A videogame simulating an invasion of Venezuela is supposed to hit the shelves next year, but it’s already raising the ire of lawmakers loyal to President Hugo Chavez, reported The Daily Telegraph (31/5/2006, p.11).
Congressman fears game part of US psyops: Chavez supporters in Venezuela’s National Assembly suspect the makers of ‘Mercenaries 2: World in Flames’ are doing Washington’s bidding by drumming up support at home for an eventual move to overthrow Chavez. "I think the US Government knows how to prepare campaigns of psychological terror so they can make things happen later," Congressman Ismael Garcia says of the game developed by LA’s Pandemic Studios.
Game plot involves Venezuelan tyrant, oil and invasion: Pandemic Studios describes it as "an explosive open world action game" in which "a power-hungry tyrant messes with Venezuela’s oil supply, sparking an invasion that turns the country into a war zone". The company says players take on the role of well-armed mercenaries.
Publicist: no political statement about Chavez: A publicist for Pandemic, Chris Norris, says the game wasn’t intended to make a political statement about Chavez, though designers "always want to have a rip from the headlines".
Game tars Venezuelan image: Lawmaker Gabriela Ramirez says ‘Mercenaries 2’ gives a false vision of Chavez as a tyrant and Venezuela as being on the verge of chaos. She says the game could be banned under a proposed law aimed at protecting Venezuelan children from violent video games.
The Daily Telegraph, 31/5/2006, p. 11
Source: Erisk Net