Chavez: Inside the Coup

Plot synopsis:
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised opens in 2001 with footage of Chávez as he tours the country. Met with "popular enthusiasm", he speaks at rallies, decrying neoliberalism and the international community's attacks on his character. The film outlines Chávez's rise to power, before covering his day-to-day routine and appearances on his television show, Aló Presidente, which includes a phone-in for citizens to speak with the president. Chávez outlines his aspiration to be seen as a modern-day Bolívar. Clips from Venezuelan and United States news reports demonstrate a "relentless campaign" against the president.
Interviews with communities from both sides of the political divide indicate how Chávez is seen by the rich and poor. The latter support his stated aim to redistribute the country's oil wealth; the former fear totalitarianism and are worried Chávez will institute communism. In February 2002, the media war intensifies after Chavez takes control of PDVSA. The film states that the company was previously run as a private interest for the benefit of a minority, despite being state-owned. Business leader Pedro Carmona and union boss Carlos Ortega are the main voices of the opposition. After the pair visit Washington, D.C., the CIA and the State Department express concern about Chávez's rule and stress the importance of Venezuela's oil. A Venezuelan general appears on private television to voice similar disquiet. Carmona appeals for a public protest at the offices of PDVSA.
On 11 April, opposition protesters begin their march outside PDVSA's headquarters in Caracas; Chávez's supporters gather outside the presidential palace. The protest route is changed to take it to the palace; shots ring out and civilians are killed. The private media blames Chávez's supporters, citing footage that shows them shooting at opposition protesters from a bridge. The narration states, "What the TV stations didn't broadcast was [this camera angle], which clearly shows that the streets below were empty. The opposition march had never taken that route." Later, the state television signal is cut; rumors circulate that the opposition has taken over the studio. At the palace, members of the military high command demand Chávez's resignation, threatening to bomb the building. The president refuses to resign, but submits to their custody. He is led away, and Carmona announces on television that a transitional government will be established.
On 12 April, opposition leaders appear on private television, where they disclose their plan to unseat Chávez. Carmona is sworn in as president while images play of unrest on the streets. Defying media censorship, Chávez's supporters disseminate the story that the president did not resign. On 13 April, they gather to protest outside Miraflores, while palace guards plot to retake the building. The guards take up key positions and, at a prearranged signal, take members of the new government prisoner. The state television channel is relaunched and urges the army to back Chávez. "Full military control" is returned to the Chávez administration and the president arrives at the palace amid celebratory scenes. Chávez makes an address in which he says it is fine to oppose him, but not the Constitution of Venezuela. The closing titles say Carmona fled to Miami while under house arrest, and that Ortega went into hiding, only reappearing to help lead the opposition after Chávez said there would be no repercussions. Most of the dissident generals, after being expelled from the army, fled to the US. Others remained as part of the opposition.

Tags: inspiring

Review:
What you get here is the most fascinating and unique look at historical events ever captured on film: you get to be inside a coup d'état in Venezuela while it is actually happening.What happens before your eyes is stunning, shocking - and if it weren't for the very real events of similar nature in the past in other Latin American countries, unbelievable.
And when the people take back control and restore the popular leader, the filmmakers are still on hand with cameras rolling.There he is as the film begins: Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, the former military officer and admirer of Bolivar who years earlier attempted his own coup and was imprisoned for it.Hugo Chavez is a hugger.
Reviewing a film, he stops to tell aides they must use the local media wherever they go in the country to maintain visibility and contact.He meets crowds in the streets, crowds of the poor, smiling at him, optimistic about their government for the first time in their lives.He receives hundreds, perhaps thousands of notes and letters, sometimes scribbled on scraps of paper, from poor people who adore him and ask him for help, and he has staff to read all these requests.
Even after being temporarily deposed from the presidency he won by a landslide vote of the 80% poor population of Venezuela, he refuses to prosecute the perpetrators of the coup and many remain in the country as opposition leaders.
What we do see is a man who plays his role of people's leader and friend of Fidel to the hilt.Irish filmmakers Kim Bartley and Donnacha O'Briain came to Venezuela to simply cover Chavez's presidency, obviously sympathetic to his democratic rule and hatred of neo-liberalism and globalization and aware of the Nortenos' jaundiced picture of him emanating from the Bush administration speaking through Colin Powell.
