(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 19 May 2006 IAPA press release: IAPA concerned at ‘ridiculous’ action in Venezuela calling for eviction, demolition of newspaper MIAMI, Florida (May 19, 2006) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today expressed concern at what it called a ridiculous action aimed at silencing the press – the decision […]
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 19 May 2006 IAPA press release:
IAPA concerned at ‘ridiculous’ action in Venezuela calling for eviction, demolition of newspaper
MIAMI, Florida (May 19, 2006) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today expressed concern at what it called a ridiculous action aimed at silencing the press – the decision of the Bolívar State Legislature in Venezuela to begin administrative proceedings for the eviction and demolition of the plant of the Correo del Caroní newspaper.
The action was taken after a special commission of the state legislature presented a report on “the legal status of the real estate assets of the Editorial Roderick C.A. company,” among them the newspaper building. The report called on the Caroní mayor’s office to undertake immediate eviction from the property, put a halt to the company business operations and initiate administrative proceedings for the demolition of any of the company’s buildings or facilities.
“We are concerned that, in a bid to silence a news media outlet, things should reach such an extreme that the state legislature takes an unprecedented step that is the province of another body. We view the behavior of the legislature in calling for the ‘eviction and demolition’ of the plant of a news media outlet as outlandish,” declared Gonzalo Marroquín, chairman of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information.
The editor of Correo del Caroní, David Natera, as regional vice chairman for Venezuela of that committee, had presented a highly critical report on the state of freedom of expression in his country to the recent IAPA midyear meeting.
“We fear that this is retaliation against Diario del Caroní,” Marroquín said. “This ridiculous action is beyond anyone’s imagination.”
According to the Legislature, an investigation into the company’s affairs begun after a complaint filed by a person living near the newspaper’s building questioning the legal status of the newspaper’s real estate assets. The Legislature also called for the company’s operating license to be revoked, along with its authorization to sell its assets. In addition, the Legislature called on the Governor’s office to “turn over to the community those lands that they have been deprived of for so many years” once these are recovered.
In March of this year, Correo del Caroní was accused by the state governor, Francisco Rangel Gómez, of waging “state terrorism” by publishing reports critical of the local government. At that time, Rangel warned that there would be an investigation into complaints that the newspaper, for the past 28 years, allegedly had been illegally occupying the land where its building is located.
