Attacks on the Press

The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that:

“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.”

Freedom of the press is one of the basic principles that form the foundation of a free society. It is a mechanism to hold governments and elected officials accountable for their actions. Yet, in Venezuela, President Hugo Chávez has systematically implemented a process of silencing privately-owned media outlets he deems critical of his persona or government.

The backlash against Venezuela’s free press began in 2007, when the country’s most popular network, RCTV, was stripped of its broadcast license. Since March 2009, Mr. Chávez has threatened and taken legal action against Globovisión – the only remaining independent TV network available to cable subscribers. Because of their dissenting opinions, the Venezuelan government wrongly accuses Globovisión and its leadership of “generating violence and anguish.” Venezuela’s persecution of Globovisión and other media outlets has been condemned by the international community, including the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders and the Inter American Press Association (IAPA).

Venezuela is often cited in numerous reports by international watchdog organizations for its attacks on reporters and media outlets. Since 2005, defamation of the president has been punishable by six to 30 months in prison. To date, Mr. Chávez has revoked the broadcast license of at least 240 radio stations – nearly 50 percent of all radio stations in the country – perceived as critical of the government. Today, Chávez controls at least two national radio networks, six television channels, 72 regional television stations, and over 600 radio stations across the country.