We also see clips to show how this opposition freely uses the country's privately owned TV stations (only one, Channel 8, is government controlled) to attack Chavez daily as insane and insist he be ousted.The Chavez opposition arranges a public confrontation that makes his supporters look like killers.
Public outcry swiftly leads to mass opposition of the new coup government though, and the Chavez supporters regain the presidential palace and bring him back.
This has to be some of the most amazing footage of history in action ever filmed.Except for some information on what happened to Carmona and the other opposition figures after their ouster -- many staying, because of their freedom from reprisals, but Carmona turning up in Miami, no doubt to be coddled by the US and held for future use -- there is nothing further about the situation in Venezuela, which is reported to be very revolutionary and unstable.'Chavez: Inside the Coup' isn't political analysis but impassioned engagé reportage and as such it has enormous meaning and impact.
And after that bizarre scene where he quotes poetry to explain how he came to know his grandfather was a freedom-fighter, not a murderer (with Simon Bolivar casting what look like incredulous, sidelong glances from where he stands framed in a painting on the wall), it's not hard to see why the opposition has questioned Chavez's sanity.That said, the film clearly invites us to root for Chavez and his people during the coup attempt.
This is something new.There's a coup d'etat and a couple of irish documentary filmmakers are right inside of it.A democratically elected president who uses his power to bring literacy to his people and encourages them to read the constitution is being slandered by the private media openly as dictator, mentally unstable, new hitler, etc.
).And see how the people of Venezuela march to the palace, holding the constitution in their hands, and reinstall their elected government.This sounds like a Hollywood fairytale, but it happened for real, against the explicit wishes of the USA.
The documentary is a historical masterpiece, shot from the center of the action, acute and totally embarrassing for the prime supporters of the coup: The good, democratic, freedom loving, benevolent USA (who still channel large amounts of money to Chavez' political opponents).Also highly entertaining and exciting.
All the reports I read about President Hugo Chavez and the situation in Venezuela talked about corruption, proceeded to make a villain of all sides, to paint it as a big, bad Latin American country that wasn't doing as the United States had wanted them to do.
For the life of me, I couldn't get the stories straight enough to learn even basic information about the coups taking place, and what started the intense hostility, dividing cultural, social and racial groups in the country.I am happy to say that THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED was a terrific and very educational look at Chavez, his progressive approach to politics--actually listening to the poor, and the more indigenous people in the community, instead of just catering to the needs of the upper class who basically rule the country, their money coming from oil and other exports.
This great film is now the minimum knowledge requirement if you want to express a competent opinion about Venezuela or Hugo Chavez.The dramatic, electrified atmosphere, the unique footage will allow you to experience a true historic moment.
The reason this coup against Chavez didn't succeed is Chavez was elected with over 90% of the vote.This movie isn't just a political documentary, it would still be a great movie if it were a drama, it's amazing that this is real.The other reviewer is lying when he says "Chavez seizes the airwaves", the private media is running anti Chavez propaganda all the time..
Second, the filmmakers were in Venezuela as guests of the Chavez government, and had been filming a documentary about Chavez for seven months before the coup.
His first comments captured on film after he is returned to the Presidential Palace after the coup were something like, "I knew that we, the people, would win."  It wasn't about him.
It is truly ironic that the Venezuelan oil crisis was not a strike by Chavez, but a lockout by the powerful oil industry leaders there to force a crisis.The dark ambitions of the coup leaders combined with the private media collaboration really makes you angry.
It provides a clear contrast between the arrogant coup instigators and the humble people who turned out by the hundreds of thousands to support the democratically elected President Hugo Chavez, and to cut short the oil interests greedy coup.
Chavez can't be such a shining example of goodness, can he?After watching the movie, I felt very angry at the fatcats (American and Venezuelan) who unjustly and unconstitutionally try to take power from the democratically elected president of the people.
For people like me, who don't know much about Venezuela, this movie did little to explain the country's recent history with any depth.
Having seen it twice now I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in media and documentary film making.Initially this documentary was meant to detail the political life of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
What we the audience witness is just how the media manipulates the situation and in effect backs the overthrow of Chavez by distorting events that transpire as the coup heightens.It really is an excellent documentary and a remarkable piece of work by a couple of novice filmmakers..
