Unfounded government accusations have fueled a climate of fear, CPJ says in a letter to President Hugo Chávez Frías. ...
Hugo Chávez Frías
President of the
Palacio de Miraflores
Via facsimile: 58-212-864-6002
Dear Mr. President:
The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by recent violence and intimidation against the Venezuelan media. Unfounded government accusations of media coup-plotting have compounded the problem, fostering a climate of fear among journalists in the weeks prior to the November 28 regional elections.
It is critical that journalists be able to report freely on the problems facing
At 5:30 a.m. on September 23, a group of unidentified
individuals in two vehicles tossed two tear gas canisters at the
Following the incident, Minister of Interior Tarek El Aissami said the attack was related to the broadcaster's supposed involvement in a conspiracy to overthrow your government. Globovisión's general director Alberto Federico Ravell denied the interior minister's accusation. CPJ believes Minister El Aissami's comments were reckless and without basis; the fact that he failed to condemn the attack leaves critical outlets vulnerable to the harassment of pro-government militants.
On September 27, two unidentified individuals shot Eliécer Calzadilla, a columnist for the Ciudad Guayana-based daily Correo del Caroní, as he was getting into his car in a parking lot in southern Bolívar province, according to press reports. Calzadilla, who suffered a head injury, was taken to a local hospital where he received treatment. In an article published on September 28, Calzadilla, a tough government critic, said he did not believe the incident was a robbery.
CPJ is also alarmed by unsubstantiated statements made by
you and high-ranking administration officials that accuse media owners of being
part of a plot to oust and murder you. Since September 11, you have claimed
that a group of radical opponents backed by the
The accusations being made are very serious, and if there is factual evidence of a conspiracy the matter should be referred for legal action. But simply making public allegations without factual foundation is very dangerous because the 2002 coup remains such an emotionally charged issue for your supporters. We urge you to show greater tolerance toward criticism in the press and to halt unfounded accusations aimed at discrediting the news media.
Thank you for your attention to these urgent matters. We await your response.
Joel SimonExecutive Director