Tall & Rich

A Yanqui’s View of Latin American Politics

Archive for April, 2008

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Media terrorism

Posted by Jonn Lilyea on April 27, 2008

While researching the previous post, I kept running into the phrase “media terrorism”. For example, Maria Augusta Calle, complained that she was a victim of “Media Terrorism” because Raul Reyes’ laptop tied her to FARC in this Miami Herald article;

In a speech delivered in March in Venezuela, Calle said she is the victim of a “media strategy.”

She spoke at the ”media terrorism” conference organized by Chávez to counter the Inter American Press Association gathering in Caracas at the same time.

”They say that this lady has a FARC mandate to close down the Manta base,” Calle said, speaking of herself in the third person.

“The objective is to warn the Ecuadorean government that it cannot make the changes in peace. The objective is to scare us.”

Doing a little more research, I found this article from Venezuelanalysis, the radically Leftist US new website that slavishly parrots Hugo Chavez’ lines;

Journalists, communications specialists, and other participants in the Latin American Meeting against Media Terrorism in Caracas last weekend demanded that political leaders in the region put the issue of media terrorism on the agenda of all international forums and meetings in which they participate, according to the “Caracas Declaration,” the final collection of the resolutions produced at the conference.

Endorsed by participants from 14 countries, the Caracas Declaration denounces the role of the private media in the toppling of democratic governments across the region, and asserts that “media terrorism is the first expression and necessary condition of military terrorism that the industrialized North employs in order to impose its imperial hegemony and neo-colonial dominion on humanity.”

Information should be conceived as a right to be collectively provided, rather than as merchandise or a commodity to be sold, conference participants resolved, iterating a collective commitment to the “ethical exercising of our profession, devoted to the values of real and effective democracy, and to the veracity that is deserved by the diversity of thought, belief, and culture.”

Get that? Private independent media is dangerous for democracy. And it’s supposed “journalists” who are decrying private media. So what do they figure is the alternative?

As a solution to this problem, ANMCLA proposed changing the Telecommunications Law so that a “public system of communication, not state-run and not private, in the hands of popular communities, forms a structural part” of national communications.

Also, 33.3% of the radio and television frequencies in Venezuela and a third of the government’s publicity budget should be conceded to community-based and alternative media, with the other two thirds divided equally between state-controlled and private media, ANMCLA advocated.

Finally, ANMCLA said a new tax should be levied on private media that would help pay for the expansion of alternative media. It also declared that the means of communication should be managed by an assembly of local community representatives, rather than a few government functionaries.

It’s always money. The way I figure it, a bunch of no-talent hacks who can’t get hired by the private media are trying to get the government to create jobs for no-talent hacks who can’t get hired by the private media. How paranoid and deranged is a government, or a movement of journalists, that sees an independent press as dangerous to democracy. In Latin America, the media actually does their job and reveals the damages that the Bolivarian Revolution of Chavez and his stooges will inflict on the people and the people vote for freedom every time. The Left doesn’t like that so they have to change the rules.

If these pencil-necks at Venezuelanalysis thought president Bush was contemptplating the same things in this country that Chavez actually does in Venezuela, they’d be storming the White House.

Posted in Ecuador, FARC, Hugo Chavez, Media, Politics, Venezuela | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Ecuadoran links to FARC discovered

Posted by Jonn Lilyea on April 27, 2008

Maria Calle, journalist, socialist (Miami Herald Photo)

The Miami Herald writes that the FARC laptop Colombian forces liberated from Raúl Reyes, the FARC commander that has been freed from his earthly bonds, reveals deep connections between FARC and an Ecuadoran legislator;

Some of the documents, obtained by The Miami Herald, indicate that a leading member of Ecuador’s constitutional assembly, charged with reshaping that country’spolitical landscape, may be a longtime supporter of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

María Augusta Calle — also the head of Venezuela’s Telesur tv network in Ecuador and a supporter of President Hugo Chávez — let the rebels use her bank account for at least one transaction and helped promote their ideas through another news agency she directs, the Colombian offical said.

In two e-mails dated June and July 2006, a woman who signs as ”Alicia” corresponds with someone she calls ”friend” in one of her e-mails and ”Darío” in the other. She talks about personal matters, current affairs and media strategies.

According to the Colombian official — who requested anomymity as a condition to discuss the documents — ”Alicia” is a code name for Calle and the letters were intended for Reyes, the FARC’s spokesman and primary peace negotiator who was killed March 1 in a Colombian military raid of a rebel hideout in Ecuador.

In one of the newly disclosed e-mails, ”Alicia” talks about her ties to the Venezuelan embassy in Quito. She says she is hopeful she will soon get a job with the Venezuelans and offers to broker communications between the rebels and the embassy.

