The military diversifies its portfolio

Defense Minister Adm. Carmen Meléndez announced yesterday the creation of new military enterprises, including a bank and companies dedicated to transport and agriculture. But the biggest news was...

Desfile Militar 5 Julio 2012-Venezuela defensa
FANB TV: All military parades, all the time! Coming soon to your TV screen, like it or not.

Defense Minister Adm. Carmen Meléndez announced yesterday the creation of new military enterprises, including a bank and companies dedicated to transport and agriculture.

But the biggest news was the launch of a new TV channel for the Armed Forces (to be called TV-FAN), to by carried by DTT and cable TV, because the Minister says so. Communicational hegemony just got that little bit more hegemonic.

There are no details about the programming we can expect from TV-FAN, but if prior history can serve as a guide, this channel will probably end up just like the National Assembly’s all-propaganda-all-the-time channel (ANTV).

With new ventures like these, the military is stretching its mandate for “active participation in the national development” established in the constitution to the breaking point. Because TV-FAN won’t do a damn thing to safeguard our sovereignty or territorial integrity, but it’ll do plenty to continue the militarization of our society.