The re-election of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a disputed presidential election threatens to further erode press freedom in the country, media rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders said.
“For decades, journalism in Venezuela has been under pressure, under attack, under direct censorship by the Maduro regime, by Chavismo, but the situation continues to worsen,” said the group’s regional director, Artur Romeu.
“There has been no press freedom in Venezuela for a long time, but the current conditions make us believe that it could get worse, if there is no mutual trust,” he told AFPin an interview in Guatemala.
“The context is that the news ecosystem is shrinking. Many media outlets have disappeared,” Romeu said.
Several people were killed and dozens more injured when authorities broke up protests against Maduro's claim of victory in the election held on Sunday (28/7).
Independent surveys have predicted the vote will end 25 years of “Chavismo”, the populist movement founded by Maduro’s socialist predecessor and mentor, the late Hugo Chavez.
“If elections are held with so many serious allegations of fraud, with so much mistrust, it is difficult to imagine a context in which journalism can be more dynamic, more present and do its job in a more structured way,” Romeu said.
“There is absolutely no optimism. It is hard to have hope,” he added.
Romeu also raised concerns about the situation in Nicaragua, where President Daniel Ortega has exiled and jailed dissidents and rivals since returning to power in 2007.
Some 260 journalists from the Central American country have been forced into exile, according to media rights activists.
“Nicaragua is the Latin American country that is probably experiencing the worst situation in terms of press freedom right now. I say that in terms of human rights in general,” Romeu said.
“The situation in Nicaragua in terms of human rights and especially press freedom is like a horror movie. The government systematically interferes, on a daily basis, with the flow of information in all its forms, which impacts the journalistic process at all times,” he added. (ns/uh)
