Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez is said to be stepping up his campaign of hostility towards broadcasters he considers too critical of his regime. He said the government is developing eight new media related laws including one that creates a new set of “media crimes” punishable with prison sentences. Read more here
Steps taken by the government to remove Globovisión’s free-to-air licence poses a fresh threat to the country’s independent media. Daniel Duquenal reports
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A Venezuelan minister in Hugo Chavez’s government has announced plans to regulate cable subscription stations, saying the state would be “strict and severe” demonstrating this by fining opposition network Globovisión $2.3 million US dollars. Read more here
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has halted a marathon edition of his programme Alo Presidente after challenging Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa to debate. Llosa replied that he would only debate directly with Chávez. The programme did not reappear in what has been hailed as an embarassing retreat. Read more here