New York, April 17, 2002—In the aftermath of last week’s failed coup against President Hugo Chávez Frías, Chávez supporters harassed several Venezuelan media outlets, CPJ has learned. On Thursday, just before his ouster, Chávez had accused local broadcasters of conspiring to overthrow his government. At around 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, when President Chávez…
New York, April 12, 2002—Venezuelan journalist Jorge Tortoza died last night after being shot in the head while covering the violent clashes in the capital, Caracas, that forced Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Frías to resign this morning, CPJ has confirmed. Eurídice Ledezma, a Venezuelan journalist and political analyst, told CPJ that Tortoza was shot by…
AGAINST A BACKDROP OF TROUBLED ECONOMIES AND DEMOCRACIES, the Americas saw an increase in violent and verbal attacks against journalists during 2001. The number of journalists murdered in the region has grown, with 11 killed for their work in 2001, compared to seven in 2000 and six in 1999. The violence is also occurring in…
During 2001, supporters of President Hugo Chávez Frías clashed with the opposition over the government’s political and economic policies, while in December the business sector called for street demonstrations to protest anti-business legislation. Venezuela’s political situation–along with Chávez’s popularity–appeared tenuous at the end of the year.
New York, March 22, 2002—The Venezuelan state news agency has sparked widespread furor by accusing three local independent journalists of involvement in an alleged global drug trafficking conspiracy controlled by international banks and political leaders from developed countries. On March 13, the state information agency Venpres published an opinion piece on its Web site (http://www.venpres.gov.ve)…
New York, October 24, 2001—CPJ is alarmed that the Venezuelan National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) is investigating Globovisión, a 24-hour news channel, to determine whether the station violated media broadcast regulations by reporting “false” news. Conatel could fine the station or suspend its license temporarily or permanently. On September 29, Globovisión reported that nine taxi drivers…
HORACIO VERBITSKY is one of Argentina’s leading investigative journalists, and a columnist and press freedom activist. He has built his distinguished career by fearlessly exposing government corruption and battling restrictive press laws. A working journalist since 1960, Verbitsky’s relentless pursuit of a story has earned him his nickname el perro, or the dog. In January 1991, Verbitsky…