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An August 3 Bloomberg.com report headlined "Venezuela Media Closings Hurt Freedom, Executive Says" in calling the "closing of 32 radio stations and two television broadcasters....an example of 'Cuban-style' repression." While stating that the July 31 action followed from their "fail(ure) to comply with an order issued last month to update documents at the government regulator," it failed to explain that their licenses had expired, they violated regulations, and community media serving all Venezuelans will replace them.Â
Telecommunications (CONATEL) and Housing and Infrastructure Minister Diosdado Cabello said the stations were operating illegally, hadn't registered, and failed to pay required fees. In addition, another 206 stations may face similar penalties for violating broadcast regulations. But hundreds of private stations operate freely throughout the country because they comply with the law. Many other non-profit, non-commercial community ones also that make Venezuela perhaps the freest, most open society in the world, not one enforcing censorship as the State Department and anti-Chavistas contend.Â
Cabello explained that the state cracked down against lawbreakers by "recovering the concessions that were being used illegally for more than 30 years. It is an act of justice that has to do with giving power to the people," not an attack on media freedom, as Bloomberg suggests, or an attempt to accelerate a "push for a government-run economy" by takeovers of private industries.Â
In fact, they operate freely and profitably in Venezuela, but unlike in America, they're held accountable for law violations. In the US, corporate lawyers and lobbyists write business-friendly legislation and regulations, contrary to the public interest. That's a major difference between the two countries and why Chavez is targeted for the good example he represents.Â
Implications of the Honduran Coup
There's no debate about the Honduran coup despite media efforts to distort it. It was made-in-the-USA like most others in the region over many decades. Since the late 19th century, America has directly meddled in Latin and Central American states well over 50 times, a record unmatched by any other nation, and abuses keep mounting. They involved invasions, bombings, occupations, assassinations, and coups as well as countless destabilization and election rigging interventions.Â
Against Honduras alone:
-- in 1903, American Marines invaded to protect US business interests;
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