REGIONAL GOVERNMENT INTIMIDATES JOURNALISTS WHO ATTENDED WORKSHOP ON INVESTIGATION JOURNALISM On May 22, 2012 journalist Paola Carrero received a phone call from an unknown number. The person who called her said he was calling on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and inquired her who had proposed investigation-related topics in the agricultural field […]
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT INTIMIDATES JOURNALISTS WHO ATTENDED WORKSHOP ON
INVESTIGATION JOURNALISM
On May 22, 2012 journalist Paola Carrero received a phone call from an
unknown number. The person who called her said he was calling on behalf
of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and inquired her who had
proposed investigation-related topics in the agricultural field during
the workshop on Journalism and Investigation that she had attended. Said
workshop was organized by IPYS-Venezuela in the offices of the
Professional Association of Journalists in the city of Barinas on May
19th and 20th. This happened in the state of Barinas, 600 kms south west
of Caracas.
Mrs. Carrero said that during said call, the Professional Association
of Journalists was accused of “promoting investigations against the
Regional Government” and IPYS-Venezuela was labeled as “an institution
allied with the opposition helping in such task”.
During the workshop, given in the facilities of the Professional
Association of Journalists, apart from the participants, two men and a
woman showed up and showed interest in the topics that were to be
discussed. Carrero, who received the call from alleged officers of the
Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, also said that all topics and
conversations held by journalists and students of journalism was
recorded by the two men and the woman.
One of them, who attended the last part of the workshop along with Jose
Manuel Diaz -one of the participants who had introduced himself as a
Human Right activist- identified himself as Danilo Perez, assistant of
Antonio Albarran – Secretary of the Governor of the state of Barinas.
Albarran is also a former Minister of Agriculture and Lands.
These persons tried to take pictures when the workshop was over and the
participants received their certificates.
GOBIERNO REGIONAL BUSCA INTIMIDAR A PERIODISTAS QUE PARTICIPARON EN
TALLER DE PERIODISMO DE INVESTIGACIÓN
El 22 de mayo de 2012, la periodista Paola Carrero recibió una llamada
telefónica de un número no identificado diciendo que se trataba del
Ministerio del poder Popular para la Agricultura y Tierras (MAT) y
consultándole quiénes habían propuesto temas de investigación en el área
agrícola, durante el taller de Periodismo de Investigación en el que
había participado y que fue dictado por el Instituto Prensa y Sociedad
de Venezuela (Ipys Venezuela) en la sede del Colegio Nacional de
Periodistas en Barinas los días 19 y 20 de mayo. Este hecho ocurrió en
el estado Barinas, al suroccidente del país.
La periodista informó que durante la llamada acusaron al Colegio
Nacional de Periodistas “por estar fomentando investigaciones en contra
del Gobierno Regional” y catalogaron a Ipys Venezuela como institución
opositora que colabora con esto.
Durante el taller, dictado en las instalaciones del Colegio Nacional de
Periodistas Seccional-Barinas, se presentaron dos sujetos
y una joven
cuyo interés era conocer los temas que allí se iban a tratar. La
periodista, que recibió la llamada del MAT,
informó que todo lo
conversado por los colegas y estudiantes fue grabado por estos sujetos.
Uno de ellos, que acudió durante el último segmento del taller
acompañando a uno de los participantes José Manuel Díaz (que se presentó
como activista de Derechos Humanos), se identificó como Danilo Pérez y
asistente del Secretario General de Gobierno, Antonio Albarrán, quien
también es ex Ministro de Agricultura y Tierras.
En el momento en el que los talleristas recibían su certificado, luego
de haber finalizado el curso, los sujetos intentaron tomar fotografías
de todos los presentes.
