Friday 25th May
RCTV Station spent its last 2 days to practically “beg” to stay on air. It might have looked a bit dramatic. Actors and technicians gave their viewpoint, looking for justice. Some people saw this as manipulation. Students and workers grew in support for RCTV.

Sunday 27th May
At 11.59pm after the national anthem, RCTV’s signal transmission was snuffed out.

On one extreme of reactions, sirens started ringing as way of protest; and on the other fireworks celebrated and introduced the new television channel TVes (Televisora Venezolana Social) or Venezuelan Social Television. (I don’t know what I felt, I was just confused)

The new state channel TVes claimed to “support” national productions and talents, and providing true information, implying that RCTV wasn’t doing it right. Lil Rodriguez (TVes President) said that it is hard for TVes to adapt a new model and 53 years without a “social television” didn’t make it any easier.

Monday 28th May
I went to USB (Universidad Simón Bolivar) my uni as I do every morning … and what do I see? Another protest rally surrounded by cops and Globovisión (another independent TV channel) transmitted these images as well as of another protest in the capital city. Some of them brewed trouble and disturbances; there were also some reports of aggression and the wounded.

Tuesday 29th May
I stayed at home, and watched Chávez in a live speech, warning Globovisión for its supportive stance on disturbances. The station was said to be breaking some laws as well. Ministers and politicians debated about the events on TV. Juan Barreto (Metropolitan Mayor) said there were about 107 students under 18 years old and 60 adults detained (This information was later denied).

Students proceeded to the OEA (Organization of American States) for a public dialogue, thus uniting all universities around the country. Government ministers said the student protest groups had the intention of looking for “deaths” rather than “justice” (Blame for deaths would naturally fall on the authorities). It is widely known that international TV stations tend to broadcast sensationalist and distorted news when reporting on local events. What I can say, university students really want to be heard and make a difference.

Thursday 31st May
At the request of university students around the country, a press conference with a panel of journalists and media representatives was held at USB (Universidad Simon Bolivar). Students wanted to express why they had a walkout, what they wanted to achieve with the protests and what they wanted the government to do.

Sunday 3rd June
There will be a national peace march held by students (teachers voiced that they wanted to join it) at Caraças. It will be to clarify that the main purpose for protesting is justice, not disturbance.

“The march’s main purpose is to show the Venezuelan student union is strong … to clarify slanders about the movement against current government held around the whole country” said Natasha Ascanio, engineering student (USB). She adds “the assembly must recognize the pacifist movement … not support the aggression … we are defending our rights, not trying to make violent protests.”

Younger students were supporting the protest as well. “It is unfair that students weren’t able to express what we feel, we are the future of this country” said Michelle Gomez, a high school student (she wants to study journalism).

Students from UNEFA and UBV support the decision made by the president for shutting down RCTV with their own walkouts.

Tuesday June 5th
Students think that there was excessive use of “force” by the police, and the universities agree with us. Opinions were expressed on news programmes throughout the night. We soon realise that it was not simply a dispute about “freedom of speech”, universities see it as linked with the new “admission system” and its “autonomy”.

In recent years, the idea of a “new university” and “opportunities” grew from the creation of UBV (Universidad Bolivarina de Venezuela) and the “modification” of UNEFA (Universiadad Nacional Experimetal de la Fuerza Armada). According to the government both universities herald the beginning of a “new era” in education. Chavez announced in a live speech that there will be no more admission tests at universities because all Venezuelans deserve education (cataloguing admission tests as a type of discrimination). Some would argue it is a means for Chavez to gain popularity.

Now anyone can apply to study and go to university. Young people are glad for the opportunity to be in higher learning - some feel we should aim for quality not quantity. Expansion of student quotas if unchecked for quality, could lead to deterioration of learning standards. Universities feel the problem is not with the education but back in high school and basic education that need improvement. Not enough support systems are in place to facilitate the bloated student population. A friend of mine is attending only two days of lectures and online courses are hastily being set up.

