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05-08-2007, 02:26 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Postmaster General
Military Professional
Join Date: 08-20-03
Country: 
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Venezuela Defends State-TV Talk Show in Spat With U.S. Embassy
Quote:
Venezuela Defends State-TV Talk Show in Spat With U.S. Embassy
By Theresa Bradley
May 4 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuela's Foreign Ministry dismissed a formal complaint by the U.S. State Department that Venezuelan state television put U.S. embassy officials in Caracas at risk by divulging personal information about them.
In a diplomatic note handed to Venezuela's ambassador in Washington, Bernardo Alvarez, on May 1, the State Department voiced concern about the diffusion of embassy personnel details on a nightly Venezuelan talk show. The broadcast violates the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, the U.S. said.
``The government categorically rejects this new reckless aggression against our country,'' Venezuela's Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website, arguing that the program, ``La Hojilla,'' is an opinion show entitled to exercise ``free speech characteristic of a full democracy.''
Relations between the U.S. and Venezuela have soured since President Hugo Chavez took power in 1999, making President George Bush one of his favored targets. Chavez often accuses the U.S. of plotting to assassinate him, and has threatened to expel its ambassador to Caracas William Brownfield at least twice in the past year.
Venezuela has meanwhile spent tens of millions of dollars to beef up its state broadcasting apparatus, creating the international television news network Telesur, as well as dozens of government-funded community radio and television stations to spread word of Chavez's socialist and anti-U.S. ``revolution.''
`La Hojilla'
On ``La Hojilla,'' broadcast weeknights on the largest state television channel, Venezolana de Television, host Mario Silva regularly refers to members of the U.S. government as ``imperialist'' ``coup-mongers,'' responsible for a 2002 uprising that ousted Chavez from office for two days. The station's headquarters were attacked by anti-government crowds at the time.
Surrounded on set by oversize posters of Chavez, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, Silva mocks members of Venezuela's political opposition, often linking them to the U.S., and has broadcast photographs of foreign diplomats and journalists taken at private parties.
The show, whose name ``La Hojilla'' means ``The Razor Blade,'' has also accused Venezuelan staff at the U.S. embassy in Caracas of conspiracy, blamed Brownfield for inciting riots, and in November broadcast the home address, car license plate number and names of business frequented by an embassy employee.
``This network is wholly owned by the Venezuelan government, which means it reflects Venezuelan government policy,'' U.S. embassy spokesman Brian Penn said today in a telephone interview in Caracas. ``It's a Venezuelan government entity making statements that the State Department is concerned could put the safety of its personnel at risk.''
Posada Carriles
Venezuela's Foreign Ministry meanwhile accused the U.S. of encouraging its own officials to attack Chavez on U.S. radio and television shows, and said the State Department had manufactured its complaint about ``La Hojilla'' to distract attention from a federal court's release on bond of Luis Posada Carriles, 79, who is wanted in Cuba and Venezuela on terrorism charges including those related to the 1976 bombing of a Cuban passenger plane.
The U.S. embassy in Caracas declined to release the text of the diplomatic note it sent to Alvarez, saying that it goes against policy to make diplomatic correspondence public.
To contact the reporter on this story: Theresa Bradley in Caracas at tbradley7@bloomberg.net .
Last Updated: May 4, 2007 15:24 EDT
Bloomberg.com: Latin America
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It does give new meaning to country to country relationship.
One wonders where this will lead to.
__________________
"Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."
I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.
HAKUNA MATATA
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05-08-2007, 12:26 PM
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#2 (permalink)
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Senior Contributor
Join Date: 05-12-05
Country: 
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Thats complete ******** endangering the lives of those at the consul. IF any of them should be harmed thanks to this then retaliation should certainly be in the cards. Economicly and Co vert military if need be necessary. 
__________________
Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.
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05-09-2007, 09:08 AM
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#3 (permalink)
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Defense Professional
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The guys are just provoking you....
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05-10-2007, 00:54 AM
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#4 (permalink)
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Contributor
Join Date: 01-08-07
Location: Manila
Country: 
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The relationship is getting worst and worst, the US must consider the safety of their diplomat in Venezuela because of this..
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