About IFEX:

News by region:

IFEX Campaigns and Advocacy:

IFEX Email Products:

Opportunities and assistance:

Articles - Venezuela

---

Venezuela

Court bans media from reporting on water pollution claims

A Venezuelan court has ruled that the press cannot report on water contamination issues without using government-approved information, report the Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS-Venezuela), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Venezuela

Government rejects UPR recommendations on free expression

On 11 October, the Venezuelan government rejected all requests to improve aspects of freedom of expression recommended by IFEX members and included in the final report of the United Nations Human Rights Council during the 12th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva.

Venezuela

Follow @IFEXALC at the UN's Universal Periodic Review of Venezuela

IFEX's contingent of 17 Latin American and Caribbean (ALC) freedom of expression organisations is calling on supporters to tune in to their coverage of the United Nation Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Venezuela by reading IFEX-ALC's live blog and following @IFEXALC on Twitter and encouraging others to do the same.

Guatemala / Venezuela

Two journalists killed in one week

Last week, a Guatemalan television journalist who had been repeatedly threatened for his reporting was found dead and a Venezuelan political journalist was gunned down, report the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Venezuela

Legal reforms violate free expression

In the final weeks of the outgoing Venezuelan parliament, controlled by President Hugo Chávez, a series of repressive media bills that limit free expression and threaten human rights are being pushed through for approval, report the Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS-Venezuela), the Inter American Press Institute (IAPA), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and ARTICLE 19.

Venezuela

Journalists imprisoned in their own homes and assaulted

Venezuelan journalists are facing an array of attacks - Molotov cocktails, President Hugo Chávez's verbal assaults on outspoken media, house arrest and physical assault - simply for doing their jobs.

Venezuela

Leading suspect in murder of journalist given 25 years

A former police officer who was the leading suspect in the 2009 murder of Venezuelan journalist Orel Sambrano was sentenced to 25 years in prison last week, report the Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF). According to the IFEX members, on 18 May Rafael Segundo Pérez, a former Carabobo police sergeant, was given 25 years on conspiracy charges and is the first person to be convicted for Sambrano's murder.

Venezuela

Media worker kidnapped; protest criminalised

Venezuelan police fired tear gas at demonstrators and detained journalists covering protests in Aragua State, and a news editor was kidnapped in another part of the country, reports Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS). And according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), President Hugo Chávez continues to call for greater Internet regulation.

Venezuela

TV stations shut down for refusing to air President's speeches

The Venezuelan government ordered cable networks to stop carrying six TV stations on 24 January after the stations failed to air speeches by President Hugo Chávez, report IFEX members. Protests have erupted over the recent press freedom violations.

Venezuela

Chávez's war on media continues, say IFEX members

The Venezuelan authorities have revoked the broadcast licences of 34 private radio and TV stations and proposed new media laws that would expand pro-government media and suppress dissent, say Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS), the Inter American Press Association (IPYS), Observatorio Latinoamericano para la Libertad de Expresión (OLA) and other IFEX members.

Venezuela

Chávez ratchets up threats against media

President Hugo Chávez has stepped up his ongoing bullying campaign against critical media in the country. This time, he's demanded officials either take action against the media that "poison" Venezuela or resign.

Venezuela

UN JOURNALISTE EST ASSASSINÉ; UN AUTRE SURVIT AUX PROJECTILES

Venezuela

PERIODISTA ASESINADO; OTRO SOBREVIVE AL TIROTEO

Venezuela

JOURNALIST MURDERED; ANOTHER SURVIVES SHOOTING

A journalist who recently covered drug trafficking in Venezuela was assassinated last week, report the Institute for Press and Society (IPYS), the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and other IFEX members. He was slain just three days after the attempted murder of another journalist in southwestern Venezuela.

Venezuela

EXPULSAN A DELEGACIÓN DE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Venezuela

EXPULSION D'UNE DÉLÉGATION DE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Venezuela

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH DELEGATION EXPELLED

Two senior Human Rights Watch staff were expelled from Venezuela last week, just hours after presenting a report describing the deteriorating human rights situation under the government of President Hugo Chávez.

