Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez yesterday accused local television channels of making "open calls to subversion," warning them that his government controlled transmission frequencies.
"They need to remember...the signal belongs to the state. They are not the owners of the signal, the radio spectrum. They own equipment, antennas, but nothing more," Chavez said. "They have started a campaign of defamation," he said during a news conference in Caracas with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.
It was the latest in a series of taut exchanges between the leftist leader and the media. Chavez has previously blamed the media for being complicit in a 2002 coup attempt, in which he was briefly removed from power.
In May 2008, RCTV - a private television station - ceased transmission after 53 years when Chavez refused to renew its broadcasting rights. He supported his decision by accusing the station's directors of having conspired to overthrow him.
Chavez stated Colombia's FARC rebels should lay down weapons for four months to help start peace talks, toughening his stance towards the Marxist group Washington says his government backs.
Chavez made his comments a few days before the Summit of the Americas, a meeting of regional leaders in which Chavez and U.S. President Barack Obama will both participate.
Chavez was speaking in support of a proposal by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who last week called on the rebels to cease hostilities as a sign they are interested in talks.
"The president said if there is a peace proposal the government is ready, that they should stop their activities for four months," Chavez said during a press conference with Uribe in Caracas."I think that's fair, the FARC should take note of this."
With the help of billions of dollars in U.S. aid, the Colombian army has largely driven the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia from cities into remote mountain and jungle camps, rescuing their most famous hostage, politician Ingrid Betancourt, and killing top leaders.
It should be noted that at the summit in Trinidad occurring this week, Chavez will forcefully propose the United States drops its trade embargo against his close ally Cuba, but has also said he is open to talks with Obama.
The United States had last year accused Venezuela's top two intelligence chiefs and a recently retired interior minister of helping the rebels smuggle cocaine.
Vheadline.com has stated that evidence that is coming to light, is becoming increasingly obvious in aluding to the Venezuelan government facing a cash shortage. One such piece of evidence is the reports of delays by CADIVI popping up all over the place, some announcing delays in processing Foreign Currency Acquisition Authorizations (or AADs) and others denouncing delays in Foreign Currency Release Authorizations (or ALDs).
The mayor of Venezuela's second largest city is missing, apparently the latest casualty of a crackdown on opposition by Chavez that observers are calling outright persecution.
Manuel Rosales ran against Chavez for president in 2006 and lost, but last year he was elected mayor of the port city of Maracaibo, home to over 3 million people.
After Chavez vowed on national TV to throw Rosales in jail, the government filed corruption charges against the 56-year-old mayor. Two weeks ago, Rosales dropped out of sight. Supporters say he is hiding from "an enemy who now has the power to crush all opposition".
Rosales isn't alone in fearing retribution. Antonio Ledezma, another Chavez opponent, was elected mayor of Caracas in 2008 but is being barred from his office by his own police force, which attacked him when he tried to enter.
"It is hard to understand -- a mayor can't get into his own office," Ledezma said. "The people there have guns. They have a license for guns, a license for crime."
Political analysts once used the word "authoritarian" to describe Hugo Chavez. Now they have begun to use the word "dictator" after what's happened to Ledezma and
others.
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