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Alert

Central bank security officers prevent privately-owned media from covering press conference

(IPYS/IFEX) - On 21 January 2010, security officers for Venezuela's Central Bank (BCV) prevented personnel from privately-owned media outlets from participating in a press conference called by representatives of Venezuela's Economic Cabinet. According to the officers, the press conference had been planned for participation by state-run media only.

The journalists affected were: Ginette González, of Unión Radio and Canal i, Beatriz Adrián, of Globovisión, Rafael Garrido, of Venevisión, María Elisa González, of RCTV, and Óscar Sulbarán, of Televen.

Although the privately-owned media outlets did not receive official invitations to the press conference, they found out about it after consulting the Agencia Bolivariana news agency's information agenda. The issue that the press conference was to cover was the recent intervention by the state into the activities of three financial institutions.

IPYS condemns these types of actions against the press, which limit access to information that is of interest to the public.