Venezuelan politicians slam Mercenaries 2

By Paul Loughrey Published 26 May, 2006

They reckon it's propaganda.

Mercenaries 2, the new next-gen title from Pandemic Studios, has been labelled as an example of psychological warfare by supporters of Venezuela president Hugo Chavez, who fear it signifies the first step towards a real life invasion.

Currently in development for the PlayStation 3 and scheduled for release later this year, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is set in Venezuela and centres on a conflict for oil that "turns the country into a war zone."

According to a report by the Associated Press, politicians loyal to Venezuela president Hugo Chavez - who has repeatedly accused Washington of planning to overthrow him - believe that the game is a tool which will be used by the government to gain support for a real life invasion, with congressman Ismael Garcia commenting: "I think the US government knows how to prepare campaigns of psychological terror so they can make things happen later."

Venezuelan lawmaker Gabriela Ramirez added: "it sends a message to Americans: you have a danger next door, here in Latin America, and action must be taken. It's a justification for an imperialist aggression."

Pandemic, naturally, has denied any political agenda in the creation of the new game. Publicist Chris Norris told the Associated Press that the game's designers "always want to have a rip from the headlines," adding that the conflict in the game is entirely fictional but conceding that "although a conflict doesn't necessarily have to be happening, it's realistic enough to believe that it could eventually happen."

The game is likely to be banned in Venezuela under a proposed new law that seeks to prevent children from playing violent videogames.

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Comments (48) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • mrsquare #1 6 years ago

    I read that as Chuck Norris

    /is dissapointed

  • #2 6 years ago

    Go here (if you want) for more about Venezuela.

    http://www.mediale ns.org/index.php

  • faux_carnation #3 6 years ago

    /pedantic hat

    It's Chávez

  • asphaltcowboy #4 6 years ago

    Why does the game information say it's OUT NOW!

    It's really not :)

  • dsmx #5 6 years ago

    I seem to remember North Korea saying the same thing when the first one came out.

  • Darkedge #6 6 years ago

    great PR.. lucky pandemic - there arn't any bloody screens yet ffs!

  • JediMasterMalik #7 6 years ago

    There are screens, just not here.

  • #8 6 years ago

    Yeah I've seen screens somewhere. - Looks typical 'next gen' - aka exactly the same, but with wrinkles and prettier environments.

    In Venezuela first you get the Merc, then you get the contract, then you get the money, then you get the power, then you get the wimmin, then you get the political outrage, then you get more publicity, then you get more power and wimmin.

  • El_MUERkO #9 6 years ago

    Venezuela is a peacefull democratic country the US doesnt like cause of its left wing stance, they'd rather have a tyrant in power like Sadam than have a progressive government voted for by the people.

  • #10 6 years ago

    Venezuela does seem a bit of a strange option it's true - I mean Korea is very obvious, but Venezuela? Hmm.

  • Talha #11 6 years ago

    I think 'a country is a country', no matter which. They should be respected, regardless of stance or human rights situation. That said, most games (shooters esp) are based on Earth - they HAVE to be set somewhere. By the same token, Germany should have extracted all the money from US (EA) and France (Ubisoft) by virtue of its portrayal in WWII games!!!! Then again, Mexicans don't seem to mind GRAW too much - perhaps because it doesn't portray Mexico in a negative light, rather shows it as a victim of terrorism and brave US soldiers jumping in to terrorize it further...oops, 'liberate it' I mean!

    I think the best middle ground is to set it somewhere real but give it a fictional name and muddle the details a bit - something like HL2.

  • asphaltcowboy #12 6 years ago

    Anyone got a link to screens please?

  • JediMasterMalik #13 6 years ago

    try IGN.com

  • #14 6 years ago

    Venezuela is a peacefull democratic country the US doesnt like cause of its left wing stance, they'd rather have a tyrant in power like Sadam than have a progressive government voted for by the people.

    Well said.

  • TurdBreaker #15 6 years ago

    Hmm..

    America gets a sniff of a foreign country with oil = invade!


    They should be worried! :D

  • Freek #16 6 years ago

    In my videogame experiences I've shot up pretty much every major city on the planet, in shooters and RTS games.
    "Oh nos, the big bad evil conservatives are comming to invade me."
    It's just a video game, nothing more.


    And on a sideline:
    Chavez jails his opononents without trail just for speaking out against him in the media. He's no different then Bush, he just happens to be on the other end of the political spectrum.

