Venezuelan journalists denounce the closure of 46 radio stations – Notícias

CNP (National College of Journalists of Venezuela) on Saturday (15) denounced the closure of 46 radio stations in seven states in the country, which were closed by the Communications Regulatory Authority in the past four months.

The Secretary General of CNP, Delvalle Canelón, explained to the EFE that these shutdowns have been made since July by Conatel (National Commission for Communications), which is not only ordering broadcasters to stop broadcasting, he emphasized, but also to “adjust the transmission” of these platforms he described By “theft”.

She explained that the closures of registrants so far have taken place in the states of Zulia (19), Kogedes (14), Sucre (4), Yaracuy (3), Portuguesa (2), Carabobo (2) and Barinas (2). ).

“We are concerned as this represents a new attack by the government on the so-called media dominance, which is increasingly going after the few remaining media outlets,” he said.

Cannellon confirmed that the regulator refused to license these stations to operate regularly, despite having submitted the necessary documentation for this on several occasions. He added that in recent months he also ordered the cancellation of broadcast media programs that broadcast comments or make complaints from society “that go beyond what (the state) considers freedom of expression.”

On its Twitter account, CNP denounced that these events “contribute to the censorship policy promoted by the Venezuelan state” that places the state and its citizens on the “highest threshold of an information blackout”.

The Syndicate of Journalists pointed out that press coverage cannot constitute a crime and that freedom of media and expression are human rights guaranteed by the Venezuelan constitution.

On August 12, the National Union of Press Workers asked the ombudsman to mediate an “attack on radios and other media” in Kogedes state, where six stations were taken off the air by the communications regulator in July.