Politics in Telenovelas

The telenovela Cosita Rica really sparked my interest in a type of telenovela that differs from the telenovela rosa and the cinderella-like stories that personifies most telenovleas. We have learned a lot about the different types of telenovleas and the type of reaction they are trying to invoke in their audiences. Telenovelas involving politics bring about the drama and central themes of other telenovleas into real life situations and real life issues. Hugo Chavez has always been an interesting character, which is why it is funny that the characters that represent him in telenovelas appear to be spot on in their interpretations. The clip of the perfume company owner speaking with his employees on the "open mic" was very comical after watching and learning about Hugo Chavez's rants on public TV, in front of the Venezuelan people.

The way "Por Estas Calles" portrayed daily events during the coup d'etat was a perfect blend of fiction and reality. No matter of political affiliation, the people were able to see a dramatic interpretation of the events that took place the day/earlier before the episode. A lot of times in the U.S. we see movies made after political issues or political unrest but not typically daily TV shows. These telenovelas not only shed light on these social and political tensions but also, in a way, help the people of a nation kick back and relax during a time of turmoil without acting like everything is peachy outside their homes. It almost seems that this telenovela reiterated the political turmoil of the country without the negative conotations of a news program.

The polarization of media, however, is an issue that I feel (although not the most cultured individual) most countries can relate to. The Anti-Chavez and Pr0-Chavez stations/channels/networks is very similar to the Republican and Democratic shows/networks/news channels present in the U.S.