The violent heritage by Periodismo Upc

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The violent heritage. Harassment of press freedom during the last elections in Venezuela By Adriana Seminario y José Miguel Yap

Freedom is one of the principal rights of human beings. This was stipulated in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizens (1793), in the American Declaration of Rights (1948) , and most recently, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) , but has been clearly violated in the last electoral process in Venezuela. Venezuelan people have been stripped from their freedom to exert democracy, and the press, from their duty to denounce this abuses.

overnment pressure, sabotage of press coverage, physical violence against journalists and cyber aggressions are some of the attacks performed against the local media. This paper looks forward to analyze the obstruction of press duty during the electoral process between officialist candidate Nicolas Maduro and opposition nominee Henrique Capriles Radonski. In order to fully understand the current government, a historical review of ex president Hugo Chávez press policies is necessary.

Political discrimination of the media The Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE) is the organism in charge of elections in Venezuela. Since 2003, an electronic system is used for processing the voting records. Fear has spread over the population, since many think the government, to point out opposition voters, uses this technology. With the List of Tascón in 2004, which revealed the voters names for government, a feeling of fear and oppression has fallen over Venezuelan people. For last April elections, information inequalities were evident. Candidate

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Henrique Capriles reported that national TV channel Globovisión didn’t broadcast his live speeches. He pointed this as an anti-democratic maneuver to misinform the population about elections real events. After the elections, journalist Francisco Bautista, host of Globovisión program “Buenas Noches” was fired on May 27th for giving live coverage to Capriles. While Bautista claimed that a journalist duty is not to make propaganda for the government, Globovisión director Leopoldo Castillo stated that the channel is available for all political options, and there are no means of sabotage towards any candidate. The online portal Monitoreo Ciudadano registered that officialist candidate Nicolás Maduro had 65 hours available on Channel 8 for his campaign. On the other hand, opposition candidate, Henrique Capriles, was only granted 23 minutes. On the government side, Vicente Díaz, the only non-officialist member of the CNE, stated that Venezuelan voting system is modern, effective and technically perfect. However, he also pointed that from a political point of view, it’s abusive and corrupt. Last May, Nicolás Maduro and channel managers of Venevisión, Televen and Globovision suspended the transmission of national channel ATEL. This caused the alarm of the Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa about the freedom of speech in the country. Carlos Correa, director of ONG Espacio Público, affirms there is state policy to reduce media exposure for opposition and groups that criticizes Maduro’s administration. He uses the term political discrimination to describe the action of invalidating any legitimate position that critiques the government. This attitude fits perfectly into the characteristics of electoral authoritarianism, which seeks to block any attempt of questioning towards the government. As a result, the objective of the current administration is to restrict press freedom in order to have population tilted towards their own political speech. The use of supposedly democratic elections becomes the shielding against international opinion and public judgment.

The online portal Monitoreo Ciudadano registered that officialist candidate Nicolás Maduro had 65 hours available on Channel 8 for his campaign. On the other hand, opposition candidate, Henrique Capriles, was only granted 23 minutes.

Articles 57 and 58 of 1999 Venezuelan Constitution “Article 57. Everyone has the right to freely express their thoughts, ideas or opinions orally, in writing or by any other form of expression, and to make use of any means of communication and dissemination, without the establishment of censorship. Anyone making use of this right assumes full responsibility for everything expressed. Anonymity, war propaganda, discriminatory messages or those promoting religious

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intolerance will not be allowed. Censorship towards public officials or public servants is prohibited”. Article 58. Communication is free and plural, and involves all the duties and responsibilities provided by law. Everyone has the right to access to truthful and impartial information in accordance with the principles of this Constitution, as well as reply and corrections when they are directly affected by inaccurate or offensive information. Children and adolescents have the right to receive adequate information for their overall development”.

Press policy during Chavez regime Electoral authoritarianism is becoming common in our era, especially in Latin America. To difference authoritarianism from totalitarianism, political scientist Juan Linz defines it as a system where pluralism is limited and there isn’t a sustained ideology. This means that the system valids violent repression in order to maintain it’s power. The case of Venezuela is one of a populist authoritarianism, were former president Hugo Chávez concentrated all the public and political power in himself. He also harassed freedom of speech, manipulating elections on order to remain in power and Hugo Chavez concentrated all the public and political power in himself. He held a speech of “love for the people” and the promise of a great nation through the ideological-social project of “Revolución Bolivariana”.