2) I'm sure the Carmona and the other rich, business-tycoon types hated Chavez, what he stood for, and the people he represented.However, we have to understand both the context in which this film is shown (to audiences who probably don't know enough about venezuela to know WHAT IS MISSING) and made.
This documentary's attempt to catch the reality of the President of this country, Mr. Chavez, I must say, was a total failure, not to mention theirs unfortunate approach to register the facts surrounding the strike of April 2002.The filmmakers say at the beginning of the movie that they came to Venezuela approximately 7 months before the events of April 2002.
It's amazing how these filmmakers protest against the role of the media's corporations in the Venezuela's current situation, while they serve the same kind of lies, all dressed up as a `documentary', but for the benefits, willingly or not, of the opposite side.As for the events of April 2002, the directors only failed in one small thing: they were never out of Miraflores Palace (Presidential Palace of Venezuela) and they attended to all the details of the process that were given to them by the same persons that had nailed Venezuela into these unfortunate events.
Though Chavez may indeed be adept at manipulating the media, we see that this may well be commonplace in Venezuela through the private sector's refusal to air news regarding the events of the coup, or, instead, their referral to the "democratic interim government" in order to receive information (that was, by all accounts, inaccurate).
The film gives the idea that people opposing chavez is wealthy and white skinned and people supporting chavez is poor and dark skinned which is totally false.3.- on the day the events took place Urdaneta Hernández neither was part of the government nor appeared with president chavez anywhere thus his appearance with chavez correspond to another place in time not april 12th..
most of the research has been done without even consulting anybody but president Chavez and his allies, so it's totally one-sided, and filmmakers just cast their prejudices over the Venezuelan opposition and make the world to believe them.I suggest other commentators to take a good look at Venezuelan newspapers so they don't get fooled by this enormous propaganda effort, done to please president Chavez and people who idyllically believes that there's a revolution taking place in our country.In Venezuela there's only another military fellow who wants to hold on to power as long as he can, regardless of democracy or civil rights.I strongly suggest also to see La fiesta del chivo (The Feast of the Goat), The last king of Scotland, Fall of Fujimori and Juan Vicente Gomez y su epoca so you can see what president Chavez is about.Nice work for the Irish people who made this film: just hope next time they decide to do another they reach for the truth if it's a documentary ..
One would think he should have been demoted for lying to the people, and even for possibly being part of the conspiracy to overthrow Chavez.Facts like this, Chavez' declining popularity, his speeches which consistently divide Venezuelan society into two bands, increasing unemployment,  and other factors which made millions march in April to ask him to resign are conveniently left out.As for the title of this so-called documentary: "The Revolution will not be televised".
Precise in showing what was planned in advanced by Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez, in an act of desperation toget international credibility.They try really hard to confuse the people, using figures that now days are not in the best position in the world, this people will be showed talking in a way, against Chavez (like Collin Powell who is hated after the war in Iraq) , trying to show USA as a imperial mass oppressing Venezuela , WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS documentary?
Something that I Know is that the IRA (Irish revolutionary army) have trained guerrillas in Colombia, what a coincidence that this guerrillas escape to Venezuela looking for Chavez protection, and now some Irish director decided )if wasn't hired by Chavez) to Developed a movie about the allegedly good acts of Chavez , and how supposedly the constitution was violated in Venezuela when the people manifest their voice , do you think the people has freedom in a country where the president encourage this criminals to go to the streets and kill the opposition , this happen every day in his TV program `Alo presidente' , where between the lines and using Jokes he fill the people with angry against the opposition.
He can be a sensitive, poetic person, though with an impish, even clownish, sense of humor (like we saw when he addressed the UN and called Bush the devil.)Then the storm starts to gather force as the coup organizers call for a mass protest and cynically manipulate their supporters into changing the route at the last minute and marching on the presidential palace, knowing it is surrounded by Chavez supporters and violence is inevitable.Another element of the plot falls into place as snipers on rooftops begin to fire on the Chavez supporters, some of whom fire back.
Watch the movie and find out!If your only knowledge of Hugo Chavez and Venezuela is from the US media, then you know nothing.
