Monday 7

FM to better deteriorated government image for RCTV case
The government has set a strategy to counteract the global "attack of the media," said Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro.

As stated by the senior official, the action was presumably taken by the owners of Empresas 1BC due to the government refusal to renew a broadcast license for private TV channel Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV).
 
"Our country's responsiveness has been reinforced to counter the lies of the 'association of the untouchable,' which is the gang of the owners of the media in most part of the world. One of these gangsters is around the world telling lies, trying to damage the public image, the image of Venezuela abroad. However, they simply are crashing into the big truth of the Venezuelan people," said the senior official.

Peruvian network labels RCTV closing as attack against press freedom
The closing of private TV channel RCTVis one of "the most serious attacks on freedom of the press" in Latin America, said Monday Peruvian network Frecuencia Latina, property of Peruvian businessman of Israeli origin Baruch Ivcher.

"Censorship against this Venezuelan media outlet means the end of freedoms in Venezuela," said Frecuencia Latina, and recalled that the channel went through a "similar experience" under the government of Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, AFP quoted.

"We deeply deplore the impending closing of RCTV ordered by the authoritarian regime of (Venezuelan President) Hugo Chávez. This move is one of the most serious attacks on freedom of the press, expression and business that have ever occurred in the region over the past few years," said a notice published in Lima newspapers.

Tuesday 8

Cardinal Urosa reasserts Church support of plural information
As the broadcast license for private TV channel RCTV is next to expire, Jorge Cardinal Urosa Savino repeated Tuesday that the Catholic Church backed the rights to freedom of expression and plural information.

"We, the Venezuelan bishops, have repeatedly expressed our position on behalf of two most important rights of the Venezuelan people -freedom of expression and thought and not to be chased or discriminated for a particular opinion, and also the need to advocate and promote the right to information," the priest said.

"All of it is present in the national Constitution and we, the Church, insist on saying that these values should be observed. There is need to find a solution to specific problems without restricting freedom of expression or the right to plural information. This is most important for the Venezuelan society," he told TV news channel Globovisión.

IAPA, Brazilian editors speak up again for RCTV
The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) and the Brazilian National Association of Daily Newspapers (ANJ) condemned Tuesday one more time the Venezuelan government decision not to renew a broadcast license for TV channel Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV).

"It is a case of apparent violence against the media and another step towards state predominance and control of all the media," ANJ chair Nelson Sirotsky told reporters.

In his view, renewal of broadcast licenses should be permanent and not the result of "the political judgment" of a particular government, Efe reported.

Wednesday 9

Salvadorian President criticizes suspension of media licenses
Salvadorian President Elías Antonio Saca said "attention should be drawn upon the governments that are canceling operation licenses and curtailing freedoms to news media pointing to power abuses and excesses of the ruler in office."

"Given the new ways of abuse and coercion we continue to witness in some countries in the hemisphere, I praise the constant debates the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) promotes in our region to boost respect for press freedom and democratic values," said Saca during an IAPA-sponsored forum on press freedom, which was attended by media owners, deputies and government officials, Efe reported.

Communication Minister challenges Freedom House, Catholic Church
People's Power Minister of Communication and Information William Lara did not save bullets against a report released by US organization Freedom House, where press freedom in Venezuela was matched with the situation in Russia and Zimbabwe.

He also made reference to the remarks Tuesday by Jorge Cardinal Urosa Savino, who repeated that the Venezuelan Catholic Church was ready to support the right to freedom of expression and "plural information."

"The Ministry would like to comment on coincident -perhaps coordinated- reports, from a US organization -Freedom House. In a very arbitrary manner, they outlined what they call the indexes of press freedom, according to the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) -the journalists' exploiters- and Venezuelan high-ranking priests."

IACHR getting ready to brief on decision on RCTV
The Inter American Court on Human Rights (IACHR) is to deliver "between today (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday)" a notice to Venezuela with the judges' preliminary findings after hearing a claim filed by two journalists working with TV channel RCTV, an IAHCR source told Wednesday AFP.

"Presumably between today and tomorrow the court is to send a letter to the Venezuelan state about the complaint, its content and the deadline to answer," said court spokesman Arturo Monge.

"These are the proceeding steps that the State needs to know to prepare its defense," he explained.

Thursday 10

Ambassadors to Venezuela briefed on RCTV case
In a conference called "Current Domestic Political Affairs," the Venezuelan Government briefed foreign ambassadors and representatives of international bodies on the fundamentals behind President Hugo Chávez' decision not to renew a broadcast license to private television station RCTV.

Speakers were Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicolás Maduro and Minister of Telecommunications and IT Jesse Chacón Escamillo.

Chacón explained the audience the legal grounds supporting the Venezuelan Government's move, and stressed that automatic renewal of licenses is banned under the Venezuelan Constitution. He added that the Venezuelan State, as the sole manager of radio frequencies -"an asset of public domain"- has the capacity to renew broadcast licenses or not.

Meanwhile, Maduro claimed that "next May 28th (the day following expiration of RCTV license) begins a new stage -a fair, legal and constitutional process. Attempts have been made at turning this issue into the core of an international smear campaign, but we are advocating fair ideas for all Venezuelans."

RCTV files new action with Constitutional Court
Eladio Lares, Chairman of private television station RCTV, Thursday said that the TV network's legal advisers filed with the Constitutional Court, Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ), a new action seeking precautionary measures to avoid closure of the TV channel.

"We have just filed a new action with the Constitutional Court seeking the relevant precautionary measures."

Lares added the move was made "on behalf of our workers. We believe we are right and that is why we have appeared again in court."
 
Amnesty International fears endangered freedom of expression in Venezuela
Venezuelan authorities are bound to ensure freedom of expression, including that of their opponents, said Thursday Amnesty International in the face of the impending closure of TV channel Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV).

According to the organization advocating human rights, this is the most recent of a number of steps that have increasingly abated the right to freedom of expression in Venezuela.

A press release from AI pointed also to the attacks and threats on journalists, including two killings, trials and the enactment of laws that curtail freedom of expression.

"In the absence of freedom of expression, Venezuelans will be less able to denounce abuses and attacks and being indemnified, and also to take part in making proposals on the country's key issues."

IACHR is "closely watching" RCTV case
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is "closely watching" the case of private television station RCTV "because it has created a lot of tensions both in Venezuela and the region," said Ignacio Álvarez, Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the IACHR, in an interview published Thursday by newspaper El Mercurio.

Álvarez ratified that the IACHR admitted a petition the 53-year-old Caracas-based TV network filed seeking assessment of the case, and "we are attentive to developments."

Álvarez reminded some international conventions governing the issuance of broadcast licenses.

"The States have the capacity to manage the radio electric spectrum and make the decisions regarding the issuance and renewal of licenses. This is part of their sovereignty," Álvarez, a Venezuelan national, explained.

New channel 2 in conformity with pivotal laws
 "At 12:01 on the night of May 28th, Venezuelans will see on the screen a new channel 2 in compliance with the Radio and TV Social Responsibility Law and the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," said People's Power Minister of Communication and Information (Minci) William Lara.

Minister Lara made the remarks last Thursday at midnight in TV show "La Hojilla" hosted by Mario Silva, on official TV channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV).

"We will implement what President Hugo Chávez has advised -a public service TV channel which will collect the best of the tradition of the Venezuelan TV."