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

Hugo Chávez’ Illegal Campaign Attacking Henrique Capriles on State TV and National Broadcasts*** (Video, 2min) 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.

Subscribe to our “Daily Abuse of Power” email alerts: http://bit.ly/Aprg8f

In this 2 minute clip from February 15, 2012 at 1pm, Chávez takes advantage of another National Blanket Broadcast*** to draw a clear distinction between himself and his presidential opponent of the United Democratic Alternative (MUD), Henrique Capriles. —- Video: http://youtu.be/tkPpAJQLLck

Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gBdmz
Subscribe to daily alerts: http://bit.ly/zIVPt5

Illegally utilizing public resources via the State communications machinery, Chávez indicates that Hugo Chávez the “choice of the people”, of “strength and power”, and of “Motherland (Patria)”.

Chávez indicates that a vote for Capriles, however, is a vote for the same old “capitalist”, “retrograde” and “anti-Motherland” “bourgeoisie”.

More videos of Chávez’ abuse of power: http://youtube.com/yomonitoreo
More of our news in English: http://yomonitoreo.tumblr.com/tagged/english

The Law
As a public official, President Hugo Chávez must be “at the service of the State and not of any bias”.*

Utilizing the National Blanket Broadcast of Radio and Television, Chávez has the obligation to represent all legitimate political tendencies and not to air electoral propaganda.

Appropriate use of the National Blanket Broadcast*** is to inform the nation of State affairs, without attacking or criticizing opponents or waging an election campaign.

“Any public official abusing his functions, using his government position to do electoral favor or harm to a candidate, group, political party or movement, will be sanctioned with a prison sentence of 1 year to 3 years.”**

*Article 145, Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

**Article 68, Anti-Corruption Law of Venezuela

***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: youtu.be

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.

Subscribe to our “Daily Abuse of Power” email alerts: http://bit.ly/Aprg8f

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.

Subscribe to our “Daily Abuse of Power” email alerts: http://bit.ly/Aprg8f

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