Electoral authoritarianism is becoming common in our era, especially in Latin America. To difference authoritarianism from totalitarianism, political scientist Juan Linz defines it as a system where pluralism is limited and there isn’t a sustained ideology. This means that the system valids violent repression in order to maintain it’s power.

We found several characteristics applicable to Venezuela´s situation since Chavez regime in Enrique Krauze paper about ibero american populism . Subjects such as idealization of a charismatic leader, a use and abuse of public funds, encouraging of social class hatred, the bitterness against a foreign rival and the dissemination of a fabricated truth. Plus, their political posture is an undefined mix of right and left ideologies. It becomes evident the manipulation of the Chávez government to provide false information about wealth, equality and a sense of well being in a country where inflation, street violence and political repression prevails. Media platforms that didn’t praise the government actions were strongly repressed. Chavism censored any attempt of critical journalism directly or indirectly.

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The most significant of all press abuses of Chávez was the closure of Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) . In 2007, the channel was forced to change to private channel, since ex president Hugo Chávez decided not to renew their open signal license. RCTV continued to inform from their private space until 2010, when the head of the Comision Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL), Diosdado Cabello, current President of the Assembly, held a press conference stating the government wouldn’t renew the license of RCTV for not adjusting to their press policies. Before disappearing from air, RCTV send one last message, accusing the government of forcing cable-broadcasting services to exclude them from their offer.

Last elections and obstruction of the role of the press. Freedom of press has been utterly violated during last elections in Venezuela. In the Caribbean country, still governed by Chavism, opposition journalism and organizations have been under attack for criticizing the regime. During the last elections, an abuse of state power was held in favor of officialist candidate Nicolas Maduro, as it was held for Chávez in September 2012 elections.

Government pressure “Yo le pido al pueblo en general que una vez que se llame a elecciones cumplamos la voluntad del comandante Chávez de votar todos por Nicolás Maduro y darle en la madre todos esos fascistas que han buscado desestabilizar a este país”. (06-0313). Diego Molero. Ministro de Defensa de Venezuela

Freedom of press has been utterly violated during last elections in Venezuela. In the Caribbean country, still governed by Chavism, opposition journalism and organizations have been under attack for criticizing the regime.

Officialist campaign started with the death of former president Hugo Chávez. In his last public appearance, he named Vice president Nicolás Maduro his successor. This clearly breaks with Venezuelan Constitution, which states that the President of the National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, should assume presidential charge. The irregularities during the campaign time were pointed out by the Instituto de Prensa y Sociedad de Venezuela (IPYS). 84 violations against freedom of expression and public information were reported, being the capital city of Caracas the location with highest abuse

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registration. This organization stated that this abuses are getting worse, and that the practice of journalism is in a highly vulnerable situation. The story of Chavism against critical journalism goes back to 2002, when former president Chávez accused the media of trying to overthrow him. On April 11th 2012, various television channels such as Globovisión, showed the street violence that took place in the capital, while statecontrolled channels continued with their regular programming. The start quote of Diego Molero, minister of Defense, clearly reflects the repression of the government and the heritage of the rupture with an important sector of Venezuelan public opinion. No citizen can freely exercise their right to vote the candidate of their preference if the Minister of Defense threatens to accuse them of fascists. Nicolás Maduro performed the clearest example of democracy destabilization and press repression on April 18th 2013. He demanded that all media platforms should define their position on the electoral scenario. “O están con la patria o están con el golpe. No voy a ser un presidente débil. O están con la Constitución o están con el golpismo” . Undoubtedly, there is no room in Venezuela for government other than the legacy of former President Hugo Chavez. His heritage of violence is clearly installed in the highest political charges.

Censorship and corruption

Nicolás Maduro performed the clearest example of democracy destabilization and press repression on April 18th 2013. He demanded that all media platforms should define their position on the electoral scenario. “O están con la patria o están con el golpe. No voy a ser un presidente débil. O están con la Constitución o están con el golpismo”.

There are two basic points to live in freedom and democracy. The first one is being able to access public information; otherwise there would be no control over corruption cases. The second one relies on the importance of the state division of powers. Without it, the state system is nothing but a tool for dictators. Today, Venezuelan media has to face the lack of both at the same time. They don’t have free access to public documents and no legal defense against the persecution and aggression of the government itself.

