The opposition candidate for President of Venezuela, Henrique Capriles, has accused Nicolás Maduro, the incumbent and anointed successor to the late Hugo Chávez, of using public media to benefit his campaign, reported the website Informe21.
Several Venezuelan cartoonists, journalists, writers and artists have been the target of a series of threats through Twitter, telephone and text messages, according to news portal Noticias 24.
Venezuela’s interim president, Nicolás Maduro, launched the television program Diálogo Bolivariano (Bolivarian Dialogue) on Thursday, March 14, emulating the late Hugo Chávez’s famous Aló Presidente program, reported El Universal.
At least two other news teams have been kept from covering events related to the death of Hugo Chávez last week. On Feb. 7, a group identified as government supporters intimidated and threatened correspondent Luis Alfonso Fernández for the broadcaster América Noticias and a cameraman for the network Alberto Porras
The director of Globovisón, one of the most critical private television networks of the Venezuelan government, announced that it will be sold after the April 14 presidential election, reported the newspaper El Universal.
Loved by some, hated by others. Few struck a middle ground when it came to Hugo Chávez and the same went for his relationship with the media in Venezuela, a country he led for 14 years.
The Association of Caribbean Media Workers asked Caricom -- an organization that promotes cooperation among Caribbean nations -- to discourage its 15 members from participating in a meeting of the Organization of American States
Two news teams said they were attacked while covering the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.
Non-profit organizations and leaders from 15 media organizations in Latin America participated in a meeting to express their concern about a series of proposals that would weaken the Inter-American Human Rights System
Venezuela's Information Minister Ernesto Villegas announced on Wednesday, Feb. 20, the establishment of the new Bolivarian Communication and Information System, reported teleSUR. According to the minister, the new apparatus should generate content different from that found in a capitalist culture and strive for "true independence."
As Colombia commemorated the Day of the Journalist on Saturday, Feb. 9, the president of the Venezuelan National Union of Journalists (CNP in Spanish), Tinedo Guía -- who was visiting the Venezuelan state of Táchira at the invitation of the North Santander Journalist Circle, a Colombian organization -- warned about the difficulties reporters face in his country, reported El Universal.
On Feb. 5, security officers at the Venezuelan National Assembly prevented reporters from privately-owned newspapers from covering an event at the country's legislature in the capital, Caracas, reported the website La Patilla.