Chávez camp launches smear campaign against presidential rival Capriles (The Guardian)

Venezuelan opposition candidate Henrique Capriles faces attacks over his sexuality, affluent background and Jewish roots. Capriles was overwhelmingly endorsed as the Venezuelan opposition’s presidential candidate in its first-ever primary election on February 12.

Allies of Hugo Chávez have begun a smear campaign against the opposition’s candidate for the Venezuelan presidency – while a row over voter lists has heightened fears that supporters of Henrique Capriles could face reprisals in their employment and personal lives. […]

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Senior officials and state media have led the attack, denouncing Capriles – a 39-year-old state governor who wants to be Venezuela’s youngest leader – as “bourgeois” and “fascist”.

“Now we know who is the candidate of imperialism, of capitalism and the right wing,” said congress leader Diosdado Cabello, a former military comrade and longtime staunch supporter of the socialist president. “The anti-patriotic candidate has a face. He won’t have an easy election campaign.”

Capriles is the grandson of Jews who survived the second world war Holocaust in Poland. He defines himself as a centre-left progressive favouring free-market economics with a strong social conscience.

The most furious accusations have come from state media commentator Mario Silva, who often targets Chávez’s foes on his late night TV show The Razorblade. Silva insulted opposition leaders and then read out a purported police document reporting Capriles was caught in a car having sex with another man in 2000. Capriles denied the allegation and said the document was falsified. Police have not commented.

Another state radio commentator, Adal Hernandez, wrote a vitriolic profile of Capriles, highlighting his Jewish family background and titled The Enemy Is Zionism. Capriles, a practising Catholic, has not responded to the profile. […]

Chávez supporters have also demanded to know the source of Capriles’ campaign financing, implying pro-US interests have been backing him. The Democratic Unity candidate has responded that his books are open for all to see. […]

The government for years discriminated against Venezuelans whose names were on a list of people who requested a recall referendum on Chávez’s rule, blocking them from jobs, state loans and in some cases even entrance to government buildings. […]

Capriles has criticised one-sided coverage by state media, accusing it of routinely ignoring protests about crime and water shortages while extensively reporting “every time a mango falls on a roof” in the state of Miranda where he is governor. […]

But the president still appears to have the edge, thanks to high popularity among the poor, a formidable party machine and an extraordinary pre-election spending spree on welfare projects like allowances for single mothers and pensioners. —- Original article at The Guardian

Fuente: Guardian

Monitoreo Ciudadano destaca abusos de campaña presidencial del Presidente Chávez (El Universal)

La Ley impone cárcel por usar recursos públicos para campaña.

La organización Monitoreo Ciudadano advierte que continúa el uso del Sistema Nacional de Médios Públicos para realizar campaña presidencial adelantada.

En su web site http://monitoreociudadano.org y en su canal de YouTube se pueden observar los clip de video con extractos de las transmisiones oficiales que se utilizan como actos de campaña.

En su boletín quincenal, Monitoreo Ciudadano destaca que como funcionario público, “el Presidente Hugo Chávez debe estar “al servicio del Estado y no de parcialidad alguna”.

Recuerdan que según la norma penal establece que “el funcionario público que abusando de sus funciones, utilice su cargo para favorecer o perjudicar electoralmente a un candidato, grupo, partido o movimiento político, será sancionado con prisión de 1 año a 3 años.”

Monitoreo Ciudadano - su cuenta en twitter es @yomonitoreo - es una iniciativa que nace con la finalidad de realizar el seguimiento de medios de comunicación del Estado en Venezuela, sus abusos y violaciones a las leyes. Se pretende demostrar y ejemplificar el uso político de recursos públicos a través de los medios de comunicación del Estado.

Actualmente Monitoreo Ciudadano está enfocado en las transmisiones de VTV y ANTV (la televisora de la Asamblea Nacional), Monitoreo Ciudadano forma parte del proyecto Monitor Legislativo. —- Artículo original en http://goo.gl/8tE6H

Fuente: eluniversal.com

Venezuela: Tough fight ahead for opposition leader Henrique Capriles Radonski (Girish Gupta)

Desde el 11 de marzo de 2012, nuestro blog está en nuestra nueva página web: monitoreociudadano.org

As of March 11, 2012, our blog has moved to our new website: monitoreociudadano.org

It is an abuse of power and a violation of the Venezuelan Constitution and anti-corruption law for President Hugo Chávez and other government officials to repeatedly utilize State TV and National Blanket Broadcasts* to attack opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles.

Less than a week after winning Venezuela’s opposition primary, Henrique Capriles Radonski suffered criticism of his Jewish roots, an allegation of homosexuality and was called a “low-life pig” by the man he will fight in October’s election, President Hugo Chavez.

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To say Capriles is in for a tough few months is to put it lightly. […] State television personality Mario Silva read out what he said was a police document live on air last week, alleging that Capriles was caught having sex with a man in a car more than a decade ago. At the same time, state radio personality Adal Hernandez published an essay entitled, “The Enemy is Zionism,” on the station’s website, decrying Capriles’ alleged links to a Jewish business elite. […]

Ensuring he didn’t get fired up when provoked by Chavez was one of the keys to Capriles’ win: “This primary proves that Venezuelans want neither polarization nor aggressive political language,” said Carlos Romero, a political analyst at the Central University of Venezuela. “Capriles, with simple speech, managed to penetrate the popular sectors and young people.” […]

By contrast, Capriles rarely mentions Chavez by name, acutely aware that while the socialist maverick may not be popular in the middle-class areas Capriles is comfortable in, he is still overwhelmingly popular in many barrios. […]

Critics suggest though that the president is simply buying votes. Spending is likely to rise nearly 50 percent this year on last, according to the government’s planned budget. […] All that cash will go into more social programs over the coming months, as Chavez reminds the population of what has been achieved and that for his Bolivarian Revolution to succeed, another six-year term is necessary — and deserved. […]

“Now we have the loser,” Chavez said on Friday, welcoming his contender to the ring. “We’re going to pulverize you in the October election!” And just in case that didn’t fire up Capriles enough, the president added: “You have a pig’s tail, a pig’s ears; you snort like a pig,” he said. “You’re a low-life pig.” […] —- Originally published in the Global Post.

