Global Security Studies Practicum

16 November 2011 Venezuela's opposition candidates debate ahead of a primary vote. Venezuela ’s five opposition presidential candidates participated in a two-hour nationally televised debate on 14 November, criticizing President Hugo Chavez and addressing mainly three domestic issues: security, employment and education. Opposition candidates are campaigning ahead of a 12 February primary vote that will select a single opposition candidate to challenge President Chavez in the 2012 elections. The debate followed President Chavez's mandatory nationwide radio and TV broadcast. Source:  http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/venezuela-presidential-debate/ (Reliability: 9) Comment: Venezuela ’s five opposition presidential candidates include: Henrique Capriles Radonski (governor of Miranda state), PabloPerez (governor of Zulia state), Diego Arria (former Venezuelan ambassador to the UN), Leopoldo Lopez (former mayor of Caracas ), and Maria Corina Machado (l...

9 November 2011 Inmates are subdued at a prison riot in Cabimas that killed 22 people. Venezuela’s Supreme Court fined Globovision , the largest opposition TV channel in the country, for allegedly presenting coverage that encouraged violence during a prison uprising that killed 22 people. Globovision has appealed the US 2 million fine to the Supreme Court, saying it will likely force it to cut back news coverage or lead it to bankruptcy. Globovision is the sole remaining anti-Chavez TV Channel after RCTV , another opposition station, was not granted a broadcasting license in 2007. Source:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/americas/anti-chavez-tv-2-million-fine.html (Reliability: 8.5) Comment: Globovision is the only major TV channel that openly criticizes President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela . In recent years, other privately-run TV channels in Venezuela have curbed their criticisms of Chavez as a result of alleged government intimidation. Meanwhile, the Chavez gove...

12 October 2011 President Chavez talks about his health to the media. Associated Press ( CARACAS ) – President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela will return to Cuba  during the week of 16 October to undergo another round of medical tests. The announcement was issued by the president during a telephone interview via state-run television on 10 October. President Chavez previously said he finished his final round of chemotherapy but remains under observation for signs of recurrence. Cuban doctors removed a tumor from the president’s pelvic region in June without revealing details about his type of cancer. Source:  http://www.miamiherald.com/chavez-cuba.html (Reliability: 9) Comment: The president’s announcement comes amid questions regarding his ability to run for Venezuela ’s presidential elections set for 7 October 2012. Without an obvious successor matching his popular and charismatic ways, it is likely that Chavez’s socialist movement will significantly weaken after...