(IPYS/IFEX) – On 5 August 2004, journalist Laura Olaizola and photographer Dorian González, of “Notitarde” newspaper, were verbally assaulted and prevented from carrying out their work by approximately 30 supporters of President Hugo Chávez’s government. The incident took place on the Güigüe-Belén road, in Carlos Arvelo municipality, Carabobo state, central Venezuela. According to Olaizola and […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 5 August 2004, journalist Laura Olaizola and photographer Dorian González, of “Notitarde” newspaper, were verbally assaulted and prevented from carrying out their work by approximately 30 supporters of President Hugo Chávez’s government. The incident took place on the Güigüe-Belén road, in Carlos Arvelo municipality, Carabobo state, central Venezuela.
According to Olaizola and González, they were returning from covering a story at a location near Güigüe when they came upon a group of government supporters who were blocking the road. An accident had occurred in which several Cuban doctors had been injured. The government supporters were protesting the fact that the doctors had been waiting several hours to be transferred to a medical clinic.
“When the group saw our vehicle with the name ‘Notitarde’ on it, they attacked it, shouting, ‘Get away from here, liars, sell-outs.’ They struck the vehicle, denting its hood. They told us they weren’t going to let us pass because they were protesting for a just cause”, said Olaizola.
The protest disbanded when it began to rain and the police arrived to say that the injured doctors had been taken to a clinic in Güigüe. Olaizola and Dorian decided to go to the clinic, but were followed closely by two individuals believed to be government supporters, who turned the lights of their vehicle on and off as they drove.
Olaizola and González finally went to the local police station, where they filed a complaint about the incident.
