Venezuelan Army Enlisted to Crack Down on Independent media
The Armed Forces will have more power to regulate activity of the media. (Vice news)
A new report in Venezuela details the government’s plan to increase censorship of the media through various tactics, including the use of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces.
According to Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino López, a report was drafted in an effort to not only defend chavismo and its leaders, but also to combat “possible internal and external enemies,” which includes the media.
The document established the need to control the media, saying that attacks on revolutionary military leaders and the increase of cyber warfare tactics require that more control be put on the internet. This would reportedly include the monitoring of Internet activity as well as dispossession and seizure of equipment by security officials.
The report details the most important issues for officials to combat, including smear campaigns against the military, changes to the military or political leaders, paramilitarism and any information or event that may result in widespread discontent on a national level, as well as political leaders on the international level making statements against the country’s policies.
In a report published by Reporters Without Borders, both Raul Castro in Cuba and Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela were listed as “predators” of the press in Latin America.
In 2016, Venezuela fell to position 139 out of 180 countries in the organization’s World Press Freedom Index .
Source: El Nacional
