Venezuela: eat the press

Although Chávez's Government is overwhelmingly popular and working for the poor - unlike almost every administration before it - his supporters do the Venezuelan people no favours by uncritically cheering every move of the flamboyant Head of State.

When the current affairs program Dossier, by outstanding journalist Walter Martínez - a nine-time winner of Venezuela’s version of the Pulitzer Prize - was taken off air in September 2005, the silence from Chávez's international supporters was deafening.

Showered with praise and awards by the government for his sharp analysis and criticism of, among others, the Bush administration, Martínez believed he should apply the same journalistic standards to the Chávez Government on the issue of corruption.

Unfortunately, Martínez was given an ultimatum by government officials: retract your statements or say goodbye to your program on state television. Martínez chose the latter.

Though it is hard to shed tears for the likes of RCTV, and undoubtedly they should face justice at some point for their past actions, it is also unhealthy to have a man with his own TV program (Aló Presidente) talking for four, five and even six hours on air at a time.

Popular street media is flourishing in Venezuela - some of it quite creative and high quality. Importantly, most Afro-Indian Venezuelans - over 80 per cent of the population - can now, for a change, see themselves on television.

However, these new outlets are also strongly pro-Chávez. The treatment issued to Martínez should give Venezuelans and Chávez's international supporters food for thought.

If one day in the land of Simón Bolívar the only views one hears are pro-Chávez, the revolution will certainly have turned somewhat stale.