He is not an "unelected tyrant" and does not "rule by decree" - he is enormously popular, having been elected and re-elected several times with over 60% of the vote (something George Bush Junior has never achieved) and the devotion he inspires in ordinary Venezuelan people is ultimately the reason why the coup fails.This is an extraordinary film about an extraordinary man in an extraordinary situation.
Thus starts (without credits, explanations or text) an amazing documentary of the rise, fall and resurrection of the Presidency of Hugo Chavez.Based on events that occurred in April 2002 the crew was able to film from within the Presidential Palace and the surrounding city the events of a few short days from a perspective we have never seen before.
Film segments, primarily from Venezuelan TV, snippets of U.S. leaders commenting on affairs in Venezuela and various news footage segments and direct statements from 'the people' and various national political figures are interspersed throughout the narrative.
While the Irish filmmakers who recorded these events (in the near orbit of Chavez and his administration) clearly have their own political agenda, one cannot help but feel walking out of this film that darker forces from outside their government may have been involved in the failed coup.
This film is an accomplished edition of real events, ordered and constructed in a truculent manner, omitting several crucial facts of the political process that happened in Venezuela in April 2002, with the main goal of discrediting the struggle of millions of Venezuelans for their democracy, threatened by the authoritarian project of President Hugo Chávez.
Of course reality is more grotesque than any fiction (and believe me this documentary is pure fiction and lies), so if you really are interested in knowing what is going on in Venezuela, just spend 3 or 4 days in the country and if you get out alive you will have a better sense of the reality than by watching this propaganda film.
This film tells the story of coup/conspiracy by Venezuela's elite, the oil companies and oil loving corrupt western governments, to remove democratically elected president Chavez, and return Venezuela back to a brutal dictatorship.
This movie is basically a documentary of the chronologically ordered series of events that took place from April 10, 2002 through April 14, 2002 in the Venezuelan Presidential Palace, Caracas Venezuela.The pathos of the movie is real and one feels the pain, sorrow and joy of the people who lived through this failed coup d'etat of President Hugo Chavez.One comes away from viewing this film that Hugo Chavez is truly a great historical figure.
Hugo Chavez's persona single-handedly brought the Venezuelan people to overthrow the 3-day old military-installed junta and re-establish the democratically installed government of Venezuela.It is obvious from the film footage that George W Bush aided and abetted the Venezuelan coup d'etat.
With part reconstruction and part direct shooting, the directors made a formidably limpid documentary on a coup d'état against President Chavez in Venezuela, organized by a foreign secret service and fully supported by the wealthy Venezuelan minority, the political opposition, the Church (a cynical laughing cardinal) and the US government.
It's so interesting to see how a world leader (like Chavez) who supports the poor people in his country, can be held in such low esteem in the US.
While essentially another chapter in the story of the "U.S. backed, Latin American coup", this film chronicles in real-time, what can happen when the poorest people, are armed with unity, political savvy, and courage!
You look on Wikipedia and the only mention of this coup was that Chavez survived.I just saw this film this year and was shocked by the power of private media.
At the end of the day, whatever the claims and counter claims, the film very clearly shows how the old political elite, the business leaders and the media conspired to stage a coup (using footage from their OWN television shows!).Watch it and make your mind up.
While time may have arguably dulled Chavez's sheen somewhat as a leader, (depending on whom you believe) there's no denying the power of this 'accidental documentary', whatever your politics.The filmmakers were an Irish film crew doing a general portrait of the popular Chavez, when they found themselves in the midst of an attempted coup by the rich right wing (likely supported by the CIA).
This films is nothing more than a piece of political propaganda in which a group of Irish filmmakers, without much knowledge of the crumbling political and social situation in Venezuela since the election of Hugo Chavez as president of the country, take a one sided view of the problem, showing only what the government wanted them to show.
it's totally forgettable, but very dangerous, because when you show this film to people not very well informed about the real Venezuelan situation and the events surrounding the coup, it's a real piece of misinformation.
Everything in this movie was approved by the government of Venezuela and many parts seem to have been staged to make this undoubtedly charismatic Latin American leader seem like a real nice chap, who is just trying to do good for the poor people..
The documentary begins by portraying Chavez's first years as president before the coup.