Venezuela

MOIS DE LA LIBERTÉ DE L'INFORMATION AU VENEZUELA (18 SEPTEMBRE AU 18 OCTOBRE)

Venezuela

MES DE LA LIBERTAD DE INFORMACIÓN EN VENEZUELA (18 DE SEPTIEMBRE A 18 DE OCTUBRE)

Venezuela

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION MONTH IN VENEZUELA (18 SEPTEMBER-18 OCTOBER)

Even though the Inter-American Court of Human Rights declared freedom of information a fundamental human right last year, Venezuela still doesn't have a Freedom of Information Act. So for a month starting 18 September, the civil-society coalition Proacceso will celebrate Freedom of Information Month in Venezuela, under the motto "Don't let them take you for a ride. Make your right to information count" ("No dejes que te echen otro cuento. Haz valer tu derecho a la información").

Venezuela

EJECUTIVO DE PERIÓDICO BALEADO

Venezuela

UN ADMINISTRATEUR DE JOURNAL EST ABATTU

Venezuela

NEWSPAPER EXECUTIVE GUNNED DOWN

The vice-president of a Venezuelan newspaper whose senior staff had received more than 50 death threats in the past year was gunned down last week, report the Institute for Press and Society (IPYS) and other IFEX members.

Venezuela

MEDIOS AMENAZADOS EN MEDIO DE INTENTOS DE REFORMAS CONSTITUCIONALES

Venezuela

MEDIA THREATENED AMID ATTEMPTS AT CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

Venezuelans narrowly rejected constitutional reforms over the weekend that would have allowed President Hugo Chávez to proclaim an indefinite state of emergency and suspend press freedom. Meanwhile, violent clashes continue in Bolivia in response to President Evo Morales's reform plans.

Venezuela

SUPREMA MANTIENE VIVA A RCTV POR AHORA

Venezuela

LA COUR SUPRÊME GARDE RCTV EN VIE POUR LE MOMENT

Venezuela

SUPREME COURT KEEPS RCTV ALIVE FOR NOW

Venezuela's Supreme Court ruled that TV channel Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) will remain on cable and satellite for the moment, acting just hours before a government deadline that could have taken it off the air for the second time in two months, report Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontieres, RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Venezuela

PERIODISTAS MARCHAN PARA APOYAR A RCTV

Venezuela

LES JOURNALISTES MARCHENT EN FAVEUR DE RCTV

Venezuela

JOURNALISTS MARCH FOR RCTV

Journalists in Venezuela used National Journalists' Day on 27 June to demand that President Hugo Chavez reverse his decision to take the country's oldest broadcaster, Radio Caracas Television (RCTV), off the air.

Venezuela

LA FERMETURE DE RCTV ACCENTUE LE CLIVAGE POLITIQUE

Venezuela

CIERRE DE RCTV PROFUNDIZA DIVISIÓN POLÍTICA

Venezuela

CLOSURE OF RCTV DEEPENS POLITICAL DIVIDE

Tens of thousands of citizens took to the street - some to celebrate, others to protest - after Venezuela's oldest television network lost its licence and went off the air on Sunday, prompting numerous IFEX members to comment that President Hugo Chávez was limiting freedom of expression.

Venezuela

UNE STATION DE TÉLÉVISION HOSTILE À CHÁVEZ POURRAIT PERDRE SON PERMIS D'EXPLOITATION

Venezuela

ESTACIÓN DE TV ANTICHAVISTA PUEDE PERDER LICENCIA

Venezuela

ANTI-CHÁVEZ TV STATION MAY LOSE LICENCE

A decision by the Venezuelan government not to renew the licence of one of the country's oldest private broadcasters has prompted calls of concern from the Institute of Press and Society (Instituto Prensa y Sociedad, IPYS), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Press Institute (IPI), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) and the Inter American Press Association (IAPA).

