Reporter Guillermo Colina, a cameraman, and a technician for the Venezuelan opposition television station Globovisión were attacked by supporters of President Hugo Chávez while covering a patient protest outside a military hospital in the capital of Caracas, reported the Press and Society Institute on Nov. 7. The same reporter suffered a similar attack on Oct. 17.
According to Colina, the team asked the hospital security guards if they could cover the protest and received permission to work at the location.
Suddenly, several government supporters wearing purple t-shirts, a Chavista symbol, pushed and kicked the reporters. One of the aggressors hit Colina in the head with a chair. The attack was filmed and broadcast by Globovisión.
The camerman and technician, who were also attacked, accompanying Colina refused to give their names in fear of reprisals. The station questioned the National Guard's inaction as they stood by during the attack, according to Noticiero Digital.
Globovisión has a confrontational relationship with the Venezuelan government, which has charged the station with several lawsuits that could bankrupted the network. Recently, the station was fined $2 million for its coverage of a prison riot.
President Chávez frequently criticizes the network and warned it to change its editorial stance.
