Carter's Chavezuela

IBD Editorials ^ | 1 June 2007 | Staff

[Kitten Festival]

Leadership: As unrest over freedom's end grows in Venezuela, out comes Jimmy Carter's Center, expressing "concern." That's rich. Carter played a leading role in trashing the press there, making dictatorship possible.

Jimmy Carter often wins praise as an international mediator, but it was precisely his mediation in two events in August 2004 that led to the turmoil now seen across Venezuela.

Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets crying "freedom" for two reasons: they're ruled by a dictator who's gathering absolute power, and they can't even complain because he's effectively ended free speech.

On May 27, dictator Hugo Chavez shut down Venezuela's largest TV station, RCTV, which had been openly critical of his regime, sending a strong message to other critics that the same fate awaits.

Like many around the world, Carter has jumped on the bandwagon to claim concern. "Healthy democracies require spaces for political dialogue and debate," the Carter Center pontificated.

But Carter himself had a direct hand in the rise of the dictatorship and in weakening the free press.

[libs_kma]

Carter; increasingly irrelevant since 1976...

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Jimmah Cahtah couldn’t have done more damage to the US if he had been a paid agent of the Soviet Union.

[BenLurkin]

"University students rally in Caracas against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's decision to close television RCTV. Students joined growing protests over Chavez's closure of the television station and vowed peaceful nationwide marches for freedom on Friday"(AFP/File/Juan Barreto)

[BenLurkin]

"Carter mediated a meeting between one station owner, Venevision's Gustavo Cisneros, and Chavez. The result: Venevision ended its critical coverage of Chavez in exchange for its continued existence."

[Marysecretary]

He is increasingly senile and an embarrassment to the WORLD.

[Edgerunner]

Carter is going for a world record in screwing nations up...

[3AngelaD]

"Just a few days ahead of the August recall referendum, Carter mediated a meeting between one station owner, Venevision's Gustavo Cisneros, and Chavez. The result: Venevision ended its critical coverage of Chavez in exchange for its continued existence. As a result, another station, Televen, caved in, and RCTV stood alone with tiny Globovision, as Chavez critics."

So the insufferable Carter intervened in order to suppress media coverage of Chavez' marxist intentions. And:

For Chavez, it was a bonanza. Because of the media deal Carter mediated, not only did he get a supine press, but it became easier to shut down the lone holdouts who refused to halt criticism."

[elhombrelibre]

Carter is the worst president and worst ex-president. However, the one thing I like about him is he does and says the things that many Democrats are forced to hide. There’s no hidden agenda with Carter; he candidly let’s you know he prefers America’s enemies and Israel’s enemies. How many Democrats will be so upfront about their agenda like he is?

[SlapHappyPappy]

I am having trouble seeing where what Carter negotiated was a mediation.

One side went in with all the power and got exactly what they wanted. I assume they could have done that without Carter’s help.

[cake_crumb]

Unbelievavbly, ABC’s Today show covered teh protests: they had about a 30 second blurb about increasing anti-US protests in Chavezuela (I love that term)

[Kitten Festival]

Chavez threatened to shut down the station. Carter persuaded him not to, and offered an appeasing compromise that kept Venevision alive as a zombie station.

Chavez never would have been able to shut down Venevision on his own if there were three other tv stations all doing the same thing. picking them off one by one, by neutralizing a couple and smashing the holdouts is what happened and how we got to this state of affairs. Carter should have told chavez to do his worst and see if he could get away with it. He would not have. cisneros was a willing dupe but not on speaking terms with chavez as carter was. carter brought the two together.