The Assault on Free Speech

The assault on free speech continues... in Venezuela. [T]hugo Chavez isn't satisfied with shutting down one television station that was known for broadcasting opposing viewpoints.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday called opposition news channel Globovision an enemy of the state and said he would do what was needed to stop it from inciting violence, only days after he shut another opposition broadcaster.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans marched in Caracas in a fourth consecutive day of protests over Chavez's closure of the RCTV network - a move which has sparked international criticism that the leftist leader's reforms are undermining democracy.

State television showed hundreds of government supporters marching in downtown Caracas celebrating Chavez's decision.

Chavez is marching down a road we've seen before. It ends up with an impoverished and bankrupt country and death and misery for millions. Chavez is taking away the rights of the Venezuelan people one radio and television station at a time.

Those who oppose the government aren't simply labeled enemies of the state. They're imprisoned and vanish from sight.

Publius has the photos of the carnage in Caracas and Hugo's police go after the demonstrators opposed to the shutdown of the broadcasters. Gateway Pundit has the video of the police shooting at the student demonstrators.

Why isn't this getting more play in the US and worldwide media? Where are all those proponents of free speech slamming Chavez for shutting down the television stations?

UPDATE:
Others blogging the Chavez clampdown on free speech: Kowabunga, and The Hillary Project.

Texas Fred thinks you should boycott Citgo as a way of showing your displeasure with Chavez since Citgo is the state owned oil company of Venezuela. I don't know how effective that would be, but you're free to try it out yourself.

Meanwhile, Gateway Pundit has more video of the Chavez thugs packing heat (and these aren't the uniformed police either) and going after protestors.