  • #17 6 years ago

    Chavez jails his opononents without trail just for speaking out against him in the media. He's no different then Bush, he just happens to be on the other end of the political spectrum.

    I don't know where you got this information (murdoch rag?), but it's simply not true. In-fact, it's the opposite. Right-wing rags/corporates in Venez. have conspired to overthrow Chavez in a coup.

    Will try and get more info on this, if I can find the time.

  • Pike #18 6 years ago

    Freek: I don't think Bush, as bad as he is, has jailed anyone for critisizing the current administration. He is pretty bad president, but he is still not as bad as that thug Chávez.

    This reaction against Mercenaries 2 is just what to expect from a repressive regime that tries to blame all the ills it causes on malicious foregin influnces.

    MrT: Why don't you read what Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have to say about Chavez.
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 12:47

  • Roamer #19 6 years ago

    Hmm..

    America gets a sniff of a foreign country with oil = invade!


    They should be worried! :D

    Why are you smiling? This is horrible. Besides, they're rich in Coka-plants, not oil.

    I don't think the US will attack a country to remove an elected leader which has so much support from his people. However, like so many times before, they might sponsor terrorist activities in said country to remove him indirectly though, or even hire mercenaries...

  • Talha #20 6 years ago

    "Freek: I don't think Bush, as bad as he is, has jailed anyone for critisizing the current administration. He is pretty bad president, but he is still not as bad as that thug Chávez. "

    Bush is worse. He invades countries and kills thousands of civilians - JUST FOR NOTHING (or maybe oil). You have no idea how many government-criticisers have 'disappeared' during the Bush administration. I don't know about Chávez - he may be all that and more, or maybe not. Still, I think we should consider information from ALL news sources, just not the American ones, before passing our verdict on anybody.

    As for Amnesty and HR watch - suffice it to say that are not completely independent of influence of US politics/media moguls.
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 12:51

  • Pike #21 6 years ago

    So why did Amnesty slam the US hard over Guantanamo then?

    Just because a few right wing pundits in the US sputter with incoherent rage over Chávez that doesn't make the guy a heoro of the people. The enemy of your enemy is not necessarily your friend.
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 12:55

  • asphaltcowboy #22 6 years ago

    "try IGN.com"

    Awww, do I have to? ;)

  • Talha #23 6 years ago

    @Pike: That's why I said 'not completely independent', not 'not independent'. Even THAT might be a red herring. Are you familiar with 1984, the novel? Just give them some truth, and a whole truckload of lies underneath, and they'll think the whole truckload is true.

  • #24 6 years ago

    MrT: Why don't you read what Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have to say about Chavez.

    Link please?

    And are these abridged reports/excerpts?

    Had a quick look at the Amnesty website and all I can find is "reportedly" and "alleged" in articles about Venez. Reported and alleged by whom I might ask?

    In any case, unless you can give me specific reports I can't really make a response in kind.

    Must dash...

  • Scientist #25 6 years ago

    "Why are you smiling? This is horrible. Besides, they're rich in Coka-plants, not oil. "

    You're confusing Bolivia with Venezuela. I mean I've never heard of Venezuelan marching powder.

  • Mho7276501 #26 6 years ago

    in my new game you have to put a stop to a neo-con/facist terror group going by the acronym of PNAC. You will need to take the battle to the heart of their organisation, washington DC, and blow the crap out of their banks and multi-national business fronts which keep the world under their iron fist. Finally you must destroy their HQ at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Only then will the world be truly free!

  • Mho7276501 #27 6 years ago

    with regard to the attempted coup, Chavez was criticised for NOT JAILING the people involved. All of the allegations are against him are just that allegations.

  • Feanor #28 6 years ago

    "Bush is worse. He invades countries and kills thousands of civilians - JUST FOR NOTHING (or maybe oil). You have no idea how many government-criticisers have 'disappeared' during the Bush administration."

    LOL. You crazy left-wingers are hilarious. Where is your evidence that Bush has been rounding up people who have criticized his government and making them disappear?

  • Pike #29 6 years ago

    Evidence is such bourgeoise a concept, Feanor.
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 14:16

  • Feanor #30 6 years ago

    You know the loonies are out when Amnesty gets dismissed as a corrupt tool of the US government. I didn't know Chavez was really Jesus come back to us after 2000 years and speaking Spanish.

    Getting back to the article, does anyone really think the US government has anything to do with Pandemic's choice of locations for its videogames?