Venezuela

PERIODISTA ASESINADO

Venezuela

ASSASSINAT D'UN JOURNALISTE

Venezuela

JOURNALIST MURDERED

Venezuelan authorities have been urged to conduct a thorough investigation into the murder of journalist Jesús Flores Rojas, who was gunned down by an unidentified man on 23 August 2006 in the eastern town of El Tigre.

Venezuela

LA SIP SOUTIENT QUE LA LIBERTÉ DE LA PRESSE SE « DÉTÉRIORE »

Venezuela

SIP DICE QUE LIBERTAD DE PRENSA "SE ESTÁ DETERIORANDO"

Venezuela

IAPA SAYS PRESS FREEDOM "DETERIORATING"

The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) has expressed concern that press freedom in Venezuela may become more restricted in the run-up to presidential elections in December 2006. Following a mission to the country on 17-19 July, the organisation said press freedom conditions have deteriorated sharply, marked by restrictive laws, prosecution of journalists and a hostile attitude toward private media outlets.

Venezuela

LE NOMBRE DES VIOLATIONS DE LA LIBRE EXPRESSION DÉCLINE AU VENEZUELA, DIT L'IPYS

Venezuela

VIOLACIONES A LA LIBERTAD DE EXPRESIÓN DESCIENDEN EN VENEZUELA: IPYS

Venezuela

FREE EXPRESSION VIOLATIONS DECLINE IN VENEZUELA: IPYS

Free expression violations in Venezuela in 2005 declined by more than 50 per cent compared to the previous year, but the number of individuals affected increased, according to a new report co-authored by the Institute for Press and Society (Instituto Prensa y Sociedad, IPYS).

Venezuela

FOTÓGRAFO BALEADO

Venezuela

UN PHOTOGRAPHE EST ABATTU

Venezuela

PHOTOGRAPHER GUNNED DOWN

IFEX members have urged Venezuelan authorities to investigate the murder of press photographer Jorge Aguirre, who was shot dead on 5 April 2006 as he approached a demonstration in Caracas.

Venezuela

LE GOUVERNEMENT RESSERRE LES LOIS « DESACATO »

Venezuela

GOBIERNO HACE MÁS RESTRICTIVAS LAS LEYES DE "DESACATO"

Venezuela

GOVERNMENT TIGHTENS "DESACATO" LAWS

Across Latin America, a growing number of governments are repealing so-called "disrespect" ("desacato") laws that unfairly protect officials from public scrutiny and criticism. In Venezuela, however, the government is moving in the opposite direction, approving amendments to the country's Criminal Code that press freedom groups warn may further restrict the public's ability to monitor government actions.

Venezuela

LA NOUVELLE LOI SUR LES MÉDIAS INQUIÈTE

Venezuela

INQUIETUD SOBRE NUEVA LEY DE MEDIOS

Venezuela

CONCERN OVER NEW MEDIA LAW

Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) and the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) have expressed concern over a recently passed law in Venezuela that gives the government more power to regulate media content.

Venezuela

PRESENTADOR DE RADIO MUERTO

Venezuela

UN ANIMATEUR DE LA RADIO EST ASSASSINÉ

Venezuela

RADIO SHOW HOST KILLED

On 1 September 2004, unidentified men shot and killed radio show host Mauro Marcano in the city of Maturín, eastern Venezuela, reports the Institute for Press and Society (Instituto Prensa y Sociedad, IPYS).

