(RSF/IFEX) – “Correo del Caroní”, the regional daily that is based in the eastern city of Ciudad Guayana and that is openly critical of the government, was back on sale in newsstands on 15 December 2007 after a three-day absence. Editor David Natera told RSF that the daily was able to resume printing after its […]
(RSF/IFEX) – “Correo del Caroní”, the regional daily that is based in the eastern city of Ciudad Guayana and that is openly critical of the government, was back on sale in newsstands on 15 December 2007 after a three-day absence. Editor David Natera told RSF that the daily was able to resume printing after its supplier, DIPALCA, provided it with newsprint imported from Chile.
Natera had accused the Currency Management Commission (Comisión de Administración de Divisas, CADIVI), the government agency in charge of foreign currency purchases, of punishing certain provincial newspapers for their criticism of the government by refusing to let them have the foreign currency they need for imported supplies.
The CADIVI responded by reporting that it had released a total of US$82 million to newspapers between 1 January and 30 November.
“El Impulso”, a daily based in the northwestern city of Barquisimeto that is also critical of the government, said it had enough newsprint to last a month and called for exchange control procedures to be simplified.