Venezuela Bans Hostile Videogames and Toys

An anonymous reader writes "In an effort to 'help improve child education and prevent misconduct,' the Venezuelan government began enforcing a law on March 3rd banning war videogames and toys, imposing a fine and 2.5 years in prison on the production, distribution, sale, hiring and use of video games and toys inciting violent behavior. Alberto Federico Ravell, former director of opposing news network Globovision, has already come on twitter denouncing the authorities for seizing imported Gameboy, Wii and PlayStation 3 consoles, due to considering them violent."

Re:Story at 11

[royallthefourth]

He's actually a tinpot democratically elected president.

Re:Story at 11

[royallthefourth]

He didn't just change it on his own. He gets re-elected with the support of his countrymen and gets to amend the constitution only with the complicity of the legislature.

As Wikipedia likes to say

[Sycraft-fu]

[Citation Needed]

You'll have to forgive me if I don't believe some AC who likes to call journalists "terrorists." I find it equally probable that you are simply a supporter of Chavez who is making shit up.

So, cite or GTFO.

Re:Not really

[Anonymous Coward]

And folks dealt with him we he started invading our friends. He might be a nutter but Chavez has not invaded anyone yet.

Wrong: [csmonitor.com]

Venezuela plotted to kill Colombia president, Spain judge says

A Spanish judge on Monday charged that Venezuela plotted to kill Colombia President Álvaro Uribe, collaborating with rebel groups ETA and FARC to kill other political officials as well.

...

Information used in the indictment came from the laptop computer of a top FARC guerrilla commander killed by Colombian forces in 2008. In the months that followed, the computer files revealed what international intelligence officials say are close ties between the FARC and top members of Mr. Chávez's government.

So, not only has Chavez invaded other countries (a proxy invasion is still an invasion), Chavez has tried to assassinate the democratically-elected leader of another country.

And that's what we know of.

So you can stop lying for your favorite thug.

Not a big deal...

[I'mJVC]

The way things are developing right now in Venezuela, in a couple months we'll have no electricity to power our violent video games anyway.

It's another violation of our rights, but it'll have to take the back seat while we deal with the hijacked supreme court, the lack of separation of powers, 12000+ violent deaths a year, the constants attacks on freedom on speech and the money unlawfully gifted by Chavez to foreign countries while lobbying for its revolution and the 21'st century socialism, and estimated over 50 billion dollars.

This could be called my two cents, but being in Venezuela I can't exchange local to foreign currency freely, another right violation that's 6 years old and counting.

Re:Great, but don't go overboard

[Sir_Lewk]

Chimp tribes have been observed to go to war with other chimp tribes, and brutally kill them. As repulsive as you may find it, war is a natural activity for humans.

Referendum to revoke this

[Artemis3]

There is no seizing of consoles, that is a lie. However, this stupid law is true. In short, any sale, rent, distribution or even promotion of video games with any sort of "violence" in it, can get you 3 to 5 years in jail.

It is explained in the law proposal that this is meant to protect the children from violence, but there is no exception for adults. Yes, for ages 18+ porn is legal, prostitution is legal, bearing firearms (with permit) is legal, but video games? no sir.

Most game software companies will be unable to sell their products, the most affected are of course console games.

I oppose this law and the constitution (art. 74) allows a referendum [embavenez-us.org] to revoke it. The question is, will enough people get together to start this?

Here is the law in the official print [asambleanacional.gob.ve] (in spanish).
Key excerpts from this law (forgive my translation):

Article 3.1
War videogame: Those videogames or programs usable in personal computers, arcade systems, video(game)consoles, portable devices or mobile phones and any other electronic or telematic device, which contain information or symbolism images promoting or inciting violence or use of weapons.

Article 14
Any who import, manufacture, sell, rent or distribute war videogames or war toys, shall be penalized with prison from 3 to 5 years.

Re:Great, but don't go overboard

[dskzero]

I'm not going to read all that because the fact that you think people who come from spanish, portuguese and the such families are responsible for the slaughter of the indigenous people 300 years ago. You have no idea of how Venezuela is nowadays. It's one of the most dangerous, hostile, and ignorant countries in the world. The "Democratic process" is held by a company who's allied with Chavez. The "aristocratic rich" people are like, i don't know, 1% of the whole population? Yet the last election chavez won by less than 10% of the total votes. Really interesting isn't it? Why does he win? Because the ignorant masses vote for him because he's a ridiculous clown, is funny, and keep saying he helps the poor, which is a sad lie. Why do I know that? For a fact. I live in Venezuela.

Re:Story at 11

[babalus1]

You're kidding, right? He's spending like crazy in arms, has allied his government with the members of the evil empire, he supports any and every known terrorist group, allows use of Venezuelan territory to aid in the drug trade, sends uranium directly to Iran in a non-stop direct weekly flight, has strong ties with the oldest ever in history tyranny in the Caribbean and you think that the SOB is a benevolent dictator. Either somebody stole your share of common sense or you're one of the many useful idiots in which satraps rely for support and the propagation of their lies. http://www.therealcuba.com/ [therealcuba.com] Armando V. Barreiro-Santos

World in Flames

[westlake]

This is a dictatorship with deep financial troubles. The reasons they give for seizing valuable equipment don't bear deep inspection.

Venezuela wrote forgave Haiti $295 million in oil-related debt. South America leaders hold Haiti aid summit [bbc.co.uk]

It's unlikely that Chavez has forgotten or forgiven Mercenaries 2. Video game simulating invasion of Venezuela raises ire of Chavez allies [usatoday.com]

There have been other irritants in the Tom Clancy lie: Venezuela [giantbomb.com] [As a Video Game Setting]