I don’t think I need to comment much on this Associated Press report, it says it all, coming soon to a website near you:
Venezuela’s Chavez: Internet should be regulated
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called for regulation of the Internet on Saturday while demanding authorities crack down on a critical news Web site that he accused of spreading false information.
In a televised speech, Chavez said: “The Internet can’t be something free where anything can be done and said. No, every country has to impose its rules and regulations,” Chavez said.
He singled out the Venezuelan news site Noticiero Digital, saying it had posted false information that some of his close allies had been killed.
Chavez called for Venezuela’s attorney general to take action immediately against the Web site. “This is a crime,” he said of the site’s reports.
There was no immediate reaction from the Web site, which is a popular outlet for critical news and commentary in Venezuela.
Chavez has regularly clashed with critical broadcasters and newspapers. One anti-Chavez channel, Radio Caracas Television, was forced to move to cable in 2007 after the president refused to renew its license. In January, cable and satellite TV providers also stopped transmitting that channel under government orders after it defied regulations requiring it to televise some of Chavez’s speeches.
Referring to satellite TV channels, Chavez said, “It can’t be that they transmit whatever they want poisoning the minds of many people — regulation, regulation, the laws!”
The last anti-Chavez channel on the open airwaves, Globovision, faces multiple investigations by government regulators for alleged violations of broadcast regulations.
Chavez called for authorities to take action against Globovision, saying one recent panelist on the channel “has the nerve to say that Chavez, the president of this country, supports drug trafficking and also has the nerve to say there is evidence that here in Venezuela … a bunch of courses have been given to terrorists from ETA and the FARC.”
“That’s very serious. That can’t be permitted,” Chavez said. “I can’t put anyone in jail. There are the branches of government that should act, and the people themselves have to act.”
The interview that Chavez mentioned came during tensions between Spain and Venezuela after a Spanish judge said he has evidence of Venezuelan government links to the Basque separatist group ETA and the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC — both of which are classified as terrorist organizations by the European Union and the United States.
Chavez’s government testily denied having links to the two groups, and the two countries have since tried to ease tensions with a joint statement pledging to work together against ETA.
The Devil's Excrement 
March 15, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Hello All,
I wrote a related post. Chavez is not entirely wrong on a superficial “words” only basis, but with his oppressive past, he stands on very thin ground.
http://bryanjohnsonblog.com/2010/03/15/hugo-chavez-right-but-wrong/
March 15, 2010 at 1:34 pm
And much more than “Rocks, bullets and blood and love, lots of love”, it will take the disappearance of the “Devil’s Excrement”, for Venezuela to begin any sort of change.
March 15, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Yes Guillermo you are correct, it is going to take more than words.
Rocks, bullets and blood and love, lots of love.
March 15, 2010 at 10:37 am
There is no way the opossition can change anything with words. There is no such precedent in the whole history of humankind and we, among all races and places, cannot and will not rise above other exemplary societies. This is not to blame the venezuelans for what the are, is just an assesment of what they cannot be at this stage of their social evolution.
March 15, 2010 at 9:28 am
I think, Guillermo, that your view is a little extreme as far as how much of the Internet is meaningful to “the bulk of the Internet users”.
Just like many people thought that Globo and RCTV did not reach many folks in the D and E segments. Many polls showed that when RCTV went off broadcast, cable & sattelite subscriptions among those segments rose dramatically. These 2 segments had the highest gains among all.
Now you could argue they just wanted to keep following their favorite novela, but they have also followed the news from a non-government sources too. I would argue that along with cable, many also acquired Interent access, and use it, as well.
Even if the population just uses social media, once their access to it is “regulated”, the perception that the Goon wants to control that aspect of their lives will prove costly to Esteban Chacumeble’s designs.
With the right message, the opposition could put a serious dent into the ship of state as it’s currently sailed.
March 15, 2010 at 9:19 am
Ohh… and BTW, I agree with Adolfo: it is a surprise to find out that most information over the Internet is not real and hasnt been like that for a while? Why do you think that tools like pgp do exist?
March 15, 2010 at 9:10 am
I want to pose a question for you all: How many venezuelans know how to use the Internet? From those, how many can discern why Internet is written with a capital “I”?. Once you run de number, you’ll get how many literate people are here in this country (something around 5% of the population in the most optimistic view). The bulk of the so called “internet users” in the country bare know how to sit in a chair to chat about meaningless shit and do some twitter of facebook. There’s nothing more to it because trying to elevate the standards of our own people is a lost cause. Many “malandros” know how to use facebook perfectly, for example, thus facilitating the job of selecting a new “secuestro express” victim.
Let’s be real people. Despite of the crap we KNOW about Hugo Chavez, he is (regretably) a product of OUR society. He is not alone, nor he is a special case in he context of venezuelan population. He is a representation of the majority of people, except of course of your much beloved opossition guys and girls, that seem to find themselves so up in the moral scale that appears almost like stars when a simple guy like me tries to see them for what they really are.