Of course this isn’t the only tie that the laptop has proven between Ecuador and the terrorist organization (another Miami Herald link);

Previously disclosed documents reportedly seized from Reyes’ computer have linked the FARC to cabinet members of Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa and suggested that the leftist rebels, who have been fighting the Colombian state for 40 years, contributed $100,000 to his presidential campaign.

The documents allege that Interior Minister Gustavo Larrea met with Reyes as recently as January and that he told the rebel leader that Correa’s government was willing to post friendlier Ecuadorean security forces along the border with Colombia, where FARC rebels are known to seek refuge while eluding the Colombian military.

Correa has denied having any links with the FARC, while Larrea said that since December he had been actively negotiating the release of FARC hostages at Correa’s request.

Although Calle is not considered part of Correa’s inner circle, she is a member of his Alianza País party and is a well-known figure in Ecuador’s political arena. The Telesur network she oversees is viewed as a propaganda outlet for socialist ideals.

Calle has been known to have links to FARC;

In the last month, the Ecuadorean press has mentioned Calle, elected to the Constitutional Assembly in 2007, as an alleged FARC supporter. At the end of March, Newsmagazine Vistazo published photos of Calle with FARC leader Rodrigo Granda; Reyes’ daughter, Lidia Devia; and Nubia Calderón, alias ”Esperanza,” the FARC’s representative in Ecuador.

Revista Vistazo, an Ecuadoran magazine released this photo of Maria Augusta Calle meeting with Lidia Nieva, the daughter of Raul Reyes, who also lives in Ecuador;

The laptop just doesn’t seem to stop giving up information damaging to the Latin American Left. At this point, Colombians must feel surrounded by dangerous enemies, and their only allies are in the Bush Administration.

Posted in Colombia, Ecuador, FARC, Hugo Chavez, Politics, Terror War, US Foreign Policy, Venezuela | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Colombia’s VP attacks AFL-CIO

Posted by Jonn Lilyea on April 19, 2008

Understandably tired of US gotcha politics, the Vice President of Colombia lashed out at the US’ AFL-CIO labor organization, accusing them of using false statistics and neglecting the truth of the facts on the ground (Miami Herald);

Sweeney cited several statistics, including 400 union deaths since Alvaro Uribe took office in 2003. He acknowledged that Colombia claimed to be ”taking steps” to reduce the violence but had “done too little.”

”Yes, there are problems,” Santos said, “but look at the evolution.”

Uribe is credited with reducing overall violence in Colombia. Since February 2007, a special unit of the prosecutor’s office has begun more than 700 investigations, arrested 88 suspects and convicted 64 people, including 38 for murders of union members.

Santos also complained that the AFL-CIO has refused to meet with Colombian labor activists who support the free trade agreement.

AFL-CIO policy director Thea Lee said Sweeney had not met with unions that support free trade but noted that in the past six months, staff members have held three such meetings. She denied allegations that the AFL-CIO exaggerated murder numbers and said Uribe government officials often link union members and rights activists with guerrilla members.

Typical of the American Left, Sweeney refuses to accept that the Uribe government has made an effort to improve human rights in Colombia. I wonder what their excuse will be when the Panama Free Trade Agreement comes up later this year.

Posted in Colombia, Politics, US Foreign Policy | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Chavez lead arms dealer in LA

Posted by Jonn Lilyea on April 16, 2008

According to an EL Universal report, Chavez now leads Latin America as an arms exporter;

Venezuela in 2007 was the main importer of arms in Latin American and the ninth in the world, with purchases amounting to USD 887 million, according to a report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri).

In 2006, Venezuela was ranked 17th in the world, with arms purchases at USD 477 million. This position is now occupied by Chile, with USD 615 million, compared to USD 1.03 billion in the previous year, Efe reported.

Chavez also provided $10 million TWICE for Danny Glover’s new film according to the Miami Herald;

Venezuelan lawmakers have approved spending another $9.8 million to back an independent movie directed by actor Danny Glover, a supporter of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

The National Assembly on Wednesday approved the money for ”Toussaint,” a film about Haitian rebel leader Toussaint Louverture, after previously approving $9.9 million. The most recent funding was announced on the Assembly’s Web site.

So why is Venezuela still short of staples? Chavez has all of this money to distribute to his friends and allies, why can’t he focus on the poverty programs? Where is the social part of this socialist revolution?

Posted in Hugo Chavez, Venezuela | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Chavez to start “defense council”

Posted by Jonn Lilyea on April 15, 2008

Hugo Chavez is trying a sleight-of-hand trick while he’s nationalizing a new industry just about every week now, he’s switched up and dragged out his “defense council” for Latin America again (AP/Miami Herald link);

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said his government is working to create a NATO-like South America defense council along with Brazil and other countries.

