(IPYS/IFEX) – The Perijanera 95.1 FM radio station has been off the air since 4 July 2003, when a group of armed individuals stole the station’s transmitter and other equipment. The community station is based in the city of Machiques, Zulia state, northwestern Venezuela. According to Edy Lugo, secretary of the Perijanera Community Foundation, this […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – The Perijanera 95.1 FM radio station has been off the air since 4 July 2003, when a group of armed individuals stole the station’s transmitter and other equipment. The community station is based in the city of Machiques, Zulia state, northwestern Venezuela.
According to Edy Lugo, secretary of the Perijanera Community Foundation, this is the second time the station has been robbed in the four years it has been operating. The stolen equipment is valued at more than US$18,000.
Accompanied by a number of the station’s supporters, Lugo publicly assigned blame for the robbery to individuals in the cattle industry and others linked to the Machiques mayor and the opposition party Acción Democrática.
According to Lugo, in the last four years the station has come under attack repeatedly. Station employees have been threatened, radio programme producers and guests have been physically assaulted, the station’s transmission signal has been interrupted and local businessmen have been pressured to not advertise on the station.
Lugo said a complaint had been filed with the 20th Division of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and called for a prompt investigation so that those responsible for the robbery are identified.