So , the question of feasibility regard the internet control is as diluted as everything else regarding Huguito. As long as the opossition does not call to arms or to active resistance (as history shows), there will be nothing else to do for us 5% but watch and wonder how much crap the “proletariat” can take, because so far the only thing that has increased in the past years is the sense of insecurity, randomness, and unemployment in the “pueblo”, which, BTW, is not worth saving so far. Liberty is not something that can be “gained” with a treaty or a piece of paper or a party even… liberty and rights are values nextricable joined with population struggle and general strife and suffering that, so far, is non existance in venezuelan history.
There is nothing to admire.
March 15, 2010 at 8:12 am
One of the prices of free speech is having to listen to a lot of bullshit.
However, I will willingly pay this toll every time, because my right to say what I want to and listen to what I want to has no price.
March 15, 2010 at 6:14 am
As I wrote elsewhere, I’d say bring it on, just try to try and censor internet and see how far you’ll get:
http://alekboyd.blogspot.com/2010/03/chavez-to-control-internet.html
March 14, 2010 at 11:59 pm
For once, our resident troll scores a glancing hit on the topic:
“So the fact that false information is coming over the internet is not a problem for you?”
The liars that ONLY lie, and the deluded that ONLY fib tend to cause minimal damage. And the situations that they cause tend to be self-correcting.
Because there is a CURE for FALSE information. Open, free discussion of the information, comparison with HARD EVIDENCE, more discussion. That way, it is found out whether a claim is false, and maybe, even truth can be worked out little by little.
Works wonderfully for scientists and science, engineers and engineering, lawyers and judges and courts of law, managers, employees and enterprise. It works for every area of human activity. Even (surprise!) for public policy, politics, governments and politicians.
Now, the real problems begin when the liars and the deluded not only disseminate false information. But also try to use violence to prevent others from examining their claims. Nobody is able to stop delusion and lies, and society is herded towards trouble, and maybe tragedy.
Now, do bloggers, web surfers or media outlets (even the bigger ones) have armies or police? Are they empowered by law for violent action of ANY KIND? Can they throw somebody in jail? Do they develop doctrines on state security? No, no, no, no, and no. Any lie by them can be countered with a more plausible account of things, and government officials are welcomed to give it like anyone else, backed by the credibility of their administration. If they cannot or will not, it means that their account does not resolve every reasonable doubt.
But if we have a government (which has all of the above) talking about deciding which is truth and which is lie, and about using violent means (yes, however civilized the law is about violence) to silence the “liars”… might we not have the liars and the deluded in the government, just preventing debate that might save everybody from real trouble?
So the fact that false information is coming over from the government IS a problem for us… particularly if the government is looking for ways to prevent discussion.
It is bad enough that in some countries that are taken to be developed and advanced, while a lying journalist or editor might get sued, a lying government official might be sacked and then indicted. A government official involved in a cover-up might be accused of more serious crimes.
Now, dear Adolfo, go back to the dark ages.
March 14, 2010 at 9:13 pm
“There was no immediate reaction from the Web site, which is a popular outlet for critical news and commentary in Venezuela.” Well, there is now: http://bit.ly/cKaujZ
March 14, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Yes, keplerito is right. Websites that disagree with what the government says is true should be shut down. Ditto for newspapers, TV and radio stations. That’s not all, free speech and assembly should also be disallowed.
It’s obvious to one and all right-minded citizens that Chavez, et al. are the way, the truth and the life.
March 14, 2010 at 6:36 pm
The latest from ND on Yahoo http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100314/ap_on_hi_te/lt_venezuela_internet what keeps Yoani in Cuba out of prison is she knows how to get the point across and not give the government an excuse to charge her.
March 14, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Adolfo
I agree with you, let’s shut up ND and Venezuelanalysis and Aporrea, all well known sources of lies and misifnroamtion and propaganda and hate and violence, etc, etc…
March 14, 2010 at 4:19 pm
STATISTS WANT TO CONTROL EVERYTHING HERE AND EVERYWHERE INCLUDING THE USA. THE WORLD ADVANCED SO MUCH IN THE LAS 250 YEARS BECAUSE OF FREEDOMS OF EVERY KIND, WE SHOULD KEEP IT THAT WAY.
March 14, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Venezuela is not the only country that is wanting to regulate the internet, even in the US there is talk and Microsoft wanting to license internet users.
ugh.
They want to control EVERYTHING.
March 14, 2010 at 2:36 pm
So HuCha (Ni Gobierna Ni escucha, as he was deemed in a Spanish comedy program), Thugo if you prefer, wants to regulate the Internet and now he seems serious, hmmm…..
