The Story of Venezuela’s Protests May Be Different From What You Are Told

Originally published by Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo, Mark Weisbrot easily takes down the Western narrative of the Guarimba Insurrection that has been pushed down for the past two months. While he disagrees with Venezuelan Government seeking an arrest warrant for far-rightist Leopoldo López and the automatic removal of María Corina Machado from the National Assembly for accepting a role as a alternative representative to Panama at the OAS, it's clear that what the far-right movement in Venezuela wants is the removal of President Maduro by force via ungovernablity.

In reacting to the protests in Venezuela, the biggest Western media outlets have drafted a charmingly simple narrative of the situation there. According to this story, peaceful protesters have risen up against a government because of shortages, high inflation, and crime. They have taken to the streets and been met with brutal repression from a government that also controls the media.

It doesn’t take much digging to take down this narrative. First, while there have been some peaceful opposition marches, the daily protests are anything but peaceful. In fact, about half of the daily death toll from Venezuela that we see in the media – now at 41 -- are actually civilians and security forces apparently killed by protesters. A much smaller fraction are protesters alleged to have been killed by security forces. As for the media, state TV in Venezuela has only about 10 percent of the TV audience; the New York Times recently had to run a correction for falsely reporting that opposition voices are not regularly heard on Venezuelan TV. They are on TV, even calling for the overthrow of the government – which has been the announced goal of the protest leaders from the beginning. These are not like the protests last year in Brazil, or the student protests from 2011-13 in Chile, which were organized around specific demands.

Of course the increased shortages and rising inflation over the past year have had a political impact on Venezuela, but it is striking that the people who are most hurt by shortages are decidedly not joining the protests. Instead, the protests are joined and led by the upper classes, who are least affected.

In fact, the protests really got going largely as a result of a split within the Venezuelan opposition. Henrique Capriles, who lost to Chávez and then Maduro in the last two presidential elections, was considered too conciliatory by the more extreme right, led by Leopoldo López and María Corina Machado. They decided that the time was ripe to topple the government through street protests. Both were involved in the 2002 military coup against then President Chávez; María Corina Machado even signed the decree of the coup government that abolished the elected National Assembly (AN), the Constitution, and the Supreme Court.


Source: http://www.cepr.net/index.php/op-eds-&-columns/op-eds-&-columns/the-story-of-venezuelas-protests-may-be-different-from-what-you-are-tol

Now in regards to the narrative in Venezuela, it really shows that despite overwhelming evidence of the truth behind the facts they completely ignore what happened. Because if they did, they will shatter their fantasy world of humble students fighting against an oppressive government. This includes ignoring the socio-economic class of the protesters, which are upper class and upper-middle class. But why they're pushing this myth over and over again?

Because the news media in America, and in some sense in the Western world are another form of entertainment. In addition, most Americans in general do not care about what is going on in Eastern Europe,Africa or South America, South East Asia unless it's politics, violence, war, disaster, or disorder. The reliance of narratives reveals that the Western Media is too cheap to really find the truth behind what is going behind the scenes. It's merely a form of entertainment these days, especially in television news.

In addition, regarding the share of Venezuelan media viewership why VTV has a 10% share? Why the private media is dominant? It has to be something about the telenovelas isn't it? Because even Chavistas were reluctant to have RCTV to be shutdown without a renewal because of the telenovelas.

"One can’t keep playing around with Maduro’s assassin government and its insincere calls for peace"

On March 20, 2014. Political Commentator Pompeyo Marquez written a essay called "Clear Objective: One can’t keep playing around with Maduro’s assassin government and its insincere calls for peace" on the moderate by opposition newspaper "Ultimas Noticias". The piece clearly did not said anything about a coup against the Maduro government, but did called for a "transitional government" to restore a "Civil Republic" and "Democracy", and that the opposition must "stand united" against Maduro's socialist government.
-----------
POMPEYO MÁRQUEZ  - Clear Objective  
March 20, 2014

One can not keep playing into Maduro's assassin government , with it's insincere calls for peace

In every struggle for freedom , you need to be clear about the objective you are pursued . In this we fight today is evident that this is a ripe maneuver to defeat and conquer a government to govern for all and to unify the country , which can not be further divided into two pieces .

