Distributing violent video games gets you 3-5 in Venezuela

Following his pronouncement earlier this year that “those games they call ‘PlayStation’ are poison… some games teach you to kill,” Venezuela’s socialist president has returned for another round of game-hating.

Last Wednesday, a new law came into effect in his country called the “Prohibition of Violent Video Games and Toys,” and it pretty much precludes anyone from having any fun in Venezuela. Here are some of the new law’s highlights:

1. Violent video games: Video games or programs that can be use on personal computers, arcade systems, video game consoles, portable devices or mobile telephones, or any other electronic or telephonic device, that contain information or images that promote or incite violence and the use of weapons.

2. Violent toys: Objects or instruments that in form mimic any kind of weapon used by the National Bolivarian Armed Forces, weapons of war used by any other nation, citizen or state security forces, as well as those that, though not promoting war, establish the kind of game that stimulates aggressiveness or violence.

Article 13. Those who in any way promote the purchase or use of violent toys or video games as defined by this law will be punished with a fine of between 2,000 and 4,000 tax units.

Article 14. Those who import, manufacture, sell, rent, or distribute violent toys or video games will be punished with 3 to 5 years in prison.

This law seems rather broad. In addition to violent video games, it sounds like kids won’t have access to any kind of toy guns or toys with guns. Mr. Hugo Chavez must not have had a childhood.

[source]