(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 15 November 2002 IAPA press release: IAPA deplores hostile climate against the press in Colombia and Venezuela Miami (November 15, 2002) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) expressed concern over reported attacks against the media in the last few days in Colombia and Venezuela, and asked officials in […]
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 15 November 2002 IAPA press release:
IAPA deplores hostile climate against the press in Colombia and Venezuela
Miami (November 15, 2002) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) expressed concern over reported attacks against the media in the last few days in Colombia and Venezuela, and asked officials in each of these countries to investigate these acts and severely punish those responsible.
The Chairman of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, Rafael Molina, condemned the use of violence and stated, “we watch with concern the continuation in Colombia and Venezuela of a disturbing climate of intimidation in the practice of journalism.”
On the evening of Wednesday, November 13, a car bomb exploded in front of the office of Radio Cadena Nacional (RCN) in Cúcuta, 400 kilometers northeast of Bogotá, which left 4 people injured and caused countless amounts of damage. The explosion also affected the radio station of the nearby Catholic Church in that city.
Molina, director of the Dominican magazine Ahora, also stated that violent protests had also taken place on Tuesday, November 12 in Caracas by party supporters of President Hugo Chávez, which left one person dead and a cameraman from RCTV television station, Armando Amaya, wounded. The headquarters of the same station was also attacked, as well as the newspaper Así es la Noticia.
“We deplore the hostile environment affecting the Venezuelan press and we repeat our request to the government of that country to investigate and offer fundamental guarantees for the practice of journalism,” Molina concluded.
