1. RCTV programmes are being seen on Caricol tv--- visible on cable
and by signal in parts of the country--- owned by the same company.
2. RCTV news programmes are apparently being shown on Globovision,
the outright opposition news station which makes Fox look like liberals.
3. The opposition students marched to the national assembly today,
asking for 10 to come in to talk to the legislators about their
demand for freedom of expression. They were invited in-- as were
Bolivarian students-- and given the opportunity to speak (5 of each,
alternating, with the oppos first). This was immediately put on a
national chain--- ie., all vzlan channels covered it. After the 1st 2
speakers, the 2nd oppo announced they were not there to debate, they
had come to deliver a message, which they had done, and now they were
leaving (and did). The President of the AN went through the process
of calling their names and then calling the next (Chavist) students
who proceeded on this national chain to give powerful speeches
(talking about racism, exclusion, etc). Heard from a number of
government supporters after-- filled with incredible pride about a
new generation of leaders. [Guess the message is--- be careful what
you wish for.] The AN prez made a point subsequently of talking about
how the opposition students showed no respect for the people. (The
one oppo newspaper I read on line had done a pretty straight story,
which did not seem especially supportive of the oppo students-- given
what it took from the speeches of the others.) And just heard when I
got in tonight that Chavez was on tv and had called for students in
the universities to form councils-- rather than the standard
'representative' student government.
Wonder what Miltie would have to say about all that.
m
Michael A. Lebowitz
Professor Emeritus
Economics Department
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6
Director, Programme in 'Transformative Practice and Human Development'
Centro Internacional Miranda, P.H.
Residencias Anauco Suites, Parque Central, final Av. Bolivar
Caracas, Venezuela
fax: 0212 5768274/0212 5777231
http//:centrointernacionalmiranda.gob.ve
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
