(IPYS/IFEX) – Journalist Fernando Silva, host of the radio programme Responda, Mundial pregunta, which was taken off the air on 18 May 2001 following “orders from above”, denounced the fact that in “Venezuela we are facing a policy of gagging the media and controversial programmes.” Silva made this statement during a press conference held in […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – Journalist Fernando Silva, host of the radio programme Responda, Mundial pregunta, which was taken off the air on 18 May 2001 following “orders from above”, denounced the fact that in “Venezuela we are facing a policy of gagging the media and controversial programmes.” Silva made this statement during a press conference held in front of YVKE Mundial, the radio station on which his programme was broadcast.
The decision to take him off the air was made “arbitrarily and is linked to obscure interests,” said Silva, referring to a conflict he has been having with the mayor of the capital district, Alfredo Peña.
The radio programme hosted by Silva was broadcast on a high frequency channel Mondays to Fridays at 6:00 p.m. (local time). Important figures in Venezuelan politics were invited as guests on each show.
The term to “gag” has been discussed of late in Venezuela, ever since the evening newspaper “Tal Cual” included an editorial piece its 21 May edition titled “Plan Mordaza” (“gag plan”). The editorial referred to the Law to Control Media Content (Ley de Control de Contenido de los Medios de Comunicacion) that the government is presently considering, as was announced by the former president of the National Telecommunications Commission (Comision Nacional de Telecomunicaciones) and current head of the Ministry of the Presidency’s Secretariat, Lieutenant Diosdado Cabello.
“Apparently, the commander is playing around with the idea of taking drastic measures against the media,” noted “Tal Cual”, quoting one of the businessmen close to the Executive as the source of this information.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has been outside of the country during the second half of May, completing a twenty-one day tour of locations as remote as Russia, Iran and India. It is expected that upon Chávez’s return, certain governmental measures will be announced. According to a number of media like “Tal Cual” and newspapers like “El Universal”, it is feared that these will included measures as regards the media and a decision to restrict the free flow of information.
