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Alert

Journalist receives threat after reporting on irregularities in taxations office

(IPYS/IFEX) - Since 4 January 2006, "El Luchador" newspaper journalist Marsha Lee González has been the victim of threats made by officials and ex-employees of the country's National Customs and Tax Administration Office (Servicio Nacional Integral de Administración Aduanera y Tributaria, SENIAT). The journalist had reported on irregularities in the workings of this office in the state of Bolívar, southern Venezuela, which are linked to the mistreatment of an employee and unprofessional conduct by the now dismissed regional manager, Félix Molina.

On 25 January, Humberto Aguas, an entrepreneur contracted by SENIAT, approached the newspaper's press room where he accused the journalist of being a liar and threatened to sue her. The following day, Molina recommended that she be careful about what she wrote, as he knew of journalists who were fired because of what they published.

On 3 February, SENIAT official Mariam Marchin went to the newspaper office to refute information published by the journalist about the way she had been mistreated by Molina, and warned her not to publish anything else about the matter as this could lead to problems with her boss. A few hours later, an official of the union representing SENIAT employees, Nancy Lee, accompanied by strangers, went to the newspaper's offices and unsuccessfully attempted to stop more articles from being published.

On 4 February, the journalist was warned by colleagues of an alleged arrest warrant resulting from a complaint filed against her by Molina. However, it appears that this was only a rumour, since no complaint has been filed.