Hugo Chavez is trying to distance himself from an incident in which supporters attacked the headquarters of Globovision, Venezuela’s sole remaining opposition station:
President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday condemned an attack on an opposition-aligned TV station that he has threatened with closure, announcing that one of his radical supporters was detained for allegedly taking part in the assault. . .
He said Lina Ron, leader of a far-left party that supports the government’s socialist policies, was arrested over the attack. He said Ron and those who accompanied her “must face the force of the law.”
On Monday, government supporters riding motorcycles and waving the flags of Ron’s party tossed tear gas canisters at Globovision, the country’s last over-the-air television station that is a strong critic of Chavez. Globovision broadcast video of the incident, allegedly showing Ron among the attackers.
Chavez has recognized Ron as an ally, but he has also criticized her in the past for going too far.
Words are cheap. We’ll see if Ron faces any real consequences. I’d be surprised if she even sees the inside of a courtroom.
In any case, Chavez hardly needs the help of his mob for this. He’s close to wrapping things up using official coercion:
The attack came as tensions are rising between Venezuela’s government and private media.
Globovision is facing multiple investigations that could lead to its closure. Broadcast regulators, meanwhile, announced Friday that they were shutting down at least 32 radio stations. More than 200 other stations are also under investigation.
Meanwhile, in Ecuador, president and Chavez-wannabe Rafael Correa is continuing to follow in his mentor’s footsteps:
President Rafael Correa of Ecuador, a close Chavez ally, announced Monday that “many” radio and TV frequencies in his country would revert to the state over what he called irregularities in their licenses. He gave no specifics.
Internet Scofflaw 