Venezuela

PERIODISTAS AGREDIDOS MIENTRAS EMPEORA DESCONTENTO SOCIAL

Venezuela

DES JOURNALISTES SONT AGRESSÉS TANDIS QUE L'AGITATION SOCIALE SE POURSUIT

Venezuela

JOURNALISTS ATTACKED AS CIVIL UNREST WORSENS

A growing number of journalists in various media have been wounded, assaulted, or threatened during the current clashes between the government forces of President Hugo Chávez and the opposition, report the Institute for Press and Society (Instituto Prensa y Sociedad, IPYS), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF), and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Venezuela

LA SIP ET L'IIP DIRIGENT UNE DÉLÉGATION AU VENEZUELA

Venezuela

SIP E IPI ENCABEZAN DELEGACIÓN A VENEZUELA

Venezuela

IAPA, IPI LEAD DELEGATION TO VENEZUELA

The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) and the International Press Institute (IPI) are visiting Venezuela this week to lobby for press freedom guarantees in the run-up to a possible referendum that could decide the political future of President Hugo Chávez.

Venezuela

JOURNALISTS CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE

Human Rights Watch has released a report calling on the Venezuelan government to appoint a special panel to investigate attacks on journalists, saying authorities are not doing enough to stem violence against the media. "Caught in the Crossfire: Freedom of Expression in Venezuela" concludes that Venezuela's justice system is failing to identify and punish those who attack and threaten journalists.

Venezuela

IAPA WARNS AGAINST PROPOSED MEDIA LAWS

The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) has called on the Venezuelan government to amend two proposed bills it says are aimed at suppressing media criticism of public officials and creating a "news media oversight council" to monitor the press. IAPA held what it called an "emergency" public forum in Caracas earlier this month calling attention to the so-called draft Law on Social Responsibility in Radio and Television and the Organic Law of Participation by Citizens.

Venezuela

RSF PUBLIE UN RAPPORT SUR LA SITUATION DE LA LIBERTÉ DE LA PRESSE

Venezuela

RSF PUBLICA NUEVO INFORME SOBRE LIBERTAD DE PRENSA

Venezuela

RSF ISSUES NEW REPORT ON PRESS FREEDOM

Journalists in Venezuela are in a tough spot. On one side is an "authoritarian president" who does little to stop his supporters from attacking journalists. On the other side are "intolerant" private media owners who have openly backed attempts to oust him, seriously breaching professional journalism ethics.

Venezuela

LE GOUVERNEMENT ORDONNE UNE ENQUÊTE SUR LES STATIONS DE TÉLÉVISION

Venezuela

GOBIERNO ORDENA INVESTIGAR ESTACIONES DE TELEVISIÓN

Venezuela

GOVERNMENT ORDERS PROBE OF TELEVISION STATIONS

As Venezuela's political crisis continues to escalate, President Hugo Chávez has ordered a probe of five private television stations for alleged violation of broadcasting rules, report Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the Institute for Press and Society (Instituto Prensa y Sociedad, IPYS), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Inter American Press Association (IAPA).

Venezuela

DES JOURNALISTES COINCÉS ENTRE LES TIRS CROISÉS

Venezuela

PERIODISTAS ATRAPADOS EN FUEGO CRUZADO

Venezuela

JOURNALISTS CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE

As political tensions continue to rise in Venezuela amidst an opposition strike aimed at removing President Hugo Chávez from office, more and more journalists attempting to report on the situation are getting caught in the crossfire, report the Institute for Press and Society (Instito prensa y sociedad, IPYS) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Venezuela

DE NOMBREUX JOURNALISTES SONT ATTAQUÉS

Venezuela

VEINTENAS DE PERIODISTAS AGREDIDOS

Venezuela

SCORES OF JOURNALISTS ATTACKED

As tensions mount in Venezuela amidst a general strike protesting the government of President Hugo Chávez, at least 14 journalists have been attacked in recent days while attempting to report on the situation, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Institute for Press and Society (Instituto Prensa y Sociedad, IPYS).

Venezuela

IPYS CELEBRA SEMINARIOS DE LIBERTAD DE PRENSA PARA PERIODISTAS JÓVENES

Venezuela

IPYS HOLDS PRESS FREEDOM SEMINARS FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS

Amidst Venezuela's tense political situation, three organisations, including the Institute for Press and Society (Instituto Prensa y Libertad, IPYS), have been holding country-wide forums for young journalists aimed at creating a space for dialogue and fostering a culture of peace.

