(IPYS/IFEX) – On 13 March 2006, the 45th Tribunal, presided by Judge Marilda Ruiz, allowed a slander case to go ahead against “El Nacional” journalist and columnist Marianella Salazar. Salazar is accused of slander for having stated, when summoned by the Prosecutor’s Office, that there should be an investigation into Vice-President José Vicente Rangel for […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 13 March 2006, the 45th Tribunal, presided by Judge Marilda Ruiz, allowed a slander case to go ahead against “El Nacional” journalist and columnist Marianella Salazar. Salazar is accused of slander for having stated, when summoned by the Prosecutor’s Office, that there should be an investigation into Vice-President José Vicente Rangel for allegedly directing a campaign to discredit her.
The case stems from articles the journalist published in her column “Artilleria de Oficio” on 11 and 18 June 2003, in which she stated that Rangel and the governor of the state of Miranda, Diosdado Cabello, were allegedly involved in administrative irregularities during negotiations for the purchase of radar equipment. Both men filed a complaint against her, requesting a public hearing. The journalist was summoned to make a statement and the suit was rejected.
On 6 May 2004, however, the Prosecutor’s Office started proceedings against Salazar, accusing her of slander and arguing that she made her declarations against Rangel while knowing that they were false, causing public resources to be wasted in a useless investigation.
Salazar’s defense attorney, Claudia Mujica, stated that the case is riddled with irregularities. The slander accusation has no legal basis, as Salazar made no formal accusation against Rangel and, therefore, did not prejudice the administration of justice. Moreover, there is no evidence that the journalist acted in bad faith.
According to Article 20 of Venezuela’s legal code, the penalty in slander cases is six to thirty months in prison.
