“Diosdado Cabello, the secretary general of Venezuela's ruling party, the United Socialist Party, denied the blocking of news outlets and claimed the restrictions are due to a ‘failure to pay’ internet service providers.
In a press conference from the party's headquarters in Caracas, Cabello, who also serves as interior and justice minister, also issued a warning to website owners that freedom of expression does not belong to them, while accusing them of ‘spreading lies.’
‘There are people who don't pay their internet providers and blame the state,’ he said following a meeting of the PSUV national leadership.
Over the past week, there has been a progressive unblocking of digital media outlets such as Efecto Cocuyo and El Pitazo by CANTV and private operators like Digitel and Movistar, following orders from the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel). This came after the interim presidency issued a statement saying it was addressing a recommendation from the Commission for Peace and Coexistence.
The NGO Espacio Público noted that although unblocking is a quick mechanism, the lifting of restrictions against other portals, such as Armando.info and La Patilla, has been incomplete.”
