ANTI-CHAVEZ CABLE STATIONS TAKEN OFF AIR

CHAVEZ FORCED OFF AIR MAIN OPPOSITION
TV STATION, RCTV, AND FIVE OTHER NETWORKS

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela’s telecommunications regulator ordered cable television providers to stop carrying Radio Caracas Television, the network whose broadcast rights President Hugo Chavez revoked in 2007, for allegedly violating rules including not televising the president’s speeches. Cable networks halted RCTV Internacional after the government said the station was not following broadcast regulations. The main opposition TV station in Venezuela along with five others were taken off the air early on Sunday for violating rules issued by President Hugo Chavez’s government. The new rules require stations to air Chavez’s speeches, among other mandates. The government last night called on cable providers to pull networks off the air that haven’t registered with the regulator and whose media classification has been changed to national from international. International networks, whose programming must be 70 percent foreign, don’t have to follow rules such as broadcasting Chavez’s speeches. The left-wing leader Chavez revoked the broadcast rights of RCTV, as the network is known, which supported demonstrations that led to a 2002 coup attempt. In addition to RCTV, the dropped channels include Ritmo Son, Momentum, America TV, American Network and TV Chile networks.

According to the RCTV authorities, Chavez wants to silence the voice of protest of the Venezuelan people in the face of the failure of his government's administration. President Chavez faces growing criticism over shortages of power and water and a sharp currency devaluation this month that could accelerate the country's soaring inflation. Residents of Caracas banged pots and pans at midnight to protest the measure, some of them held placards that read ''Chavez, you are striked out'' during a rally in the Venezuelan capital.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

When a Vaishnava king like Dhruva Mahārāja is the head of the government of the entire world, the world is so happy that it is not possible to imagine or describe. ... The youthful generation of the present day is very enthusiastic in trying to overthrow the government in different parts of the world. But unless people are Krishna conscious like Dhruva Mahārāja, there will be no appreciable changes in government because people who hanker to attain political position by hook or by crook cannot think of the welfare of the people. They are only busy to keep their position of prestige and monetary gain. They have very little time to think of the welfare of the citizens.

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
“The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam”
Purport in Canto 9 - Chapter 9 - Verse 66.