You can not keep playing into Maduro's assassin government , and its insincere called to peace .

A totalitarian character, which has proved its impracticality , its failure, and other democratic character, based on the National Constitution, which states that Venezuela is and always will be democratic: In this confrontation two types of companies are on the board.

This should not be forgotten in no time. Behold precisely the cause of the crisis, and it may only be overcome while Maduro remains in power.

Venezuela needs a transitional government to call new elections and institutionalize the country , with the return to the Civil Republic and Democracy. This is to normalize the country .

Venezuela is experiencing a deep crisis that can not be resolved with warm cloths . This crisis is out: creating a new government, which, as stated above, should be transitional .

Venezuela can not continue living like this. A country without rule of law takes refuge in repression causing dozens of deaths, using torture, must have limits on their actions and their future must be change, but change in a democratic direction .

Maduro has taken refuge in repression. It will go down in history as one of the assassin governments, even dictatorships like Perez Jimenez.

The crisis rocking the country is systemic, ie, covering all areas of national life. There is no partial solution to the problems. Then we have the economic crisis, which has no outlet but a shift. So things are raised.

As for the opposition, which has closer ties to the country and make a choice that is attractive , and that is none other than democratic choice. But the opposition has to stand united and open to new perspectives for the country. A new way of living where all Venezuelans live together and know that we are all treated equally, without degrading insults, and without deepening existing wounds.

Political leader
---------
Source: http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/opinion/firmas/pompeyo-marquez/objetivo-claro.aspx
Translation Based on Google Translate

I've highlighted the three sections of the essay in bold.

The first one is this: The need for a transitional government. They've tried doing this via soft coup, which has already failed. The Maduro government already made headways, and people in opposition controlled areas are pissed off of the guarimbos. As a matter of fact the National Guard and Venezuelan Army has just liberated the City of San Christobal from Guraimbas and Guarimbos despite some resistance yesterday on 3/31/2014.

Even if there was a transitional government, if it happens you know what's going to happen it one is ever established!

The other way is via the electoral manner, via a recall referendum. But they've already tried that with Chavez with Capiles, and it failed! As soon as Capriles lost and he called for his supporters to "pour their rage!" the people have gotten a taste of what would happen if Capriles actually won the presidency.

People who are aligned via the PSUV and the normally apolitically persons who usually vote for either the PSUV or the opposition have no interest in the opposition what so ever, after all the mayhem they put up with.

Already we have three local public officials jailed for contempt of court! And those local officials will most likely be replaced by PSUV members.

The second: The Venezuelan Constitution and the laws clear state against torture and excessive force. Over 60 instances of violations of the Constitution are already been investigated by the Public Ministry. Many of the repression the mainstream media in the US showed and the opposition media routinely showed were considered necessary force because they were either blocking the highways, obstructing public rights of movement , violently attacking the public who dared dismantled the barricades. As a matter of fact instead of aggressively attacking the barricades (inadvertently causing a media show for the opposition in American media), they let the Guarimbos burn themselves out.

And how they do that? They just take defensive positions and smoke them out using tear gas. Once they eventually get tired out and scattered, they proceed to arrest them using motorcycles. It's a very efficient strategy.

The third: The Opposition has already been fractured, and just today it has even got worse. Ex-assembly woman Machado, already got slapped in the face by the Organization of American states for trying to talk about the country (A few days ago the OAS made a statement clearly supporting the country.), has now has her lost of seat in the Assembly confirmed by the Supreme Court of Justice, yesterday. Lopez is already in a military prison (for his own protection, from his own political party) for arson, property damage, criminal association, and public incitement to crime. Machado is already facing the same fate, but add high treason to the mix of charges. Capriles is lucky he's not in prison yet as he's still not doing his job as a Governor of Miranda state and still being a sore loser!

