The death of a competent Chavista communicator who fell into disgrace more than five years ago deserves some considerations.
HAVANA, Cuba – This Friday, through ua published note In this same digital newspaper, I learned of the death of the well-known journalist, born Uruguayan and nationalized in Venezuela, Walter Martínez. His figure (including his eye patch that he lost in a domestic accident) was well known to the Cuban public, as his program “Dossier” was broadcast for years by the Chavista radio station. TeleSur.
His phrases are remembered, designed and repeated to capture the viewer’s attention. Like his daily allusion to “our beloved, contaminated and only spaceship” to refer to planet Earth, or his usual farewell: “Have the cameras, Mr. Director”…
The information of CubaNet He rightly points out that the now deceased colleague “offered interpretations of global conflicts and international politics aligned with the interests and vision of the Bolivarian axis, with constant criticism of the United States and Western democracies.” In truth, if anything could be said about Don Walter, it was that a rule of his actions was to avoid criticism of the regimes of “21st century socialism,” and in particular its Chavista version.
However, I consider that, despite the irrefutable objectivity of these approaches, it is advisable to qualify a little the assessment of the controversial and highly competent Uruguayan-Venezuelan commentator. We can say about him that he was, without a doubt, of decidedly leftist ideas, and this was something that he himself took care to highlight in his daily comments in “Dossier”.
But it is also true that he, with the undeniable mastery he possessed of the issues of international politics (which is much more than what can be said of the rest of the spokespersons for Chavismo and Castroism), frequently showed signs of a certain objectivity. Martínez did not leave the slightest room for his leftist sympathies to be questioned, but he still showed signs of adhering to certain principles of professional ethics, which we could describe as “a certain impartiality” (within leftism, of course!) or dispassion.
On a personal level, I remember that a journalistic work that I dedicated to the issue of weapons that, violating the blockade measures adopted by the UN, the Cuban regime sent camouflaged under a shipment of sugar to the unpresentable North Korean regime of the Kims, which were detected when passing through the Panama Canal. I recall that, moving away from the usual approaches in the official press from Venezuela and, above all, from Cuba, he did not hesitate to describe the murky operation as a “soap opera.”
And even less can I forget that, years ago (more than five, to be exact), “Dossier” was removed from Venezuelan Television (VTV) and TeleSur. I still remember the complaint that Don Walter made on social networks, because from outside the channel he reported that the security guards had denied him access to the studios; He remained there for several hours hoping for some reconsideration, but in vain.
Despite this, today’s Chavistas, once again revealing their unlimited shamelessness, express their condolences for the death. In TeleSurfor example, recognize that his “career deeply marked political communication in Venezuela and Latin America.” And the Minister of Propaganda (the official name is “Communication and Information”), published a tweet on X (formerly “Twitter”).
But neither one nor the other remembers his expulsion from VTV and TeleSur… An exclusion that – no doubt – was motivated by criticism of the government on duty. It is true that it was an occasional and measured censorship, but in it he asked the Chavista government to show signs of seriousness… But, well, we already know that criticism (even the moderate ones that some ally may utter) greatly upsets these socialists with a totalitarian vocation.
The reactions of the public have not been long in coming, and even in the same place of TeleSur (where—we must presume—the majority of visitors sympathize with the policies of Chavismo) there is no shortage of comments that are acidly critical of the Caracas regime and its “star television station.”
The user who identifies himself as Erick CK, more moderate, comments: “Serious, impartial and committed to the truth. Maybe that’s why they took him off the air: the truth makes power uncomfortable.” Gustavo Zyrianov (who, by the way, writes his name with Cyrillic letters, as befits his Slavic surname) is more blunt: “They cut down the best geopolitical analyst I had like a dog.” TeleSur. And now they issue the statement.” And Christian López: “It is shameless that you pay tribute when by order of the Venezuelan government you were denied a space.”
For this reason, after his death, instead of focusing on how much he defended the Chavista and Castro regimes, in this article I have preferred to pay greater attention to his undoubted mastery of the issues of international politics, as well as the moderate glimpses of objectivity that he had, and which cost him the banning of his controversial, but always interesting program.
May the deceased colleague rest in peace.
