Featuring Carlos Alberto Zuloaga, Executive Vice President, Globovision Televisión, Venezuela; Rafael Alfonzo, President, CEDICE, Venezuela; Robert Rivard, Director, Committee on Freedom of the Press, Inter American Press Association; and moderated by Ian Vásquez, Director, Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, Cato Institute.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is promising to shut down Globovision Televisión, the last remaining independent television station broadcasting on public airwaves in the country. Two years ago, the government closed RCTV, Venezuela’s largest television station, a move that sparked the successful student movement to reject Chávez’s constitutional referendum to consolidate his socialist project. The government now claims that the private press is engaging in “media terrorism” and is “sickening” the public, and has announced that it will close more than 240 radio stations. Carlos Alberto Zuloaga and Rafael Alfonzo will describe Chávez’s increasing radicalization in recent months, including his intensified assault on the press and on other basic civil, political, and economic liberties. Robert Rivard will provide comments.