Embajada
de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela
Washington
DC, 20007
Washington
DC, October 6, 2003
The Embassy
of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela wishes to remind the State
Department’s spokesman Richard Boucher, and the United States public opinion,
that the government of Venezuela is and has always been respectful of the
Constitution, the law and freedom of expression in our country.
The measure
taken against Globovision has to do with their illegal use of the radio
electrical spectrum. This procedure follows the law and can be compared to the
similar procedures normally done by the Federal Communications Commission in the
United States against illegal broadcasters.
The
government of Venezuela has respected freedom of expression at all times, even
when some private media took an active role in the failed coup d’etat of April
2002 and the attempted effort to paralyze our economy during December and
January of last year.
Before the
concerns expressed by Mr. Boucher, we would like to assert that in Venezuela the
Rule of Law prevails, as proven by the recent decisions taken by the Supreme
Court and the National Electoral Council on the referendum processes.
It is important to notice exaggerated and biased reactions with unaccurate information, could stimulate violence in our country. This is something we should avoid at all cost.