Venezuelan journalist Clara Fernandez has been killed in a shooting in Valencia. She was allegedly caught in crossfire in a fight between two rival gangs. The details relating to her death are as yet unclear. The Venezuelan National Journalism Guild is pressing for the state authorities to investigate.
Journalist Gustavo Azócar is being prosecuted again on the charge of libelling an army officer in 2004. This comes as part of a series of actions which have been brought against him, and has provoked accusations of judicial harassment. The allegation relates to an article which Azócar wrote as a correspondent for El Universal. The story concerned purported trafficking in identity papers by the National Office for Identification and Foreigners. Azócar has repeatedly invited the soldier to use his guaranteed right of reply. He indicated that he would do so when he received permission from the defence ministry, which has still not been granted.
Yesterday (18 August) El Nacional, a leading Venezuelan newspaper ran a front page with “censored” written across it. The move was a response to a Caracas court ruling that has effectively banned newspapers from publishing images of violence or bloody scenes. El Nacional was found guilty of publishing pictures which may have been harmful to children after it ran a photo showed dead bodies at a morgue. The anti-Chavez publication was told that it may be fined up to two per cent of its revenue for its actions. The newspaper’s editor has accused the government of trying to cover up violent crime in run-up to next month’s election.
On 13 May, opposition figure Oswaldo Alvarez Paz, a critic of President Hugo Chavez, was freed on parole until his trial on charges of spreading false information. Álvarez Paz was arrested on 22 March for claiming the government had links to drug traffickers and criminal gangs. Venezuela bans individuals from making comments that threaten peace and stability.