As part of an offensive against the black market for dollars, President Hugo Chávez urged supporters to use Twitter to blow the whistle on currency speculators and warned that illegal trading sites could be shut down the Associated Press reports.
An appeals court ruled that blogger Dania García would have to pay a $14 fine instead of serving a 20 month prison term for a family dispute, The Associated Press reports.
The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) reports that its delegation will discuss alleged irregularities in the sale of América TV, the cancellation of radio station La Voz de Bagua's broadcast license, and crimes against journalists during its May 20-21 visit.
Oswaldo Álvarez Paz, an outspoken Chávez opponent and former presidential candidate, had been in the intelligence service's custody since March 22 after saying in a TV interview that Venezuela had become a haven for drug trafficking. He was released from house arrest Thursday (May 14) and ordered not to leave Venezuela or speak about the case with reporters, AFP reports. He must present himself to the court every 15 days.
A court injunction prohibits the newspaper Diário do Grande ABC—which covers seven industrial cities in Greater São Paulo—from publishing articles about a city government's questionable disposal of school furniture that was said to be in good condition, the newspaper reports. The National Association of Newspapers calls the injunction prior censorship.
The industry groups for Brazil's biggest media outlets are considering creating a code of conduct to regulate journalism practices, Folha de S. Paulo (gated) reports.
The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, an association of women who lost their children during the dictatorship (1976-1983), held a mock trial for journalists and media that they believe were complicit with the military regime, the Buenos Aires Herald and Associated Press report.
The International Press Institute (IPI) named Lydia Cacho as an IPI “World Press Freedom Hero," to recognize her contributions to press freedom and investigative journalism in the defense of human rights.
Filmmaker Elena Varela, who has documented the lives of indigenous Mapuches for much of her career, was acquitted by three judges who found insufficient evidence to convict her of participating in two violent assaults, La Nación reports.
Filmmaker Elena Varela, who has documented the lives of indigenous Mapuches for much of her career, was acquitted by three judges who found insufficient evidence to convict her of participating in two violent assaults, La Nación reports.
The Paraguayan Journalists Forum (FOPEP) is writing a professional code of ethics for journalists, the newspaper ABC Color reports.
State security agents arrested independent journalist Yosvani Anzardo Hernández for several hours in San Germán, Holguín, and threatened to jail him for his political activism, Cubanet and Radio Martí report.