34 radio stations pulled off the air in Venezuela

We issued the following statement today in response to Venezuelan Minister of Housing and Public Works Diosdado Cabello’s announcement that regulators have revoked the broadcast licenses of 34 private radio stations…

“The government is using the regulation of broadcast licenses as pretext to silence independent and critical voices,” said Carlos Lauría, CPJ’s senior program coordinator for the Americas. “None of the 34 radio stations were notified in advance or given the opportunity to defend themselves against this high-handed treatment. This is part of a wider crackdown on the private media which is jeopardizing Venezuelan democracy.”