During a speech Sunday night, Chavez said the council would unite the region’s countries to “design our own defense policies.” He said Venezuelan officials planned to discuss it with Brazilian Defense Minister Nelson Jobim when he visits Caracas on Monday.

So while inflation continues climbing, while food shortages, particularly staples, increase, Chavez moves to make even more Latins dependent on his whims and failing policies.

Posted in Hugo Chavez, Venezuela | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Star of David ID cards in Bolivia

Posted by Jonn Lilyea on April 15, 2008

The Washington Times, this morning reports that residents of Santa Cruz, Bolivia are a little worried about markings on some of their newly-issued ID cards;

The appearance of a Star of David on new national identity cards has alarmed opponents of President Evo Morales, who recall how the symbol was used to brand Jews in Nazi Germany.

Tiny six-pointed stars within a tight circle are printed on the back side of some, but not all, recently issued picture IDs in the Santa Cruz region. The mark was present on three cards seen by The Washington Times.

“It raises suspicions that the government is identifying individuals or segments of the population along racial, religious or ideological lines” said Carlos Klinsky, a member of Bolivia’s parliament from Santa Cruz, where the new ID cards have recently appeared.

Of course, Bolivians don’t want to go off half-cocked but they can’t get any answers from the Morales government;

Mr. Klinsky attempted to hold public hearings on the new identity cards, but the police refused to testify.

Col. Ruben Camacho, the director in Santa Cruz for the national identification system, told The Times that the symbol means “nothing bad.”
He said that it was stamped as a “security feature” on some cards by a subordinate to safeguard against duplication and counterfeiting.

Another official, Lt. Col. Lily Cortez, has said that she fashioned the logo from a Star of David necklace inherited from her grandmother and that the name Katerine inscribed above the star is that of her 14-year-old daughter.

A leader of the Santa Cruz Youth Union, who shows the name Chio by the star on his card, says that the police explanation is “inconsistent” because different words appear above the star on other cards.The Times has seen other variations including the word “Chiquita” above the star. The term in Spanish usually refers to a small girl.

Santa Ana was where demonstrations against the Morales government last December nearly caused a secession over Morales’ rewritten constitution.

Posted in Bolivia, Evo Morales | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

US Democrats stand with FARC

Posted by Jonn Lilyea on April 10, 2008

The narco-terrorist marxist organization, the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) has been dealt some terrible defeats in recent weeks by the Colombian government and international cooperation. Colombia has been our greatest ally in the war against terrorists – a war they’ve been waging for over 40 years. The Colombians even foiled a plot to build a dirty bomb, recovering 30 kilos (of a suspected 50 kilo cache) of low-grade uranium on the outskirts of the Colombian capitol Bogata.

But the US Congress is doing their level best to turn the fortunes in that war. President Bush sent Congress the US-Colombian Free Trade Agreement the other day with a 90-day time limit for Congress to pass this important FTA with our greatest ally in the hemisphere. However, Democrats in Congress are more concerned with their political patronage.

From the Wall Street Journal;

Mrs. Pelosi’s decision to confront Mr. Bush comes at a delicate time. Many in Washington are preparing for Democrats to make further gains in the coming election. But congressional Democrats face poor approval ratings and pressure to make progress on issues such as the housing crunch.

Mrs. Pelosi rejected the White House charge that House leaders have changed the rules unfairly by holding up the Colombia trade agreement. “It’s all a question of who has the leverage,” she said. Moments later, though, she suggested that Democrats’ demands on the free-trade bill wouldn’t be so “onerous” that it can’t pass.

On war spending, Mr. Reid said Democrats have a number of alternatives to consider. Among them would be adding an extension of unemployment insurance to an Iraq supplemental-spending bill expected to be debated later this spring.

Another point of contention is an antiterror measure that would expand warrantless surveillance powers in the U.S. and give legal immunity to telecommunications companies that assist in eavesdropping.

Democrats are eager to cast the White House and congressional Republicans as out of touch on the economy. White House officials in turn note that Democrats have accomplished little so far that would help on the specific problem areas, notably the housing sector. They are uncertain whether Democrats can ultimately pass anything meaningful, particularly given the close margins in the Senate.

The article doesn’t mention that the Democrats are beholden to the partisan union thugs who vehemently oppose any free trade agreement for purely partisan reasons, clinging to the myth that the US economy is hinged on the manufacture of tiny plastic crap. Democrat patronage may influence the Democrats to fore go passage of the Panama and South Korea FTAs as well later in the year – for no good reason.

Passage of the Colombian FTA would go a long way towards demonstrating to the Colombian people that we stand unfailingly with the Uribe government against the terrorists of FARC, but Pelosi and her supporters are more focused on damaging the Bush Administration than they are doing what’s right for this country and others.

(Crossposted at This Ain’t Hell)

Posted in Colombia, FARC, Politics, Terror War | Tagged: | 6 Comments »

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