Breakdown in Democracy

Venezuelans march against closure of TV station

By Brian Ellsworth

CARACAS (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Venezuelan protesters marched on Saturday to the Caracas headquarters of an anti-government television station, which is being forced off the air after President Hugo Chavez's administration refused to renew its broadcasting license.
Waving flags with the logo of RCTV, demonstrators packed the streets of the capital where news anchors and soap opera stars slammed the imminent closure of the opposition channel.
"What is happening here is simply the silencing of a television station," shouted soap opera actress Gledys Ibarra.

If you want to get the attention of the masses, try taking away some of the basic freedoms that include the media. Venezuela, under "president" Chavez has replaced a popular television station with a government run program last week and the public is making it known that they are not pleased. So far, injuries reported on the street protest have been marginal with police and troops using water guns and rubber bullets, and tear gas.

Chavez has been the controversial leader in south America that has included insulting President Bush, and aligning himself with nations that are at odds with the United States. While pretending to be the president of a democratic nation, Chavez has used his verbal assault on the United States and his alliance with rouge nations to launch his diatribe of oppression on his own people.

Meanwhile in Mexico City, many in the crowd booed the US representative in a beauty pageant that some say was Mexico's protest of the immigration policies being debated by our legislators and the general public. It is not known whether this was an organized group that was booing or if it is the sentiment of the general population.

Either way, it seems there is some dissent that is simmering in the southern hemisphere.