Chavez wins referendum

[CountArach]

Your being absurd. When local government headquarters, held by opposition parties were taken over by pro-Chavez mobs, what did he do about it? Were these "radicals" treated like the criminals that they are by Chavez?

Chazvez orders police crackdown
"Chavez has condemned the attacks and ordered police to crack down. No suspects have been arrested."

And how would you like to explain away the arresting and deportation of critical HRW observers?

That was a mistake and I didn't comment on it because I already said it was reprehensible when he did it.

And that's not even touching on his government run and funded propaganda structure he has set up for himself. Suppression of opposition and one-sided cheerleading from the government and government owned industries. How does any of that sound free and fair to you?

Most of the media is anti-Chavez - that indeed sounds like a free and fair media. And of course the government is cheerleading him - HIS PARTY CONTROLS THE GOVERNMENT.

When you have to vote with a gun in your head, I'm sure that the people will love him.

What evidence is there of people being intimidated into voting one way or the other by the government?

[Whacker]

For argument's sake, does anyone have any real data or good sources on corruption in the voting process in Venezuela? If the people did truly vote for this, then I pity them.

[Xiahou]

"Chavez has condemned the attacks and ordered police to crack down. No suspects have been arrested."

No arrests, huh?

Though the ruling party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, has denounced such actions, the government has done very little to stop them. The government itself has been targeting student leaders, arresting dozens on vague charges. Accusations of terrorism have been made, and phones have been tapped. In one instance, a student leader’s phone conversation was taped and then aired on Venezuelan radio.

link

The common pattern seems to be Chavez supporters riot, attack and otherwise intimidate opponents. Chavez makes a token comment that he doesn't support what they're doing- and then he has more of his opponents arrested- charged with the same things that his supporters do while he turns a blind eye.

Most of the media is anti-Chavez - that indeed sounds like a free and fair media. And of course the government is cheerleading him - HIS PARTY CONTROLS THE GOVERNMENT.

Right. I'm sure had Bush made millions of Federal employees go out and do legwork for the McCain campaign, you would've brushed that off as well, right? I mean, Bush controlled the government, so its ok. While he was at it, he could've used the FCC to force broadcasters to run wall-to-wall campaign ads too. These are all hallmarks of fair elections.

[CountArach]

No arrests, huh?

Though the ruling party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, has denounced such actions, the government has done very little to stop them. The government itself has been targeting student leaders, arresting dozens on vague charges. Accusations of terrorism have been made, and phones have been tapped. In one instance, a student leader’s phone conversation was taped and then aired on Venezuelan radio.

link

The common pattern seems to be Chavez supporters riot, attack and otherwise intimidate opponents. Chavez makes a token comment that he doesn't support what they're doing- and then he has more of his opponents arrested- charged with the same things that his supporters do while he turns a blind eye.

That applies to any number of governments. Its not the right thing to do at all - and I don't see how it could be defended, but that is the nature of power. And for the record:
http://cpj.org/2009/02/pro-governmen...n-media-ou.php

In an interview published on Friday, the leader of the Venezuelan pro-government group La Piedrita took responsibility for a series of attacks against local journalists and media outlets, and threatened to attack the 24-hours news channel Globovisión and RCTV Director Marcel Granier. The Committee to Protect Journalists called today on Venezuelan authorities to investigate the allegations and to immediately bring those responsible for the attacks to justice.

In its February 6 edition, the Venezuelan weekly Quinto Día published an extended interview with Valentín Santana, leader of La Piedrita, detailing the pro-government group's political stand and its past actions. In the interview, Santana threatened to "take up arms" against Granier and Globovisión, accusing them of promoting violence against Venezuelan Pesident Hugo Chávez.

Granier issued a statement the same day calling on local authorities to detain Santana. Over the weekend, Chávez condemned Santana's declarations and said La Piedrita's actions could be defined as "terrorism," according to Venezuelan news reports. According to El Universal, Chávez ordered Santana's detention on Sunday; he has not yet been detained.

That seems like far more than a token comment to me.

Right. I'm sure had Bush made millions of Federal employees go out and do legwork for the McCain campaign, you would've brushed that off as well, right? I mean, Bush controlled the government, so its ok. While he was at it, he could've used the FCC to force broadcasters to run wall-to-wall campaign ads too. These are all hallmarks of fair elections.

Show me where anyone was forced to campaign for Chavez.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Chazvez orders police crackdown
"Chavez has condemned the attacks and ordered police to crack down. No suspects have been arrested."

I bet they're searching on the golf courses of Venezuela for the ringleaders as we speak.

[LittleGrizzly]

Im sure the anti chavez media would have informed the electorate what they were voting on, probably if anything overplaying the case against voting for the refferendum, well done Chavez and well done Venezula!