Venezuelan Newsletter

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Editorial

The case of the private TV channel RCTV has been wrongly presented by interested parties as a manifestation of the violation of freedom of expression in Venezuela.

Venezuelan Supreme Court rejects RCTV petition

Venezuela's Supreme Court declared ‘inadmissible' the request of RCTV President Marcel Granier to issue an injunction against President Chávez's decision not to renew his station's broadcast license.

Andean Community Secretary General defends the right to not renew RCTV's license

The General Secretary of the Andean Community (CAN), Freddy Ehlers, said on May 30, President Hugo Chávez's decision not to renew RCTV's broadcast license is totally legal.

Dalia Grybauskaite
Director of Finance and Budgetary of the European Commission

European Commission Director considers the case of RCTV to be an internal matter

The Director of Finance and Budgetary of the European Commission and the Lithuania Commissary, Dalia Grybauskaite, stated that the decision of the non renewal of the concession of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) is an internal matter of Venezuela.

Colin Burgon, MP: We should back Chávez

Over 80% of Venezuelan television and radio outlets are privately owned. Of this 80%, significant sections are owned by corporate groups. Almost all Venezuelan newspapers remain in private hands.

Letter by Tony Benn, Julia Buxton, John Pilger and others.

"We believe that the decision of the Venezuelan government not to renew the broadcasting licence of RCTV when it expires on May 27 is legitimate given that RCTV has used its access to the public airwaves to repeatedly call for the overthrow of the democratically elected government of President Hugo Chávez (...)".

Venezuelan Information Center: The Truth About RCTV

The government has made the decision not to renew RCTV's licence because of RCTV's violation of numerous laws, most notably the active support it gave to a military coup in April 2002 to overthrow the democratically, elected Chávez government.

Interview with Noam Chomsky on recent developments in Venezuela

According to Noam Chomsky, “this is probably the first time in Venezuelan history that there's a government that's making more than gestures towards using its huge resources to help the poorer parts of the population”.

Interview with John Pilger: The U.S. ' War on Democracy

In a career that has produced more than 55 television documentaries, John Pilger's first major film for the cinema, The War on Democracy, will be released in UK cinemas on Friday 15th June. Pilger spent several weeks filming in Venezuela and his film contains an exclusive interview with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

Venezuela's RCTV: sine die and good riddance

RCTV had a tainted record of airing Venezuela's most hard right yellow journalism, consistently showing a lack of ethics, integrity or professional standards in how it operated as required by the law.

Is free speech really at stake? Venezuela and RCTV

Democracies do occasionally find reasons not to renew a license. In fact, RCTV's participation in the oil strike of 2002-2003, and even their joining in ilegal political campaigns would be grounds for revoking their broadcast license in the United States.

Free speech and RCTV in Venezuela

In Venezuela, as in most democracies, the right to broadcast TV and radio are public commons, which belong in the hands of the public in some way. The government gives concessions to private parties to use these commons responsibly, and the government has the right to take them away in the public interest at any time.

International TeleSUR Conference: discussion on media ownership and the right to information

The International Communication Conference, held in Venezuela by TeleSUR, concluded on May 20, after two days of interesting roundtable-style debates that were open to the public.

Venezuela: Democracy or Dictatorship?

75% of registered voters participated in the December 2006 election. More than 15,000 Communal Councils formed in 2006 that give neighbourhoods power to make local decisions.

195 alternative media created in 7 years

Since the year 2000 Venezuela has experienced an expansion in alternative and communitarian media after the promulgation of the Law of Telecommunications.

Investment and GDP Growth in Venezuela

Keeping in mind that the 1st Quarter of 2007 is the eight anniversary of Chávez being in power, it would be interesting to compare the 1st Quarter of 2007 with the 1st Quarter of 1999 and see how the economy has fared under Chávez.

Jorge Giordani
Venezuelan Minister of Planning and Development

Minister of Planning and Development: Venezuelan GDP have grown 12.6% in the last 3 years

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Venezuela have grown during the last three years and a half at an average of 12.6%, the Minister of Planning and Development, Jorge Giordani, explained. Giordani indicated that the current growth rate exceeds the GDP growth registered in the 50s and the 70s.

Survey finds 31 billion barrels in Venezuela heavy oil block

A survey has found 31 billion barrels of oil in block Carabobo 2 of Venezuela's Orinoco heavy crude belt, 6 billion of them recoverable, state oil company PDVSA said. Oil services company Ryder Scott had done the survey.

Misión Barrio Adentro: experiencing health care in Venezuela

The premise of Misión Barrio Adentro is simple: doctors live and work in communities providing health services free of charge to anyone.

Venezuela announces new programs and progress in health and in education

Chávez announced the creation of 28 new universities across the country and he officially inaugurated one of 19 new health clinics in the country.

United Kingdom to copy model of Venezuela's Youth Orchestra

Great Britain's Cultural Minister, David Lammy, visited Venezuela to establish intercultural agreements between both countries and observed the experience of the Foundation of the Youth Symphony Orchestras (Fesnojiv) with the aim to do the same in Great Britain.