  • Mho7276501 #31 6 years ago

    but the america does round up and detain people without trial, oh and they did also hold a number of children (13 - 15) in guantanamo. And there is the whole fixing of the first bush election, the invasion of other countries, the non-compliance with UN weapon inspectors on american soil. i could go on but i wont as i have to get back to work.

    http://hrw.org/english/docs/2003/04/24/usint5782.htm

    USA! USA! USA!

  • #32 6 years ago

    Aw gaowd, it got political.

    Bunch of people thinking they know everything and they are right beyond any doubt.
    Gonna let this one slide, needles to say, it is impossible to know what really goes on even if you read all the articles, see all the news etc etc. The media in itself is a corrupt institution as it is sponsored or driven by viewing figures.

    Guys, let's chill, put or political agendas and views aside, and talk about games again.

    EG - you knew this would happen!

  • Talha #33 6 years ago

    @Feanor: I am specifically not a 'left winger' and not 'crazy' - usually the ones resorting to pointless name-calling are. I never took sides in the issue being discussed since I don;t know anything about Chavez. How disagreeing with the Saint Bush worldview certifies you as being left-wing, I don't know.

    As for people disappearing, I have first hand accounts from relatives. Additionally, you are completely twisting and distorting everything out of proportion. This is NOT a question of US government's involvement in choice of location.

    If expressing one's opinion makes them a 'loony' or 'crazy' in your pathetic judgement, it is a cause for celebration.

    @jamesphilip: You are rigth and I agree wholeheartedly - from here on no political posts from me. Actually getting called stupid names is not so easy to digest.
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 14:13

  • NthSimulachum #34 6 years ago

    Chavez is a politician, and hence is not perfect, and his style of authoritarian leadership and "father knows best state" can grate on some civil liberties.

    However, he is doing a lot for the people of Venezuela, by using oil money to actually fund infrastructure and social programs, and is actively pushing for a higher OPEC consensus. Needless to say, the US government does not find this in its interests, and has propped up many terrible regimes for cheap oil and to combat communism/terrorism, rather than to actually foster peace and democratic concord.

    Despite some ofChavez's questionable tactics, he has not waged war on other nations, and there are far, far worse regimes.



  • Pike #35 6 years ago

    Yes, the "someone else is worse" defence is always a good one. Nationalisation of the means of production is also a surefire way to economic progress.

  • jmctavish #36 6 years ago

    It's just a fucking game. End of story. If you don't like the idea of it being set in a real country, go and play Final Fantasy or Mario.

  • #37 6 years ago

    does anyone really think the US government has anything to do with Pandemic's choice of locations for its videogames?

    Hullo!

    http://msnbc.msn.com /id/3131181/

    Also:

    h ttp://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5016514.stm

    "Pandemic's publicist Chris Norris said its designers "always want to have a rip from the headlines".

    He added: "Although a conflict doesn't necessarily have to be happening, it's realistic enough to believe that it could eventually happen."

    However, on its website Pandemic lists a game called "Full Spectrum Warrior / Army Training", which it describes as a "squad-level, dismounted, light infantry training simulator created for use by the US Army"."
    Edited by 1 at 26/05/06 @ 16:14

  • Fyzzu #38 6 years ago

    Well, I've not done any research and only heard stuff from word of mouth, but I've heard pretty bad things about Venezuela. Forgetting that and going back to the games, though, didn't one of the Rainbow Six games or expansions have a level set in Kosovo a little while before things broke out over there? Rogue Spear, perhaps. Can remember reading about it in an interview with the developers before the game was released; they said they were watching world news and trying to pick levels that were topical and where things could actually break out. This really ain't anything new.

  • Helios #39 6 years ago

    A recent issue of EDGE had screens afaik.

  • BBIAJ #40 6 years ago

    Is this definitely a PS3 exclusive then? No 360 version planned?

    If so, then I am saddened... :'o(

  • nightsparkle #41 6 years ago

    seems like with chavez, venezuela finally wants to stop giving in to western companies, and let the people take some profit. a good thing if you ask me. someone has to do something about USA's influence on (or total control over)globalisation. hope other country's dare to step up too.

    btw, no big organisation in the world is realy independant. they're all dependant on corporate money

  • Eraysor #42 6 years ago

    I thought this was going to be on 360 also?

