(IPYS/IFEX) – On 11 February 2003, the National Telecommunications Commission (Comision Nacional de Telecomunicaciones, CONATEL) announced that television station Globovision is being fined more than US$90,000, for allegedly failing to pay its taxes. The station is still under investigation in connection with its programming. According to CONATEL Director Jesse Chacon, Globovision owes US$32,000 in arrears. […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 11 February 2003, the National Telecommunications Commission (Comision Nacional de Telecomunicaciones, CONATEL) announced that television station Globovision is being fined more than US$90,000, for allegedly failing to pay its taxes. The station is still under investigation in connection with its programming.
According to CONATEL Director Jesse Chacon, Globovision owes US$32,000 in arrears. In addition, CONATEL calculated that the station must pay interest of US$30,000 and fines totalling US$34,000 for violating the tax law.
The fines are being levied on the basis of an audit that was initiated on 27 November 2002 and completed on 10 February.
Globovision representatives insist they do not owe any taxes and have dismissed the CONATEL claim as lacking any legal basis. “This can only have been done with the malicious intent to damage Globovision’s reputation. [The station] has dutifully been paying all applicable taxes,” said station president Guillermo Zuloaga.
Zuloaga explained that Globovision consulted with the Infrastructure Ministry (Ministerio de Infraestructura, MINFRA), which administers CONATEL, about what procedure it ought to use to pay its taxes and followed the MINFRA advice to make the payment.
Globovision General Manager Alberto Federico Ravell explained that the station’s accounts had been audited by hired private companies, who verified that the appropriate taxes had been paid.
According to Ravell, the CONATEL decision is politically motivated. “It is a strategy meant to expose us to public ridicule by making us look like we are slow to pay up,” he said.
As of 10 February, Globovision has 25 days to either present a legal defence or a plan of how it will pay the amount owed in taxes, interest and fines.
The CONATEL decision was announced 23 days after MINFRA began investigating the station for allegedly violating the Organic Telecommunications Law (Ley Orgánica de Telecomunicacion) by transmitting propaganda during the national civic strike (see IFEX alerts of 6 and 4 February, 27, 24, 23 and 15 January 2003).
The mobilisation calling for President Hugo Chávez’s resignation was launched on 2 December 2002 by the Chambers of Commerce Federation (Fedecámaras), the Venezuelan Workers Confederation (CTV) and the opposition Democratic Coordinating Committee (Coordinadora Democrática).
Since 2 December, three other Venezuelan private television stations have been subject to similar investigations, which could result in the withdrawal of their broadcasting licences.
Globovision broadcasts news programmes 24 hours a day and has been critical of the Chávez government.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to Attorney General Isaías Rodríguez:
– calling for an investigation of the case
Send appeals to CONATEL Director Chacon:
– asking him to ensure that due process is followed and that this is not a case of political retaliation
Appeals To
Isaías Rodríguez
Attorney General
Tel: +58 212 509 80 54
Fax: +58 212 576 44 19
Jesse Chacon
CONATEL Director
Tel: +58 212 909 05 86
Fax: +58 212 993 00 19
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