* In Venezuela, a “national chain” broadcast (Cadena Nacional de Radio y Televisión) is an obligatory National Blanket Broadcast that—by law—must be aired by all domestic radio and television stations. Not all countries have an equivalent (US, UK, etc.) and the mechanism allows President Chávez to commandeer the airwaves at any time for as long as he wishes. He gives speeches for hours, sings and chants with members of his government and political party. Recently and in violation of the Venezuelan Constitution and anti-corruption law, Chávez has been blatantly utilizing the National Blanket Broadcast in order to kick-off his presidential election campaign.

Monitoreo Ciudadano (Citizen Monitoring) is a citizen initiative and NGO dedicated to monitoring and exposing the abuse of power and public resources by the Venezuelan government in efforts to illegally influence Venezuelan elections. —- President Hugo Chávez has in recent months abused both State TV and obligatory nationwide blanket broadcasts (cadena nacional) on multiple occasions to support his candidacy for president and attack his opponent. —- Citizen Monitoring uses the Twitter hashtag #AbusoPoder (Abuse of Power) to register complaints. Follow us at @yomonitoreo

Fuente: globalpost.com

Hugo Chávez Begins Illegal Campaign Attacking Henrique Capriles on State TV and National Blanket Broadcasts*

Desde el 11 de marzo de 2012, nuestro blog está en nuestra nueva página web: monitoreociudadano.org

As of March 11, 2012, our blog has moved to our new website: monitoreociudadano.org

It is an abuse of power and a violation of the Venezuelan Constitution and anti-corruption law for President Hugo Chávez to repeatedly utilize National Blanket Broadcasts* to attack opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles.

In a firey speech delivered via an obligatory National Blanket Broadcast*, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez insulted his rival, calling him “worthless” and “a pig”.**

Bourgeoisie, unpatriotic and pig were only some of the insults used to attack presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, as Chávez held no punches when unofficially initiating his election campaign. According to analysts, the strategy is intended to provoke confrontation and destroy the chances of the United Democratic Alternative in this year’s presidential election.

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Appearing on State-run Venezuelan Television (VTV) in the following week, President Chávez accused Capriles of embodying the bourgeoisie, imperialism, capitalism and of failing to copy him with a discourse of social inclusion. Capriles is a “hypocrite”, said Chávez.

Alongside attacks made directly by Chávez, the government has abused public resources to the opposition and its presidential candidate Capriles from other State media outlets. Another VTV program dedicated time to airing an accusation of homosexual activity made against Capriles, accusing him of performing oral sex with a man in police car.

As if that weren’t enough for one week, State-run Venezuelan National Radio (RNV) characterized Capriles being linked to the “Zionist bourgeoisie” and part of a “paramilitary and fascist sect” due to his Jewish heritage. Capriles is a Catholic, though has Jewish ancestors who survived the Holocaust. Video in Spanish: http://youtu.be/67gaglO4lZ0 —- Original article published in El Nuevo Diario in Nicaragua.

* In Venezuela, a “national chain” broadcast (Cadena Nacional de Radio y Televisión) is an obligatory National Blanket Broadcast that—by law—must be aired by all domestic radio and television stations. Not all countries have an equivalent (US, UK, etc.) and the mechanism allows President Chávez to commandeer the airwaves at any time for as long as he wishes. He gives speeches for hours, sings and chants with members of his government and political party. Recently and in violation of the Venezuelan Constitution and anti-corruption law, Chávez has been blatantly utilizing the National Blanket Broadcast in order to kick-off his presidential election campaign.

** Worthless (majunche), pig (cochino)

Monitoreo Ciudadano (Citizen Monitoring) is a citizen initiative and NGO dedicated to monitoring and exposing the abuse of power and public resources by the Venezuelan government in efforts to illegally influence Venezuelan elections. —- President Hugo Chávez has in recent months abused both State TV and obligatory nationwide blanket broadcasts (cadena nacional) on multiple occasions to support his candidacy for president and attack his opponent. —- Citizen Monitoring uses the Twitter hashtag #AbusoPoder (Abuse of Power) to register complaints. Follow us at @yomonitoreo

In Venezuela, a “national chain” broadcast (Cadena Nacional de Radio y Televisión) is an obligatory National Blanket Broadcast that—by law—must be aired by all domestic radio and television stations. The mechanism allows President Hugo Chávez to commandeer the airwaves at any time for as long as he wishes. He gives speeches for hours, sings and chants with members of his government and political party. In early 2012 and in violation of the Venezuelan Constitution and anti-corruption law, Chávez repeatedly and blatantly utilized the National Blanket Broadcast to promote his presidential election campaign and attack his opponent Henrique Capriles.
What is a Cadena Nacional de Radio y Televisión, or National Blanket Broadcast in Venezuela?