  • miiiguel #43 6 years ago

    This post is a bit off-topic, and maybe a bit too politics, but I was really disturbed last time (and only) I went to Bolivia.
    Everybody's talking about petro-populism (what a fancy irrelevant sort of word...), and how this leftism wave is hurting the western civilization, and that these governements hve no right to canvel the oil deals. But do you know, that Bolivians are so poor that you can see people selling and buying matches in packages of... 1 (one!), that's what I saw in La Paz. Man these people are poor, and then you see the oil contractors living in extreme luxury, and I'm not overreacting, it is luxury. Does it make sense to give 18% of the oil to these people representatives (up until now, mainly western puppets, that when retire leave the country and go to USA).
    I mean, I don't like Chavez style, but western create these situations. It's a shame when democracy don't go our way, isn't it ? - The man won a fair ellection, and he'll win it again.

  • Smugglarn #44 6 years ago

    Chávez is finally fixing Venezuela after years of neglect by the fascists. I've been there and I've seen the outrageous differences in the quality of life. I've also seen the news on the private networks and they are certainly not being censored in any way. They spew out critisism daily against the sitting government and Chávez himself. I'm no fan of communist Cuba but the fascists had their chance now it's time for the left to clean up the mess. The multi-nationals response? Threat of invation...

  • yiannis #45 6 years ago

    Venezuelan lawmaker Gabriela Ramirez added: "it sends a message to Americans: you have a danger next door, here in Latin America, and action must be taken. It's a justification for an imperialist aggression."

    Games can do that thing.. as well as movies did in the past. I'm not saying that companies are controlled by the government which would be to put it nicely a bit far fetched.. Can't forget though that swinging hips and big, open, red cars won the propaganda war in the past after all.

    True you have to choose a location for a game like that, but why choose the one which reclaimed national control over the petrol "your guys" were exploiting until now and go further to say:

    i quote,
    "A power-hungry tyrant messes with Venezuela's oil supply, sparking an invasion that turns the country into a warzone."

    http:/ /www.pandemicstudios.com/proj_mercs2.php

    I would say it's a poor choice.. on the other hand Latin America has a history of guerilla and mercenary warfare which makes it a great stage for a game like that.
    So why not just pick some other Latin American country that doesn't have a problem with that and move on.

    There was a time when everybody was thinking that the only bad people in the world would mainly be Russian.. after a while they became Serbs... and then the bad guys became Korean and Arabs or Chinese. Sometimes even Muslim Koreans with a relative in China who speak Russian and have migrated in Europe :)

    There was a time that certain film directors, actors, musicians were banned from holywood, for many many years because they were not "proper" americans and the views they had were different from what the governments would like to express.

    Is it a conspiracy? coincidence? or simply a good use of what is happening now as a marketing boost?

    It's a conundrum although things like mass manipulation even for advertisment, is something that in our troubled times of "Information Age" we should be aware of. It doesn't matter who's doing it.. it's usually bad. In its simplest form .. for your pocket :)


    Can't really say, but i would like to believe that games industry, has kept and will stay clear of old Holywood tacticts as for Pandemic, i like their games no matter if they come up with one that depicts Jesus Christ as the actual Antichrist. I think they're only doing it so we can have fun.





    edit: damn did i type that much? (fingrtips burn :p)





    Edited by 1 at 28/05/06 @ 23:26

  • fawe3 #46 6 years ago

    This thing got me thinking, why dont we have any games with UK and US as bad guys and go killing their military?

  • Benno #47 6 years ago

    lmfao

  • miiiguel #48 6 years ago

    Humm..., I'm left-winger, as you say. US promoted many, many coupes all-over south america in the '70s. Remember for instance the coupe over a democratic ellected Chile goverment, and put in power a guy that turned its country into a bloodpool - Pinochet, but there's plenty more, take a google arround: Uruguay; Argentina; etc.. In Argentina they put the republicans into aircrafts, and then dropped the bodies alive into the ocean (just out of curiosity take a look @ http://ww w.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAE... an US site)
    Got no particular admiration for Chavez, and as most of you sure knows, the guy came from the far right-wing (a sort of Bush), but then switched sides, but I got to give him, that he was fairly elected, in an election supervised by US auditors, so don't try to defend a point of view as beeing the US one, because they admited it was fair.

    Edit: times got really confusing didn't they ? Wall Street now loves communism!! LOL! US invests $54 billion dollars in China..., got to love those represive hardcore communist states...(http://www .state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/18902.htm)

    edit: even crappier english...
    Edited by 4 at 11/07/06 @ 10:24