It's clear that the Government and Venezuelan public want peace for the opposition who actually wants dialogue, but several times, the political opposition (not the economic, social, intellectual opposition) refused. So the strategy is clear: Reconcile with the moderates, repress the criminal and extreme opposition. It's actually a good strategy than going full Stalin.

So, yeah, Maduro's is not running an "assassin government", the Venezuelan opposition on the other hand is doing most of the assassination. With now 39 people dead.

BREAKING NEWS: Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice ruled on the forfeiture of deputy Maria Corina Machado seat on the National Assembly

Breaking news from Venezuela's Venezolana de Television and Aporrea on the forfeiture of deputy Maria Corina Machado seat on the National Assembly. The Constitutional Branch of the Supreme Court of Justice has just ruled that her forfeiture based on Article 191 of the Venezuelan Consitution of 1999 is automatic and did not require any action from the National Assembly.

The Constitutional Chamber, in joint presentation, interpreted the meaning and scope of article 191 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in regard to the acceptance of a representational activity (either permanent or alternates), interchangeably to its time of duration, before an international body on the part of a Member or Member of the National Assembly that is playing his charge for the duration of the period for which he was elected, and its incompatibility with the legislative function, depending on the loss of the investiture of the deputy Maria Corina Machado.

The ruling is based on provisions of the articles 191 and 197 of the Fundamental text, which indicate that members or deputies to the National Assembly may not accept or exercise public office without losing his investiture, except activities educational, academic, accidental or health care, as well as that they are obligated and compelled to perform their tasks to full-time, in the interests of the people. Equally the room noted the effective application of article 149, device that establishes that public officials may not accept charges, honors or rewards of foreign Governments without the authorization of the National Assembly.

Thus, after careful analysis, said the High Court that the application of the legal consequence provided in said Article 191, is automatic, with the acceptance of an alternative representation of a country, regardless of its duration, to an international body by the citizen Maria Corina Machado, who was in office of deputy to the National Assembly, which is an incompatible activity during the life of its legislative function in the period for which he was elected, as the diplomatic function not only is detrimental to the legislative function for which it was previously elected or elected, but in clear contradiction with the duties as Venezuela (Article 130 of the Constitution), and as Member of the National Assembly (Article 201 eiusdem).

The judgment determines that the incompatibilities for the deputies and deputies of the National Assembly, take as a purpose(finality) to avoid performances opposite to the ethics and at the beginning of sovereignty, independence, self-determination, social responsibility, international peace, justice, between others, for being these, fundamental base of the Venezuelan State.

Such a pronouncement took place on the occasion of a protection demand of collective interests against the President of the National Assembly deputy Diosdado Cabello for the supposed route de facto against the city dweller Maria Corina Machado tried by the citizens José Alberto Zambrano García and David Ascensión, in its councilmen's character of the municipality Baruta of the state(condition) Bolivariano of Elevated place, in whose(which) frame, in spite of the absence of legitimacy that produced the unacceptable nature of the demand in the terms in which it was tried, took place the interpretation of this Room, considering the national importance of the raised matter.

Translation based on Google Translate and other sources.
Source: http://www.aporrea.org/actualidad/n248178.html
------
This is really big news, because the Constitutional Branch interpreted the term "public official" to include people serving in the National Assembly, and with this it includes anyone working in the government like the President, Vice President, Executive Ministers of Public Power, Judges, prosecutors of the Public Ministry including the Attorney-General. This ruling does not include civil/public servants who work as the bureaucracy of the Venezuelan government.

With the loss of Deputy Machado's seat confirmed by the Court this means that the criminal investigation of her role in the "la Salida" Guarimba Insurrection can proceed without further delay by the Public Ministry!

Oh yeah, here's a video about it as well by VTV!