Ex-leaders say media under threat in Latin America
By IAN JAMES
Associated Press Writer
CARACAS, Venezuela -- Former presidents from Peru and Bolivia joined
newspaper editors from across the Americas on Friday in condemning what
they call a series of attempts by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, and
some of his allies, to clamp down on the news media.
Former President Alejandro Toledo of Peru said he is concerned about
recent shutdowns of radio stations in Venezuela and a proposed law in
Argentina that would break up Clarin, one of Latin America's largest
newspaper and cable TV companies.
Toledo likened such actions to "a virus that's expanding" in countries
including Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua, and told The Associated Press:
"It must be stopped."
Ex-President Carlos Mesa of Bolivia expressed similar concerns at the
emergency meeting of the Inter American Press Association in Caracas.
"Everything that restricts freedom of speech is unacceptable," he said.
Enrique Santos, the IAPA's president, said tensions between governments
and the press have worsened throughout the Andes and that leaders in
Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia have created a climate of intimidation
with verbal attacks and legal measures aimed at restricting the media.
He called it "the Chavez model" and said it has been spreading.
Chavez denies his government is trying to eliminate critical voices in
the media, and has been feuding with the IAPA for years.
Chavez did not refer to the latest criticisms in a speech Friday but did
say he considers the pending Argentine law, which is designed to prevent
media monopolies, "important" and "interesting."
Information Minister Blanca Eekhout rebuffed the press association's
concerns saying: "We're never again going to accept the media
dictatorship." She defended efforts to step up regulation of the private
media, saying "laws must be made to do away with the media dictatorship
and allow... the participation of all Venezuelans."
Chavez's government forced 32 radio stations and two small television
stations off the air last month, saying some owners had failed to renew
their broadcast licenses while other licenses were no longer valid
because they had been granted long ago to owners who are now dead.
The government has announced plans to take 29 more radio stations off
the airwaves.
Globovision - the last opposition-aligned TV channel on the open
airwaves - is also the target of multiple investigations that
authorities say could lead to the revocation of its broadcast license.
In one of those cases, prosecutors said Friday they are summoning
opposition newspaper editor Rafael Poleo for questioning about a remark
he made on Globovision that Chavez could end up "hanging" like Italian
dictator Benito Mussolini.
Poleo has left the country and has told colleagues he does not plan to
return for now, said David Natera, who heads the Venezuelan Press Bloc,
a newspaper industry association.
Poleo, now in Miami, considers the case absurd and believes he would not
receive a fair trail, Natera said.
One Globovision reporter has left the country and requested political
asylum in the United States, said Alberto Federico Ravell, the channel's
director. He did not give details.
Ex-leaders say media under threat in Latin America - Americas AP -
MiamiHerald.com (18 September 2009)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/AP/story/1240618.html
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