Students marching to TSJ

One student who lived through the “transition” process gives his opinion about the new UNEFA. “First of all a public institution that depends on government funding does not mean that we want to be the vehicle of political propaganda; they’re actually obligating us to attend official marches. So we should ask ourselves how credible these official marches are?” says Renzo Ortega, an engineering student at UNEFA. He adds that “the government should start improving the state of university buildings - we still lack a proper library and laboratories are ill-equipped for the increasing number of students” (there was an incident where too many students attending led to chaos and the collapse of a building ).

A few nights ago I watched a TV programme that posed same question to those who oppose the government - how credible are the opposition marches? On this official broadcast show they showed an intercepted phone conversation, where some opposition leaders implied the marches as a previously-prepared event, that the students were manipulated for a political agenda for the opposition.

I can only speak up for what I believe in and what I have witnessed - the assemblies and open meetings held at my university (USB) to talk about recent events, in my opinion, were not orchestrated by the political parties. I believe it is a question of basic rights, we as students do think about the future, if we see something that could affect our freedom (in this case, someone else deciding what you can or cannot see on TV, or telling you that your attendance is a political event), this naturally raises questions and will be hotly debated.

A few girls (students) gave the cops flowers as a gesture of peace.

Wednesday June 6th
Today another peace march took place in Caraçças … this time students walked up to the TSJ (Tribunal Supremo de Justicia) or Supreme Justice Court. Two representatives from UCV university and one from USB university voiced their opinions, and expressed protest against the repression during and after the pacifist manifestations (date). They argued that they are not politicians, but in their role as Venezuelan citizens it was basically about defending the right to freedom of speech.

In an interview Alberto Federico Ravel, the director of Globovision mentioned that some USB buses were stopped at the toll gates as it was making its way to the student marches. He also suggested that Chavez’s advisers were exaggerating the events and concoting absurd ideas that an assassination “magnicidio” plan was behind the manifestations so they were the real problem.

Thursday June 7th
A student forum for both government supporters and opponents was held at the legislative federal palace (parliament building). This assembly was broadcast live on national tv, with international media coverage. The agenda : 10 representatives from each side are given 10 minutes each to discuss, and debate ideas and propositions about the recent events.

Midday
The president of the national assembly Dip. Cecilia Flores introduces the event by declaring that “Esto es un momento historico” (“This is a historical event”), referring to the desire and commitment of students to engage in dialogue with the government.

The first speaker, Douglas Barrios (economics student at UNIMET) read his notes “debe ser afuera, en las universidades de manera impacial”, said that for the debate to be impartial universities had to be outside the boundaries of politics. And “no somos socialistas, somos seres sociales” (we are not socialist, we are social beings). He finished his speech with the symbolic act of taking off his shirt (a red one, the colour of the government) saying that we haven’t to wear uniforms to be heard.

Then Andreina Tarazon (law student from UCV) argued that Latin American is accustomed to a bourgeois democracy model, where a small minority group has power over the majority. She talked about the opportunities that will promote TVes as a social channel, and joked that the inclusion of everyone will not satisfy current beauty criteria for working on TV but the government was trying to promote equality.

When the turn came for the second opponent’s representative to speak, Jon Goicoechea (from UCAB) simply said that students will keep on marching and “nos retiramos … por ahora” (we are leaving … for now). Then all 10 students walked out of the assembly! I could not believe it, I must admit I felt a little disappointed and let down by their illogical action. Why did they ask for a debate in the first place, and then abandon the forum? The president of the assembly questioned how can the government take them seriously now?

4.15 pm
A live conference by the representatives at the USB campus explaining reasons why they walked out. They said they did not receive what they asked for. They did not want a national broadcast neither were they looking for a disunity – all they wanted was the government to defend the rights of Venezuelans, stating “los derechos no son disputables” (Our “rights are not disputable”).

Tania's Website
We follow Tania's progress as she sets up a young parents website

Libertad de Expresión (Freedom of Speech)
Carlos reports from Venezuela

Thur 7th June
Student forum walkout

Wed 6th June
Peace March to USJ

Tue 5th June
Students give opinions

Sun 3rd June
National peace march planned

Thu 31st May
Press conference with students

Tue 29th May
Student march to be heard

Mon 28th May
Police presence at protest rally

Fri 25th May
RCTV begs to be on air

End May 2007
Media power struggle