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ePaper created 2015-11-10, 17:27:36 | version 1.33.00
REDACTED Page 180 of 190 physical attacks, judicial persecution and imprisonment against media-related individuals (including journalists, cameramen, administrative employees, etc.). For instance, in 2009, 32 radio stations were forced to end their operations because by the GoV.799 Moreover, National Commission of Telecommunications ordered the closure of many TV and radio programs, besides the suspension of RCTV and NTN24 from a private cable signal.800 In addition, also before 2014, several media owners and journalists were subject to judicial prosecution for alleged conspiracy plans against the GoV. This was the case of media owners Rafael Poleo, Nelson Mezerhane, Marcel Granier, journalists Gustavo Azocar and Leocenis García and even a TV-guest, Oswaldo Álvarez Paz.801 Since 2014, the GoV has strengthened its attacks against the media, which constitutes persecution. On July 2014 El Universal, the oldest newspaper in Venezuela was bought by an economic group close to and possibly incentivized and sponsored by the GoV. The newspaper soon changed the editorial line and fired around 30 journalists who had criticised the GoV. Many other ones have been persistently censored and others have decided to quit.802 On May, 2015, Diosdado Cabello sued El Nacional, La Patilla and Tal Cual newspapers, for defamation by reproducing information obtained from foreign media 799 CNN. (2009) Venezuelan minister: More radio closures coming. CNN. [Online] 6 September. Available from: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/09/06/venezuela.media/index.html?iref=newssearch [Accessed 27 October, 2015] 800 INFOBAE. (2014) NTN24: "También bloquearon las plataformas móviles.” Infobae América. [Online] 17 September. Available from: http://www.infobae.com/2014/09/17/1595619-ntn24-tambien- bloquearon-las-plataformas-moviles [Accessed 27 October, 2015] 801 PEÑALVER, T. (2015) El genocidio político venezolano. El Mundo. [Online] 5 March. Available from: http://www.elmundo.es/internacional/2015/03/05/54f86559e2704e88218b456d.html [Accessed 27 October, 2015]; CIP. (2011) Venezuela. Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa. [Online] Available from: http://www.sipiapa.org/asamblea/venezuela-89/ 802 EL MUNDO. (2014) Una empresa española adquiere el diario venezolano 'El Universal.’ El Mundo. [Online] 5 July. Available from: http://www.elmundo.es/television/2014/07/05/53b775cdca4741985e8b456b.html [Accessed 27 October, 2015]; INFOBAE. (2015) Indignación en Venezuela por el despido de 26 periodistas críticos en el diario El Universal. Infobae América. [Online] 5 August. Available from: http://www.infobae.com/2014/08/05/1585511-indignacion-venezuela-el-despido-26-periodistas- criticos-el-diario-el-universal [Accessed 27 October, 2015]; ABC. (2014) Despidos masivos en El Universal tras comprarlo una empresa española. ABC Internacional. [Online] 5 August. Available from: http://www.abc.es/internacional/20140804/abci-despidos-universal-corresponsal-201408040023.html [Accessed 27 October, 2015]