WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States called Friday on the Venezuelan and other Latin American governments to stop intimidating the news media and take action to uphold a free press.
"We call on all governments to take steps to uphold the human right of freedom of expression and to uphold the principles enshrined in the Inter-American Democratic Charter," PJ Crowley, a State Department spokesman, told reporters.
The charter, adopted by the 34-member Organization of American States (OAS) in 2001, also establishes "the importance of respect for the freedom of the press," he recalled.
A formal statement was due to be released later.
When asked if actions taken by Venezuela prompted the appeal, Crowley replied: "There are a number of countries recently that have taken aggressive actions to intimidate, threaten, attack press. Venezuela's one of them, but it's certainly not the only one."
In Caracas on Wednesday, Venezuela's supreme court rejected two suits brought by the embattled private television network Globovision in a legal struggle with President Hugo Chavez over control of the news media.
Last week, the 24-hour news network, Venezuela's only remaining anti-Chavez channel on the open airwaves, was fined 3.1 million dollars for allegedly using unauthorized antennas for direct broadcasts in 2003 and for not reporting "hidden donations" in its 2002 and 2003 tax returns.
Police have searched a mansion belonging to Globovision president Guillermo Zuloaga, who has also been charged with usury.
The network says Chavez is trying to shut it down.
But Chavez said on Friday: "I'm happy that the institutions are working, we have to keep moving against impunity. Let them say what they'll say."
On Tuesday, the International Press Institute, a media advocacy group, denounced the deterioration of press freedom in Venezuela and in particular the Chavez government's harassment of Globovision.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
