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Alert

"Últimas Noticias" news crew detained and threatened in Caracas

(IPYS/IFEX) - On 29 June 2005, a group of unidentified men surrounded, threatened and held captive journalist Mabel Sarmiento and photographer Cirilo Hernández, of the daily "Últimas Noticias". The news crew had been taking some photographs in the Andrés Eloy Blanco square, located beside the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Presidential Palace in Caracas.

The news crew was working on a report about extremely poor people wandering the city's streets. When they tried to leave, they were stopped by a group of men. Sarmiento told IPYS that the assailants told them that they were confiscating the film roll, because that public space belonged to Lina Ron, a politician who supports President Hugo Chávez, saying, "you can't do anything in this plaza without her permission."

According to Sarmiento, the assailants tried to confiscate their camera, insulted them and threatened to hit them. They then shut them up in an office and told them that they were to stay there until Ron arrived.

Two hours later Ron arrived and insulted the reporters. She warned them that she gave the orders in the square and that they had to have her permission to carry out activities there. As well, she complained about some articles published in "Últimas Noticias". The journalists were then allowed to leave.

Sarmiento told IPYS that before leaving, she told Ron that she would publish an article on the incident. Ron told her that she did not care, that Sarmiento could write whatever she liked, "because no one will believe you, you'll be just one more lying journalist." The journalists are still considering the possibility of filing a complaint.