Attacks, intimidation and censorship are hindering journalistic work in Venezuela, the non-governmental organization Espacio Público (EP) said Tuesday, warning that journalists and citizens are the main victims of violations of freedom of expression in the country.
“In March, we recorded 16 cases and 34 violations of the right to freedom of speech. 12 journalists and two cameramen were attacked in the line of duty,” the NGO explains in the March: Universal Censorship report.
The European Parliament also emphasizes that “among the victims, we also registered two people, two media outlets and a civil society organization.”
“At least four government agencies, three security services, three officials and a representative of the executive have prevented or obstructed the full exercise of this fundamental right,” he explains.
The NGO explains that on March 7, six press workers were “attacked and threatened by ‘officialism’ (government) supporters while covering a protest by citizens in Plaza Bolívar de San Feliz (south of the country) who complained about high prices. “Local management of municipal waste.
The attackers, “persons associated with the ruling party, including a deputy and the mayor of the municipality of Caroni”, prevented journalists from “interviewing the demonstrators”.
On the other hand, on March 13, Monagas police officers “intimidated journalists” of the TV channels Globovisión and Venevisión, as well as Unión Rádio, “while collecting supporting images on the Paseo Bolivar de Maturin”.
On March 23, MP Carlos Pacheco of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSV, the ruling party) “insulted and threatened to physically assault journalist Miguel Salazar” for denouncing on social media the alleged corruption situation in Venezuela’s oil industry. .
The European Parliament also condemns the fact that in March the program “Par de Calvos” of journalist Vladimir Villegas and TV presenter Pedro Carvajalino, broadcast on Youtube and social networks, was suspended “due to alleged pressure from hardliners in ‘officialism’ ( Government)”.
In addition, in Carupano, the radio program Buenos Dias com Lira was suspended because the management of 101.1 FM was to receive a warning that their equipment would be confiscated.
On the other hand, in the state of Lara, “pressure from the ‘official’ mayor” of the municipality of Urdaneta led to the suspension on March 20 of the radio program “Arbenis com el Pueblo”, which was broadcast by radio 96.5FM, in order to avoid closing the station.
In the state of Portugues, the National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL) on March 24 shut down Chabasquen 106.7 FM, a radio station close to the Venezuelan opposition party. Officials from CONATEL and the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB, military police) confiscated radio equipment, including a transmitter, console and computer.
The European Parliament also condemns the March 3 intimidation of a pharmacy citizen of the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security after documenting with photographs alleged drug delivery irregularities and patient abuse.
On March 6, the website of the public organization Kaleidoscope Humans was the victim of a cyberattack while covering labor protests of public sector workers.
“In March, interruptions with the Internet in various regions of the country through the state operator CANTV (the main one in the country) became more frequent. On March 1, there was a drop in communication in several states for more than 20 hours,” explains EP.
Internet outages, including those due to fiber cuts due to vandalism, were also reported on March 2, 7, 17, 21 and 27.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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