OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Freedom of Expression Under Attack in Venezuela

Statement

Date: June 29, 2012
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Judicial Branch

Chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Connie Mack (FL-14) released the following statement today in response to news that Venezuela's Supreme Court has frozen $5.7 million in assets belonging to Globovision, one of the few remaining independent media outlets in Venezuela.

Mack said: "The world is no longer surprised by the actions of Hugo Chavez but Venezuela cannot afford to have the world turn away. Yesterday, Venezuela's dictator again moved to silence any criticism of his regime, freezing the assets of the last television station that dared criticize him. Unfortunately, we all knew this was coming. Chavez and his friends will not suppress this Hemisphere forever -- we are watching and we will not let them get away with it."

Last week, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers reported that "violent attacks and heightened self-censorship" will likely increase in the lead up to the Venezuelan presidential election this fall.


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