Message to INFODIO readers: investigative journalism, which is what this site does, takes lots of time. Visiting media looking for a quick run down on Venezuela's gargantuan corruption, have the decency to at least cite the source when plagiarising this site's content without attribution (exhibit Reuters here and here, exhibit Bloomberg here, exhibit OCCRP here). To all readers, do the right thing, the honest thing: support independent investigative journalism, help us expose rampant corruption. Note added 28/06/2021: impostors are using this site's former editor's full name, and a fake email address (alek.boyd.arregui@gmail.com) to send copyright infringement claims / take down requests to web hosting companies (exhibit Hostgator). The attempt is yet another effort paid by corrupt thugs to erase information about their criminal activities. Infodio.com has no issues with other websites / journalists using / posting information published here, so long as the source is properly cited.

The Guardian's censorship

The Guardian's Comment is Free has published an article by fellow blogger Francisco Toro. One can get a flavour of the prevailing mentality of people commenting about it, with arguments such as "I am shocked that the Guardian has published such overt and obvious propaganda. Arent there any standards ?"

See, for Guardianistas, it is perfectly kosher to get a healthy dose of "news" about Hugo Chavez, be it from propaganda agent Mark Weisbrot, erstwhile KGB collaborator Richard Gott, or even Stalinist Calvin Tucker.

But when one gets to call them for what they are, the moderators of that "liberal" organisation immediately go on censorship mode. Case in point, Francisco Toro's article. I placed the following comment, only to see that a moderator removed it, without explanation or further ado:

Let European leftists enamoured of Lieutenant Colonel Hugo Chavez -and equally infatuated with dictator Fidel Castro, Colombian narcoterrorists, Hamas, Stalin, etc.- tell Venezuelans what's in their best interest, for they know better.

I won't hold my breadth for a proper explanation as to the reason why the comment breached commenting rules and was removed.

UPDATE 03/09/10 @ 12:24 GMT: not only The Guardian has failed to reply, both in the comment section and through email, it has deleted all evidence of first comment made (as noted above), and it has deleted contents of second comment, whereby I ask what rule did my original comment breached. Censorship is alive and well at The Guardian.