The conflict between President Hugo Chávez Frías and the private media showed no signs of subsiding in 2003. In his weekly radio and TV call-in program “Aló, Presidente” (Hello, President) and in frequent speeches, Chávez continued to lambaste the private press and accuse media owners of being “coup-plotters” and “fascists.” Chávez continued to use cadenas–nationwide…
New York, March 1, 2004—Three journalists were injured over the weekend while covering violent street clashes in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, in the wake of a four-day antigovernment protest. The protesters were demanding a referendum to recall President Hugo Chávez Frías. On Friday, February 27, Venezuelan National Guard troops fired rubber bullets and threw tear gas…
New York, October 7, 2003—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is concerned that Venezuela’s National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) has opened administrative proceedings against the 24-hour news channel Globovisión to determine whether Globovisión is violating telecommunications regulations. Globovisión has 15 business days to present its defense to Conatel. The TV station has vigorously opposed President Hugo…
Nova York, 7 de outubro de 2003 –O Comitê para a Proteção dos Jornalistas (CPJ) observa com preocupação a abertura, por parte da Comissão Nacional de Telecomunicações (Conatel) da Venezuela, de um processo administrativo contra o canal de notícias Globovisión para determinar se o canal televisivo está violando disposições relativas às telecomunicações. A Globovisión tem…
New York, July 30, 2003—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns a recent ruling by Venezuela’s Supreme Court upholding several desacato (contempt) and criminal defamation provisions in the country’s Penal Code. In the current political climate, which remains tense despite a recent decrease in violence and an agreement between the government and the opposition to…
Nova York, 30 de julho de 2003 — O Comitê para a Proteção dos Jornalistas (CPJ) condena a recente sentença do Tribunal Supremo de Justiça venezuelano que ratificou várias disposições do Código Penal relativas ao desacato e aos delitos de difamação e injúria. No atual clima político, que permanece tenso apesar da diminuição da violência…
Aprovechando la distracción del mundo con la guerra en Irak, el gobierno cubano lanzó una ofensiva sin precedentes contra la prensa independiente, arrestando en las últimas semanas a 25 periodistas y al menos 50 disidentes políticos. No obstante enfrentar una represión sistemática por parte del gobierno, la prensa independiente cubana, que realiza su trabajo en franco desafío a una legislación que restringe en forma severa la libertad de expresión y de prensa, se ha fortalecido en los últimos años.
Economic and political turmoil throughout Latin America in 2002 had profound implications for the region’s press. Sharp decreases in advertising revenue bankrupted many media outlets, while the failure to consolidate democratic reforms left the media vulnerable to legal and physical assault. Five journalists were killed in Latin America in 2002 for their work.
The U.S. government took aggressive measures in 2002 to shield some of its activities from press scrutiny. These steps not only reduced access for U.S. reporters but had a global ripple effect, with autocratic leaders citing U.S. government actions to justify repressive policies.