Venezuela cracks down on TV station questioning Ch谩vez move
鈥�听David Smilde is the moderator of WOLA's blog:听.听The views expressed are the author's own.
After National Assembly President听听about a series of 90 second television spots produced and aired by [opposition] news channel 骋濒辞产辞惫颈蝉颈贸苍, the government media controlling agency Consejo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL)听. It also announced it was opening a new administrative procedure (the eighth opened by the agency against Globovision), that could result in a fine of up to 10 percent of the channel鈥檚 gross earnings during the past fiscal year.
According to CONATEL General Director Pedro Maldonado, the timing of the opening of administrative procedure and Cabello鈥檚 complaint was a mere coincidence, since CONATEL had already been monitoring the spots during the months of December and January. CONATEL had concluded that the channel was violating article 27 of the Social Responsibility Law which prohibits information that 鈥渋ncites or promotes intolerance for religious or political reasons, for gender differences, racism or xenophobia鈥enerates anguish in the population鈥ails to recognize legitimately constituted authorities鈥� or promotes the violation of the legal order.鈥澨�
The four spots (watch them听) present the full text of article 231 of the Constitution together with images of Nicolas Maduro, Cilia Flores, and President Hugo Ch谩vez arguing that the Constitution should be respected at all costs. Article 231 establishes that the elected President will take possession of his post on Jan. 10 of the first year of his presidential period with a public oath to the National Assembly, or if that is not possible, to the Supreme Judicial Tribunal (TSJ). The TSJ recently interpreted this article saying it was not applicable in the current situation since President Ch谩vez was not an elected but a reelected president, meaning there was a continuity of administration.听
The day after CONATEL's announcment, the Communication and Information Ministry (MINCI), sent 骋濒辞产辞惫颈蝉颈贸苍 a new clip related to Article 231 with orders to air it. 骋濒辞产辞惫颈蝉颈贸苍 refused to do so arguing that CONATEL had ordered them not to transmit the previous clip 鈥渙r any clip of similar content.鈥� According to 骋濒辞产辞惫颈蝉颈贸苍鈥檚 description of the MINCI clip, Article 231 appears superimposed over images of a government sympathizer declaring that she voted for Ch谩vez and wants him to finish his term.
On Thursday, Jan. 10 the听听emited a press release rejecting CONATEL鈥檚 actions saying 鈥淚nternational human rights instruments and the National Constitution establish the right to free and plural expression and information, which includes the freedom to search for, receive, and spread information and ideas of all kinds.鈥� They called on CONATEL to drop its case. International non-governmental organizations听听and听听also criticized CONATEL鈥檚 actions.
鈥� 听David Smilde is the moderator of WOLA's blog:听.听
