Hugo Chavez
The Propaganda Campaign Surrounding Hugo Chavez
Chavez - Loved or Loathed (McCarthy, 2013)
Ideology and Purpose of the Chavez Propaganda Campaign
Context in which the Propaganda Occurs
Identification of the Propagandist
Hugo Chavez served as the President of Venezuela since 1998 when won the democratic election in Venezuela in landslide until just recently when he passed away due to cancer. Hugo Chavez was a controversial character who was the subject of propaganda and portrayed in some circles as an authoritarian thug. Many portray Chavez as a human rights defender and champion of the poor while others described him as a human rights violator who was a radical dictator. With all the propaganda and different portrayals of Chavez it is difficult to discern fiction from reality. This analysis will consider the aspects of the propaganda such as the motivations behind such efforts.
Ideology and Purpose of the Chavez Propaganda Campaign
There are many potential purposes and motivations behind the propaganda directed toward Hugo Chavez and his government. One such motivation is that Chavez style of socialism does not necessarily fit within the United States style of democracy, or at least many leaders would maintain this perspective. Although there are many socialist parties in democratic governments in Europe and around the world, in the United States this is something that is commonly demonized in the media. Therefore his position is radical from the perspective of many in the United States. The fact that a socialist became democratically elected in the hemisphere is alarming to many simply out of proximity. The United States has historically maintained an incredible amount of influence in the hemisphere and allowing a socialist government on the continent is undoubtedly a threat to many who adamantly oppose socialism. Therefore Chavez and all he stands for are opposed by leaders on an ideological basis.
There are many other reasons in which Chavez has also become a target for a propaganda campaign. An obvious reason is that Hugo Chavez has been a vocal critic of imperialism, consumptionism, and many other aspects of the United States and its culture. "The devil came here yesterday, and it smells of sulfur still today," Chavez told shocked world leaders at the UN General Assembly in 2006 when Chavez lambasted then U.S. president George W. Bush as "the devil" (AFP, 2013). Although some perceived this speech as "an ingenious form of denouncing bellicose imperialism," the leadership in the United States was not as understanding. Thus Chavez's vocal criticisms of the U.S., especially its leadership, also made him a target for various propaganda campaigns.
Above all other reasons however that the controversial figure has made himself a target of propaganda is that Venezuela holds one of the largest proven oil reserves in the world and exports billions of barrels of oil every year to the U.S. Venezuela's oil revenues account for roughly 94 per cent of export earnings, more than 50 per cent of federal budget revenues, and around 30 per cent of gross domestic product. Apart from petroleum, the country's natural resources include natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, diamonds and other minerals (OPEC, N.d.). A response to a question posed by David Muir from ABC World News by Jorge Ramus basically sums up the threat perceived in Hugo Chavez (Hart, 2012):
RAMOS: There is a lot at stake for the United States here in Venezuela. On a personal level, we have to remember that President Hugo Chavez has insulted both President Barack Obama and George W. Bush. But going beyond the personal level, we have to remember that Venezuela exports billions of barrels of oil to the United States, and Hugo Chavez can disrupt oil prices just with a phone call. And, also, that Chavez is the most important ally of Iran in the region. And even though President Barack Obama once told me that he does not consider Hugo Chavez to be a threat to national security, many Republicans don't agree on this with President Barack Obama, David.
Context in which the Propaganda Occurs
The context in which the propaganda has been engineered can be described as a period of social uprising. From relatively modest origins, the OWS movement spread incredibly quickly and was at least partly fueled by intense media coverage of the events. The movement is also considered an extension of other movements that occurred in different regions of the world and many claim the beginning of OWS was inspired by what is referred to the Arab Spring as well as the social uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. The OWS group attracted a diverse following of people from different backgrounds....
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