WHEREAS
the regime in power in Venezuela has committed violations of freedom of the press and freedom of information, and has announced more drastic violations to come, as part of its dictatorial, totalitarian-inspired, and repeatedly criticized course of conduct, in direct violation of the Venezuelan Constitution
WHEREAS
at its Midyear Meeting in Cartagena, Colombia, in March 2007, the Inter American Press Association issued a resolution repudiating the decision by President Chávez to close Radio Caracas Televisión, the countrys leading television station, in a purely political move lacking any basis in law, as well as the threats by the Venezuelan government to expropriate the stations facilities
WHEREAS
on May 27, 2007, the regime of Lt. Col. Chávez closed Radio Caracas Televisión for obviously political reasons and used military force to take over its broadcasting facilities throughout the country, confiscating its equipment to use them illegally in order to broadcast the signal of a new government-run channel, which it has been doing since that time
WHEREAS
the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States (OAS) filed a complaint with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights against the Venezuelan government for violating human rights related to the freedom of speech, personal safety, and legal and judicial protection for the workers and journalists of Radio Caracas Televisión
WHEREAS
the IAPA can attest to the fact that the people and institutions of Venezuela soundly reject in their overwhelming majority the closure of Radio Caracas Televsión and the confiscation of its broadcasting facilities, which was ordered by President Chávez
WHEREAS
the closure of Radio Caracas Televisión, which was ordered by Chávez, has been met with worldwide repudiation by grass-roots organizations, human rights organizations, artists, journalists, media outlets, statesmen, writers, and the international democratic community
WHEREAS
in its zeal to prevent journalists from performing their work freely and to stand in the way of independent media outlets that do not stoop to immoral opportunism and self-censorship, the Chávez regime is pursuing all kinds of illegal, violent and arbitrary actions against the Globovisión news channel
WHEREAS
the exchange control program instituted by the Venezuelan government as of Febraury 2003 is causing delays in the supply of foreign currency to pay for imported newsprint and other supplies specifically for the print media that are not manufactured in Venezuela
WHEREAS
in response to the criticism and demands voiced by the public through media outlets in relation to corruption, impunity, the lack of safety, the crisis in the justice system, governmental inefficiency, and other aspects of life in Venezuela today, the Chávez administration has shut the doors of government agencies to independent media outlets and journalists, in violation of the constitutional right of free access to government sources
WHEREAS
the government of President Chávez has continued its illegal practice of using government advertising to favor government-run media outlets as well as outlets that have turned their back on ethical principles to subordinate themselves to the wishes of the regime and have begun to practice self-censorship
WHEREAS
the increased concentration of media outlets in the hands of the Chávez administration, as well as the closure of and constant attacks on the independent media, clearly show the regimes intentions to control information in line with its announced plan to establish hegemony in the media as a necessary tool for the revolution
WHEREAS:
President Chávez, exercising control of all three branches of government in violation of their independence as provided in the Constitution, has ordered a constitutional amendment to repeal basic rights of the Venezuelan people, such as freedom of speech, freedom of information, the right to private property, and other hallmarks of a democracy
WHEREAS
this constitutional amendment seeks absolute social control and dictatorial powers for the head of state
WHEREAS
journalists and the media continue to be subjected to assaults, acts of intimidation, and legal action initiated by the government, as seen in the cases of Patricia Poleo, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, Gustavo Azócar, Father José Palmar, Leocenis García, José Rafael Ramírez, Wilmer Oquendo, Iris García, Roger Santodomingo, Yurimar Añez, Luis Felipe Colina, Anuska Buenaluque, Gil Montaño, Walter Cordova, Gina Reyes Dameis, Dimas Medina, Miguel Salazar and Gerardo Álvarez Narvaez (killed by unknown assailants)
WHEREAS
Principle 6 of the Declaration of Chapultepec states, The media and journalists should neither be discriminated against nor favored because of what they write or say
WHEREAS
Principle 10 of the Declaration of Chapultepec states, No news medium nor journalist may be punished for publishing the truth or criticizing or denouncing the government
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES
to file complaints with international organizations for the human rights violations committed by the regime of President Chávez
to support the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) of the OAS in defending its principles in a responsible, timely manner; and specifically to support the IACHR in its complaint with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights against the Venezuelan government, represented by the Chávez regime, for violating human rights related to the freedom of speech, personal safety, and legal and judicial protection for workers and journalists of Radio Caracas Televisión
to condemn before the international community the totalitarian, dictatorial character of the President of Venezuela, Lt. Col. Hugo Chávez, who is seeking to use a constitutional amendment to adapt Venezuelas legal framework to his violations of the rights of the Venezuelan people
to condemn the politically motivated closure of Radio Caracas Televisión, the longest-running and most watched channel in Venezuela, by direct order from President Chávez; and to repudiate the confiscation of the channels broadcasting equipment and facilities
to condemn the attacks by President Chávez on the Globovisión news channel, as well as the legal and administrative measures, including denial of frequencies, by which the regime seeks to restrict the audience of this outlet
to denounce the disproportionate proliferation and concentration of government-owned media outlets and the use of government advertising to subject independent media outlets to the regimes control
to condemn and denounce the attacks on media outlets and journalists for exercising their right to free speech and their right to inform the public.
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Madrid, Spain