Venezuela

FERA ENQUÊTE SUR LA SITUATION DE LA LIBERTÉ DE LA PRESSE

Venezuela

DELEGACIÓN DE IPI Y SIP INVESTIGARÁ ESTADO DE LIBERTAD DE PRENSA

Venezuela

IPI, IAPA DELEGATION TO PROBE STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM

The International Press Institute (IPI) and the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) are gearing up to send a delegation of media professionals to assess the state of press freedom in Venezuela.

Venezuela

LES JOURNALISTES PRIS DANS LE FEU CROISÉ D?UN CONFLIT POLITIQUE

Venezuela

PERIODISTAS ATRAPADOS EN FUEGO CRUZADO DE CONFLICTO POLÍTICO

Venezuela

JOURNALISTS CAUGHT IN CROSSFIRE OF CHÁVEZ-MEDIA CONFLICT

Journalists in Venezuela are being used as ammunition in the increasingly polarised conflict between President Chávez and the private media, according to a report released last week by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Based on more than a dozen interviews CPJ conducted in May with Venezuelan journalists, the report documents the growing trend of journalists who find themselves victims in a war of words between Chávez and media owners who have become ardent opponents of the president.

Venezuela

LA FIJ INVITE AU DIALOGUE ENTRE CHÁVEZ ET LES MÉDIAS

Venezuela

FIP INSTA AL DIÁLOGO ENTRE CHÁVEZ Y MEDIOS DE COMUNICACIÓN

Venezuela

IFJ URGES DIALOGUE BETWEEN CHÁVEZ AND MEDIA

Following a fact-finding mission to Venezuela last month, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has issued a report criticising both President Hugo Chávez and media organisations for contributing to a climate of censorship and hostility during the brief coup d'état in April.

Venezuela

EN ENFRENTAMIENTOS; CHÁVEZ DICE QUE NO HABRÁ MÁS ATAQUES A LA LIBRE EXPRESIÓN

Venezuela

CHÁVEZ DIT QU?IL N?Y AURA PLUS D?ATTAQUES CONTRE LA LIBRE EXPRESSION

Venezuela

JOURNALIST KILLED IN CLASHES; CHAVEZ SAYS NO MORE ATTACKS ON FREE EXPRESSION

Amid an extraordinary turn of events last week which saw Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez ousted from office then restored to power within four days, free-expression groups called attention to the death of journalist Jorge Tortoza and the wounding of three others.

Venezuela

CHÁVEZ "AMORDAZA LA VOZ" DE LOS MEDIOS CRÍTICOS, DICE EL IPI

Venezuela

CHÁVEZ ?ÉTOUFFE LA VOIX? DES MÉDIAS CRITIQUES, DIT LE CPJ

Venezuela

CHÁVEZ "MUZZLES THE VOICE" OF CRITICAL MEDIA, SAYS IPI

In what the International Press Institute (IPI) says is an attempt to "muzzle the voice" of media critical of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, the state-run National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) is continuing its investigation of private news channel Globovision for reporting "false" news. According to IPI, Globovision issued a correction on 29 September for wrongly reporting that nine taxi drivers were attacked and killed the previous night by criminals. In fact, only one had been killed.

Venezuela

PRESIDENTE DE LA REPÚBLICA VUELVE A AGREDIR VERBALMENTE A PERIODISTAS

Venezuela

LE PRÉSIDENT S?EN PREND DE NOUVEAU AUX MÉDIAS VERBALEMENT

Venezuela

PRESIDENT VERBALLY ATTACKS MEDIA AGAIN

President Hugo Chávez Frías denounced journalists during events celebrating the ninth anniversary of the coup-d'etat carried out by middle-ranking military officers in February 1992, according to the Institute for Press and Society (IPYS). "Down with journalists and capitalism," proclaimed the president, who also urged those present to "yell orders" at any journalist they see on the street. The incident is one of a long list of presidential attacks and intimidations against the media, says IPYS.