It took too long for him to take such an attitude. I was expecting it sooner, to be honest. It is not amazing that a dictator or a dictator-wanna-be wants to control information. Refering to Alvin Toffler’s Powershift, controling acess to information allows to provide awards and punishements with the receivers sometimes not even realizing it. The dream for a any non-democratic government, specially when the people at the administration are lidered by a coward that is afraid of any confrontation of ideas and mental frameworks.
To Adolfo (mocatvio, sorry if I do not follow your suggestion to ignore Adolfo), I agree with Gringo: “I prefer to detect the false information myself”. At least free thinkers and discerning people (usually the worst kind of people for retrograde dictatorships) prefer to have a look at everything and filter the truth and the lies themselves.
March 14, 2010 at 1:45 pm
I doubt China will be much help here is their latest attempt http://en.mercopress.com/2010/03/13/to-be-a-good-journalist-first-you-must-be-a-good-marxist-says-beijing
Can you just imagine a test on Bolivarinism and PUSV? Besides official policy changes after every Cadena!
March 14, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Adolfo
So the fact that false information is coming over the internet is not a problem for you?
Adolfo has shown that he has no problem with false information coming over the internet , as he has posted some false information himself.
The stats say this is the worst drought in 100 years, we are receiving all your rain as snow.
This is false information you posted, Adolfo. Documented false. Go back to the thread to see the documentation.
Like others in this thread, I prefer to detect the false information myself, especially when a certified liar such as Thugo wants to be the one filtering out false information.
March 14, 2010 at 1:24 pm
ND is also full of Chavistas who have the opportunity of debate.
Chavez only wants one sided debate – his side
March 14, 2010 at 12:28 pm
I agree with nobody special. I think people are exagerating the issue, but that is just my opinion.
March 14, 2010 at 12:21 pm
What China can accomplish in terms of censorship is fundamentally impossible in Venezuela for many reasons. Many, many reasons.
March 14, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Adolfo is pro-Fidel Castro and thinks everything is wonderful and peachy in that island, so please dont take him very seriously. He has repeatedly lied for Fidel in this blog.
March 14, 2010 at 11:59 am
Adolfo, how about we all use our own minds and filter out lies like we do every day, rather then deligate these responsibilities to others. Why not surrender your thought process while your at it, and let someone else do your thinking for you.
Noticiero Digital is full of bad articals, but Chavez has lied time and time again. I take what I want and form my own opinion in the end. In some things he is right, in others Noticiero Digital is right. That is how free thought works.
March 14, 2010 at 11:52 am
Adolf,
Why should it be a problem? It was a problem for people like another national socialist whose first name was Adolf. It was a problem for the Soviet leaders.
Besides: Hugo of Sabaneta is lying all the time.
March 14, 2010 at 11:43 am
@Adolfo:
I am thinking of words that start with M……
March 14, 2010 at 11:35 am
That Chavez lies through his teeth day after day is not a problem for you? Or bloody Fidel?
And the answer is NO, false info like you try to propagate all the time, gets weeded out by people, I prefer one million true statements and one false one that 100,000 prefiltered by someone who wants to censor.
March 14, 2010 at 11:06 am
So the fact that false information is coming over the internet is not a problem for you?
March 14, 2010 at 10:44 am
@Kevin
Actually the Chinese can have some uses for the access that Esteban would give them to Venezuela’s networks, as they can basically launch attacks and perform espionage using us as their sock puppets on the net.
It would seem that some such attacks were the reason for Google’s falling out of grace with the Chinese government: http://tinyurl.com/ygjf2a7 Additionally there have been reports on Chinese networking equipment and programs with security holes deliberately put in or with trojans that provide backdoor access ( http://tinyurl.com/yzml8ap and http://tinyurl.com/ydar9w2 ).
Using Venezuela as a platform to launch attacks and as a petri dish to test new attack vectors would be wonderful as far as the Chinese are concerned and giving Venezuela some of their censorship training would be peanuts compared to being given the equivalent of a military base on the net.
March 14, 2010 at 9:55 am
Luckily for Hugo, the Chinese stand ready to assist him on such projects in the information sector. They are the world’s technical leader in that.
However, his problem is financing. In the oil sector, the Chinese were willing to finance many projects in return for several years worth of Venezuelan fuel oil.
I doubt that in the information sector that the Chinese will trade several years of Hugo’s information for much of anything.
March 14, 2010 at 9:42 am
Hugo the Small mentioned Angela Merkel. I wish Venezuelans could see how Angela Merkel is grilled by journalists all the time and goes to debates with the opposition, not only in election time, to discuss things;
Merkel is not my type of politician but she has all my respect and sometimes my admiration
Hugo is just a bloody coward.
March 14, 2010 at 9:37 am
For starters Google “avoid internet censorship” and take a look at the different options