong rhetoric and calling on the Venezuelan people to take to the streets on that day they knew in advance had been scheduled for the coup. They blared it was "For freedom and democracy. Venezuela will not surrender. No one will defeat us." This went on continuously in tone and content practically announcing a call to arms insurrection on the scheduled coup date asking people to participate supporting the overthrow of their democratically elected president and government.
On April 10, one day before the coup, General Nestor Gonzales got air time on the major corporate broadcast media announcing the high military command demanded Hugo Chavez step down from office or be forcibly removed. The day following the coup, the dominant commercial media revealed their involvement in it, and on one April 12 Venevision morning program military and civilian coup leaders appeared on-air to thank the corporate media channels for their important role, including the images they aired while it was in progress, stating how important their participation was to the success of the plot. It failed two days later largely because of mass public opposition to it with huge crowds on the streets supporting their president in far greater numbers than those favoring the coup-plotters.
It was also later revealed the two-day only installed Venezuelan president Pedro Carmona had used the facilities of Gustavo Cisneros’ Venevision as a "bunker" or staging area base of operations and was seen leaving its building heading for the Miraflores to take office as president of Venezuela on April 11 in flagrant violation of the law.http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=14351And then there's this beaut: A longtime Chavez ally, William Farinas, telephoned the coup leaders, both
military and civilian, to negotiate terms. "I knew them all," he said, "and
as soon as I heard their voices I realised they were scared and out of their
depth. They had little government experience, and no idea what to do."
It was around this point that a group of top media executives rolled up in
their limousines for a meeting with Mr Carmona, at the 19th-century
Miraflores palace. All had been prominent critics of Mr Chavez's alleged
abuses of press freedom. Gustavo Cisneros, owner of the Venevision
television channel and perhaps the country's richest man, headed the group.
Also present were Miguel Henrique Otero, publisher of the El Nacional group
of newspapers, Alberto Federico Ravell, chief executive of Globovision
(Venezuela's answer to CNN) and Marcel Granier of the RCTV channel.
Mr Cisneros had been a stranger in the palace over the past few years,
although in 1998 he and Mr Otero had contributed to Hugo Chavez's
steamroller of a presidential campaign and organised positive media
coverage. Mr Otero's right-hand man, Alfredo Pena, who is now the
anti-Chavez mayor of metropolitan Caracas, was the first minister Mr Chavez
appointed.
But as Mr Chavez, a former lieutenant-colonel who had staged a failed coup
in 1992, drifted further and further away from the free market policies they
had hoped he would espouse, Mr Cisneros and Mr Otero went into opposition.
According to one veteran politician, many of the meetings held to plan the
removal of the president from power were held at Mr Otero's house, known as
Macondo.
Eventually, they were successful: their man, Mr Carmona, head of the
business federation Fedecamaras, was installed at Miraflores. They toasted
the downfall of their adversary with 18-year-old Scotch. "We can't guarantee
you the loyalty of the army," a presidential guard heard one of them tell Mr
Carmona, "but we can promise you the support of the media."
But by the time the media barons met on Saturday, their whole plot was
unravelling. Precisely what was said at the meeting is a matter for
speculation. But Mr Carmona was overheard telling them: "In your hands lie
the safety and stability of the government." That's a reprint from the Economist, found on usenet. |
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