Physical aggressions On April 14th, aggressions were held against press teams that reported citizen protests because of the results. The most tragic case was the one of Emir Fernández, cameraman for Caracas Barrio TV. He received two gunshot wounds while working. Violence is the main tool of Chavist adherents, especially of the members of Milicia Nacional Bolivariana, a paramilitary group created by Chávez in 2005. According to the Constitution, these paramilitary groups are prohibited. Nevertheless,

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they are recognized by having an anniversary day called the Day of Milicia Bolivariana del Pueblo en Armas y de la Revolución en Abril. In summary, the government legitimizes the use of violence against the citizenship and the opposition press.

Conclusions The repression of press freedom has been a characteristic during all Hugo Chávez, and now Nicolás Maduro regime. Their strategies to misinform population about the actual situation of the country have strongly polarized public opinion. This was clearly seen during last elections, where opposition candidate Henrique Capriles had a clear disadvantage in matter of media exposure. In Venezuela, violence has been the principal tool against democracy. Physical violence towards opposition members; media violence by repressing freedom of speech and the right to access to objective information; political violence by breaking articles of the Constitution in order to cling to power. Plus, the methods of press harassment are being copied in Latin American countries such as Argentina, where president Cristina Kirchner held a current strife against El Clarín, the major media company. Examples of electoral authoritarianism could be easily applied in countries where democracy and state powers aren’t well organized, such as our country. A legitimate opposition struggles in an attempt to re establish democracy and rescue the economy of a strongly destabilized country. However, the actual regime insists on suppressing press freedom and critical voices. Anny attempt against democracy in our region it a critical issue due to the agreements and connections between governments. The attitude of Peruvian president, Ollanta Humala, of recognizing Nicolás Maduro as a legitimate president, should concern citizenship about the concept of democracy that is being accepted these days.

The repression of press freedom has been a characteristic during all Hugo Chávez, and now Nicolás Maduro regime. Their strategies to misinform population about the actual situation of the country have strongly polarized public opinion.

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http://www.ipys.org.ve/media/53179/ipys_venezuela._balance_ sobre_la_situaci_n_de_la_libertad_de_expresi_n_e_informaci_n_en_ venezuela__abril_2013.pdf=) (Fecha de consulta: 12 de junio del 2013) KRAUZE, Enrique (2006) “Decálogo del populismo iberoamericano”. (http://independent.typepad.com/elindependent/2006/06/declogo_del_ pop.html=) (Fecha de consulta: 12 de junio 2013) Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Educación Universitario (MPPEU) “Constitución de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela 1999”. (http:// www.mppeu.gob.ve/web/uploads/PDF/constitucion.pdf) Diario el Nacional. “SIP preocupada por la libertad de expresión en Venezuela” (http://www.el-nacional.com/politica/SIP-preocupadalibertad-expresion-Venezuela_0_197980441.html) (Fecha de consulta: 12 de junio del 2013) BRITTO, Luis (2008) Socialismo del tercer milenio. PDF. (http://www. monteavila.gob.ve/mae/pdf/socialismo-tercer-milenio.pdf) (Fecha de consulta: 12 de junio del 2013) SEGAL, Ariel. “Totalitarismo, dictadura y autoritarismo: definiciones y re-definiciones”. Público.es (2010) “Chávez cierra la cadena de television RCTV” (http://www.publico.es/internacional/288316/chavez-cierra-la-cadenade-television-rctv) (Fecha de consulta: 13 de junio del 2013) Perú21. (2013) “Venezuela: Maduro salió 65 horas en TV estatal y Capriles solo 23 minutos”. (http://peru21.pe/mundo/venezuela-madurosalio-65-horas-tv-estatal-y-capriles-solo-23-minutos-2126348) (Fecha de consulta: 13 de junio del 2013) El Comercio. “Venezuela: Globovisión no transmitirá discursos de Henrique Capriles”( http://elcomercio.pe/actualidad/1581696/noticiavenezuela-globovision-no-transmitira-discursos-henrique-capriles) (Fecha de consulta: 13 de junio del 2013) Animal Político. “Corren a periodista en Venezuela por transmitir noticias de opositores”( http://www.animalpolitico.com/2013/05/ en-venezuela-corren-a-periodista-por-dar-espacio-a-laoposicion/#axzz2WQSzxmF0) (Fecha de consulta: 14 de junio del 2013)

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El impacto de la crisis económica en España ha calado profundo malestar entre los españoles. Cada vez se gestan más organizaciones civiles que buscan protestar y expresarse en contra de los planes de austeridad que han recortado los beneficios que antes gozaban. La tasa alta de desempleo ha generado un clima de incertidumbre y pavor. No hay futuro laboral estable.