"Officials of state security forces, such as the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB, by its Spanish acronym), are preventing journalists, reporters and press workers from accessing the disaster area in Tejerías, Aragua state (central Venezuela), which was declared an emergency due to floods.
Constant rains during the afternoon and night of Sat. Oct. 8, and the lack of maintenance given to structures caused the overflowing of a creek, blocking houses, collapsing buildings, and generating floods. According to official information (up to Oct. 10), the Tejerías tragedy has left more than 35 dead and at least 50 people are missing.
Journalist Mardolei Prin told Espacio Público that journalists in the disaster area have reported that the GNB is demanding official accreditation to cover the area, a requirement that works as a media blockade. This prevents [the public] from knowing what is happening, aside from the official version."
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