EL UNIVERSAL

The European Parliament Thursday endorsed a resolution rebuffing the Venezuelan government's decision not to renew a broadcast license for private television channel RCTV, said Juan Carlos Caldera, a member of opposition Primero Justicia party who is in Strasburg, France.

Caldera told local news TV channel Globovisión that the deputies of the European Parliament agreed on the need to raise "the alarm" on the situation facing Venezuela and the implications lying behind non-renewal of RCTV license.

He explained that the resolution was endorsed by 66 percent of the European parliamentarians.

Caldera said he expected Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to reconsider "the mistake he is making," not only from the political standpoint, but also from the legal and human points of view.

He stressed as highly meaningful the fact that Europe "has turned around to look at Venezuela," as well as the fact that other countries have addressed this issue too.
 
Caldera said the European Parliament would forward the resolution to the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The resolution was endorsed during a debate on the right to freedom of expression and plural information, in a plenary session of the European Parliament.

Translated by Maryflor Suárez
msuarez@eluniversal.com