Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has been restricting media's freedom of expression by making it impossible for independent publications to report critically about his government and limiting access to newsprint. Over the next few weeks, at least five newspapers are expected to shut down because of Maduro's policies. El Correo del Caroní, El Impulso, El Carabobeno, El Nacional and El Regional del Zulia have all announced they will be forced to stop publishing.
After former President Hugo Chávez died in 2013, his successor, Maduro, is seen to practice similar patterns of excessive government involvement in private press affairs. His administration monitored the opposition media by fining outlets, enforcing licensing requirements without due process rights, and excluded certain outlets from access to public information.
Under the Restore Law, CONATEL, which is Venezuela's media regulator service, has used the law to impose massive fines on private television and print media. With 70% of media privately-owned and just under 5% state-owned, the rest are community media organizations which are mostly pro-government.
The anticipation of these newspapers closing down only makes the journalists of Venezuela that much more angry with Maduro's rule. Editor of La Republica newspaper of Peru, Gustavo Mohme, said:
"Once more we hold President Maduro responsible for restricting the freedom of the press and the public’s right to information, by means of a special mechanism of persecution and discrimination."
The press group urged other Latin American leaders to defend press freedom and let the newspapers operate without Maduro's limitations. Claudio Paolillo who is the head of IAPA's free press committee (Inter American Press Associaton) stated:
“The media are closing, and with them the hopes they keep alive as democratic bastions within the country.”
Newspapers like El Correo del Caroní announced on its website that they are forced to change its format in order to prevent "official annoyance." The pressure and harassment against the media has gotten worse as many journalists protest against Maduro's efforts, including anti-government groups attacking public TV news stations with explosives and weapons.
The newspapers closing down are doing so due to lack of supplies and newsprint. El Nacional in Caracas says its only has enough newsprint to publish for three months. Tal Cual reduced its print edition from six days a week to a single weekend edition and laid off most of its staff because of government lawsuits and sinking ad money. Media workers remain hopeful for their next government to be more tolerant and to bring back their daily newspaper.