Authoritarianism in Venezuela and What it Means for Journalism
Freedom of press is part of the first amendment to the United States’ constitution. It protects the rights of journalists, preventing the government from interfering with their opinions and what they can or can’t publish. If this right was to be taken away, officials could sway the information that goes out to the public, hide the injustices the government commits, and restrict the truth from being revealed. While the United States is currently safe from these affects, those in Venezuela are not as fortunate.
Hugo Chavez was elected as the President of Venezuela in 1998 and served form 1999 to 2013, at his death. He was a founding member of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and implemented government control over numerous companies and operations. After his death in 2013, his vice president Nicolas Maduro became president. He too was a member of the PSUV, and further implemented extreme government control over the country. Both Chavez and later Maduro restricted what journalists could publish so that they could act without punishment.
Maduro effectively eliminated the concept of free press within Venezuela, and silenced those who spoke out against him by placing them in jail.
The constitution of Venezuela guarantees free speech and press to its citizens within articles 57 and 58. However, Maduro found a way around those articles by creating a law known as the law of “Social Responsibility in Radio, Television and Electronic Media”. It prohibited news outlets from distributing anything negative towards the government, along with other blacklisted topics. This allowed Maduro to act in whatever way he pleased without negative press coverage, while also violating the rights of Venezuelan journalists. If the social responsibility law is broken, a fine is issued that consists of up to 10% of one’s annual income, and broadcasting licenses can be revoked. The laws wording is very loose, which, according to Human Rights Watch, opens it up to possibilities of international law violation. Freedom to publish is protected under international law, and the social responsibility law has very vague outlines that the Venezuelan government can use to justify unlawful restrictions and punishments to press.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) lists Maduro as one of the top 35 predators of free press, stating that he uses “Carefully orchestrated censorship and economic asphyxiation” to take down opposition and independent media.
In a country where media outlets are forcibly silenced from speaking out against their oppressive governments, authoritarianism thrives. Laws introduced by Maduro prevent media from being ran that opposes him, and forces TV stations to run government sponsored content. Authoritarianism and government corruption have caused dramatic changes to the moral, economy, and government of Venezuela. Within those causes, journalism is often lost. But without media coverage, crimes can go unseen and human rights violations without justice.
