Politics
July 27

Administrative actions against 50 radio stations in Venezuela
Diosdado Cabello, the Venezuelan Minister of Public Works and Housing and director of the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel), said that so far about 50 radio stations have been advised that administrative proceedings have been filed against them.

He added that the owners of the stations will be entitled to the right to defense, depending on their offenses.

"How can the people who illegally used a radio frequency or a frequency not licensed by the State defend themselves? They are infringing the law; let us see how they can defend themselves, as they can hardly argue any defense," said Cabello.

July 30

All "media crimes" to be punishable with prison sentences
Not only the owners of TV stations such as Guillermo Zuloaga (Globovisión), Alberto Federico Ravell (Globovisión) and Marcel Granier (RCTV Internacional) could go to prison; anyone disclosing information regarded as "false" or "misleading" and that "would harm the interests of the State" or "the public morals" could be four years behind bars.

Under Article 5 of the draft Special Law against Media Crimes, which will be submitted on Thursday by Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz for the consideration of the National Assembly, "Any person who discloses false news through a mass media outlet, causing serious disruption to public tranquility, panic or anxiety in the population, disruption of public order or a prejudice to the interests of the State, shall be punished with imprisonment from two to four years."

The same punishment will be inflicted to persons who "manipulate or misrepresent news," "affecting social peace, national security, public order, mental health or public morals." The law drafted by the Attorney General consists of 17 sections. All the "crimes" defined in the bill: manipulation of news; refusal to disclose information; media coercion; knowingly failure to provide information; abetment, and obstruction of media activities are punishable with prison. The minimum penalty is six months and the maximum is four years.

Attorney General: "The State needs to regulate freedom of expression"
Luisa Ortega Díaz, Venezuela's Attorney General, submitted to the plenary of the National Assembly a draft Special Law against Media Crimes, which would punish with imprisonment up to four years whoever breaks the law.

"It is necessary to legislate on this matter; it is necessary that the Venezuelan State regulates freedom of expression," she said.

The senior official added that her proposal is not aimed at violating the freedom of expression since. According to her, such freedom is observed in Venezuela. However, in the context of "our legal instruments, within the framework of the rights of Venezuelan people, everything has a limit. I request the State to put some limits to this right."

Ortega Díaz said that some people can commit criminal acts through the mass media and because of these "new forms of crime," the State has the obligation to prevent these offenses.

IAPA calls for investigation into incidents in Venezuela
The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) on Thursday, July 30 called on officials in Venezuela, Bolivia and El Salvador to quickly investigate the acts of "violence and intimidation" reported in recent days against journalists in those countries.

In Venezuela, David Natera Febres, editor of the newspaper Correo del Caroní in Puerto Ordaz, Bolívar state, and president of the Venezuelan Press Bloc, reported that on July 27 he was harassed by the National Guard (GN), reported Efe.

Natera was the only passenger stopped and searched by GN officers upon landing in Puerto Ordaz from Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, according to the IAPA.

July 31

Minister: "Freedom of expression is not the most sacred freedom"
Diosdado Cabello, the Minister of Public Works and Housing and interim director of the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel), supported the draft Special Law against Media Crimes submitted to the National Assembly by the Attorney General, Luisa Ortega Díaz, to punish "media crimes" with imprisonment. "I think that the Attorney General explained the whole situation very well. Everything has a limit."

Cabello hopes that the National Assembly passes a legislation related to this proposal "to put limits on what some call here the most sacred freedom."

The Minister of Public Works said that "the freedom of expression is not the most sacred freedom that can exist." According to Cabello, there is an editorial line followed by the Venezuelan media, "which says: Today's headlines must be devoted to this particular issue. The headings of the main Venezuelan newspapers are related today (Friday) to the "coup" against freedom of expression," Cabello mentioned as an example.

He added that the media are aware of the damage they cause to the Venezuelan people. Therefore, in his opinion, when the media spread information, they must assume their responsibility. "When we make a campaign claiming that (private TV news network) Globovisión makes people sick, we mean it, Globovisión makes people sick. This is not a lie. Globovisión is slowly alienating people; they broadcast a string of lies. They never broadcast one single positive piece of news."

Committee to Protect Journalists rejects Law on Media Crimes
A bill submitted by Venezuela's attorney general to punish "media crimes" with prison sentences is an unprecedented step in the crusade by President Hugo Chávez Frías' administration to curtail media freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said on Thursday, July 31.

"This bill is reminiscent of the dark days of Latin American dictatorships with its archaic provisions for so-called 'media crimes,'" said Carlos Lauría, CPJ's senior program coordinator for the Americas.

The CPJ's representative described the proposal as "a serious setback to freedom of expression and democracy in Venezuela," and said that the bill is "part of a pattern of repression by President Chávez to silence independent and critical voices" in Venezuela

For these reasons, Lauría requested Venezuelan lawmakers to scrap immediately the bill.

Editors reject bill to punish "media crimes" in Venezuela
David Natera Febres, President of the Venezuelan Press Bloc (BPV) and editor of the newspaper Correo del Caroní, described as "very serious" the situation that the Venezuelan media will face if the bill submitted by the Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz to punish "media crimes" is passed. This situation is worsened by the actions implemented by the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) against radio and TV networks.

Natera Febres told El Universal that what is taking place in Venezuela is what the BPV has denounced for years: President Hugo Chávez's "hegemonic project."

Communication Minister hints international media campaign against Venezuela
In the opinion of Minister of Communication and Information Blanca Eekhout, a most intense than ever international campaign has been launched by the major private media in the world.

"Venezuela has become one of the most mistreated and disqualified countries by the mass media around the world," she said in a press conference at the Miraflores presidential palace, government-run news agency ABN reported.

Eekhout explained that based on a study conducted by her ministry, over 50 percent of the articles released by the international media refer to the government of President Hugo Chávez in bad terms.

Attorney General proposes open debate on draft law on media offenses
Venezuela's Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz talked on Friday, July 31 about the need to hold discussions on the draft Special Law on Media Crimes submitted by her on Thursday to the National Assembly (AN), in order to reach an agreement on how to "regulate and guide" the mass media.

The Attorney General defended again the regulation on "new ways of crime" committed on the media and setting up to four years of prison for offenders.

The senior officer insisted on saying that her proposal is based on international regulations, such as the San José Agreement. She stressed that the Constitution could not be invoked because it does not provide for punitive actions.
Ortega Díaz suggested working groups, set forth in the Constitution.

IAPA: Law on media offenses strikes a blow at democracy
The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) said on Friday that a bill on media offenses introduced to the National Assembly (AN) is "a devastating blow at the remains of democracy" in Venezuela.

The IAPA thinks that the initiative is "a tough mechanism to assail citizens, by removing their right to receive diverse, plural information."

As stated by IAPA President Enrique Santos Calderón, the international community must not be surprised by the strategy followed by President Hugo Chávez to "get rid of the few freedoms left for Venezuelan citizens."