Politics
After unsuccessfully trying to visit her friend, Caracas Prefect Richard Blanco, at the Yare prison, the head of the Commission for Freedom of Expression of the Argentinean Congress, Silvana Giudici, a deputy for center-leftist Unión Cívica Radical, found that the status of political prisoners in Venezuela is worse than she expected.

What is the purpose of your visit to Venezuela?
(Caracas Metropolitan) Mayor (Antonio) Ledezma met with us at the Commission for Freedom of Expression headed by me. It was a very fruitful meeting, because we could discuss different worrisome issues about freedom of expression and also about Venezuela's entry into Mercosur. It was a joint meeting together with the Mercosur Commission in Argentina. The mayor asked us to visit his country to get to know first-hand what the situation is.

You also tried to visit Richard Blanco.
I have been friend with Richard Blanco, Caracas Prefect, for many years and found a situation which is more serious than expected. I meant to visit him in Yare, and I was refused. I was surprised. Nowhere in the world, as far as I know, can anybody be denied his basic rights, such as the right to visit. In my case, as a friend of Richard, I am being denied my right to visit somebody in the country where he lives.

However, the situation told by you is not different from that of remaining political prisoners in Venezuela.
Sure. I have in my agenda a meeting with their relatives. It seems to me serious as well. Let me tell you that the international community is getting worried about this issue. Several OAS (Organization of American States) officials have contacted me after learning that I was here. I have many contacts with the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, under the OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and in this regard there is much concern about Caracas' prisoners.

An ex Venezuelan Minister of Information, Andrés Izarra, voiced the need of the Venezuelan government to impose communications hegemony.
This is clearly one of the cornerstones of autocratic regimes. Look at the places in the world where such a decision on the media was made. We could speak about Russia prior to the opening last century; about Cuba; about regimes which, as long as they cling to power, the first thing they fabricate is not to be criticized. Governments that purport to take a hegemonic line in communications end up conceding that they have feet of clay, because if a government cannot face criticism and different views, it means that it lacks a social foundation, that it has no reasons to face the daily routine, and that it cannot allege why it takes certain actions.

Can governments succeed in building a virtual reality in the face of what is going on in the street?
Should governments hide the reality, they are restricting rights. But, no matter what they try to cover the sun with one finger. At the end of the day, people, who go out the streets and go to the supermarket, realize that the story intended to be imposed is not true and at the time of voting is where reality finally changes.

What is your opinion about Venezuela's entry into Mercosur?
When Venezuela resolved to nationalize Argentinean companies, many parliamentarians requested its delay. However, Mayor Ledezma met with us and as a matter of fact, his rationale was very important. Venezuela should join Mercosur, but we should be keenly aware that the issue of diversity, plurality and freedom of expression should be also a requirement.

Translated by Conchita Delgado

Reyes Theis
EL UNIVERSAL