Shameful propaganda attack on Venezuela in The Observer newspaper

On Sunday, the weekly "left-wing" British newspaper The Observer ran a shameful attack on the Venezuelan political process and President Chávez in particular. Under the title "Revealed: Chávez role in cocaine trail to Europe," it is made up almost entirely of quotes from unnamed sources and attempts to portray Venezuela as a rogue state which promotes drug trafficking. The heading is especially misleading as even the writer admits that there is no evidence to connect Chávez with any alleged "narco-guerrilla" smuggling network.

Hands Off Venezuela is appealing to all supporters to write to The Observer and complain about this biased and one-sided hatchet job. Below is a sample letter from the campaign that can be adapted as necessary, but please remember to be polite. Send emails to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by noon Thursday 7th February and insert "This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." in subject field. Please copy any letters to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information on the manipulative techniques used in this piece, see Toni Solo's analysis "The Observer Exclusive: Hugo Chávez is President of Venezuela."

To the editor,

Your sensationalist scoop on Venezuela ('Revealed: Chávez role in cocaine trail to Europe', Observer, Feb 3) is, on inspection, rather less impressive. A misleading and dishonest heading is given to an assortment of smears from unnamed sources supported by the kind of analysis that's thought up in a Pentagon think-tank.

As the writer John Carlin admits, there is no evidence linking President Chávez to any alleged "narco-guerrilla" smuggling network, therefore Chávez's "role" is never revealed, for he has none. The claims that some Venezuelan soldiers and police are open to bribery isn't surprising, especially coming from ex-guerrillas who are likely to say anything that the Colombian government tells them to.

The report lacks any kind of balance, with only anonymous Chávez-haters quoted. More worryingly, the complex civil war in Colombia is reduced to cartoon-like goodies and baddies, with no mention of right-wing paramilitaries who have always admitted to using cocaine production as a major money-spinner.

For the record, Venezuelan authorities are intercepting far more cocaine under Chávez and are taking a much tougher line against incursions by any armed group. There will always be corruption, but there's been less since the US agents were kicked out.

By printing this crude propaganda, which hides behind unattributed "diplomats" and "intelligence sources" with no evidence to back up the serious and provocative allegations, you fail to live up to basic journalistic standards.

You owe your readers unbiased and reliable coverage of the political process in Venezuela and this type of hatchet job spreads a totally distorted picture of what's happening there. Perhaps a representative from the Venezuelan government should be given similar space to respond?

Yours sincerely
Name

This letter was sent by a Hands Off Venezuela supporter:

Heiko Khoo
Hands Off Venezuela
London

Regarding:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2251440,00.html

Sir or Madam

Your latest article on Venezuela fails to live up to the most elementary
standards of honest journalism and contains allegations
which if beleived can lead to war. It has remarkable similarities
with the many articles which appeared in the press in the run
up to the invasion of Iraq concerning weapons of mass destuction
and Al Queda's connections with Saddam.

1. It interviews people involved in the drug trade who are in
Colombian detention and repeats their views as if these are
to be believed. (no evidence is presented to verify allegations)

2. It quotes extensively from "US intelligence sources" no names,
nor even the department of the alleged "intelligence sources" are given.

3. It quotes alleged dissident FARC members who are supposed
to have seen the Venezuelan army giving all kinds of help to
cocaine traffickers.

It seeks to imply there is a joint political project between the
Venezuelan revolution and the FARC.
It implies, mainly in the title, that Chavez himself is behind the
alleged operations or at least knows of them.

No attempt is made to present the views of people who do not
think the allegations are true. No Venezuelan officials are interviewed
after being presented with the allegations. Instead their views are parodied.
Thus the most elementary codes of practice for journalism are ignored.
No consideration is given to the implications of the allegations,
which if untrue and yet acted upon by "US intelligence" forces, Colombian
or US armed forces could lead to war. As there is no journalist's name given
who wrote the article can you at least name thje journalist responsible?
Or is he or she actually a "US intelligence source?"

Yours sincerley
Heiko Khoo