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ePaper created 2015-11-10, 17:27:36 | version 1.33.00
REDACTED Page 39 of 190 members on motorbikes as they were trying to dismantle a barricade erected by opposition demonstrators.123 No member of these groups has been punished for their responsibility in these cases. One of the main steps the GoV took on top of quelling the protests was to attempt to control the information about them, intimidating the communication media in many different ways. Firstly, the GoV targeted the communication media. For instance, the GoV took NTN24 (a Colombian news station) off the air, after it covered the protests while most Venezuelan media stations were either ignoring the protests after the headings warning that coverage of the demonstrations could lead to prosecution.124 William Castillo, National Commission of Telecommunications (CONATEL) Director, justified the ban from broadcasting.125The next day, NTN24’s Twitter account was hacked.126 Moreover, President Nicolás Maduro himself, denounced Agence France Press (AFP) for leading the “manipulation”127 and the GoV implemented a ban on Twitter images inside Venezuela to prevent people sharing images of the repression. The Venezuelan Twitter users reported that images were not visible inside the country and Twitter confirmed that they were blocked by the GoV.128 Maduro also called for retaliations in the social network on the 12th March 2014, authorizing the Armed Forces to respond to any “twitter attack."129 An officer from the 123 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL. (2014) Venezuela: human rights at risk amid protests. p.7 124 EL UNIVERSAL. (2014) Señal del canal NTN24 fue sacada de la parrilla de cable. El Universal. [Online] 13 February. Available from: http://www.eluniversal.com/arte-y- entretenimiento/140213/senal-del-canal-ntn24-fue-sacada-de-la-parrilla-de-cable [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; VENPRENSA. (2014) Conatel: Venezuela está viviendo una guerra electrónica. Venprensa. [Online] 15 February. Available from: http://www.venprensa.com.ve/conatel-venezuela- esta-viviendo-una-guerra-electronica/ [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; ESPACIO PUBLICO. (2014) Censuran al canal internacional NTN24. Espacio Publico. [Online] 12 February. Available from: http://espaciopublico.org/index.php/component/content/article/2841-censuran-al-canal- internacional-ntq [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; APORREA. (2014) William Castillo: En Venezuela estamos viviendo un esquema de guerra electrónica. Aporrea. [Online] 15 February. Available from: http://www.aporrea.org/actualidad/n245230.html [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 125 VENPRENSA. (2014) Conatel: Venezuela está viviendo una guerra electrónica; ESPACIO PUBLICO. (2014) Censuran al canal internacional NTN24; APORREA. (2014) William Castillo: En Venezuela estamos viviendo un esquema de guerra electrónica 126 LA PATILLA. (2015) Hackean cuenta Twitter de NTN24 Venezuela: “no volverán.” La Patilla. [Online] 23 October. Available from: http://www.lapatilla.com/site/2014/02/14/hackean-cuenta- twitter-de-ntn24-venezuela-no-volveran/ [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 127 INFORME21. (2014) Maduro: Denuncio a la AFP porque está a la cabeza de la manipulación. Informe21. [Online] 13 February. Available from: http://informe21.com/politica/maduro-denuncio-a- la-afp-porque-esta-a-la-cabeza-de-la-manipulacion [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 128 ULTIMAS NOTICIAS. (2014) Twitter confirma bloqueo de imágenes en Venezuela. Ultimas Noticias. [Online] 14 February. Available from: http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/politica/twitter-confirma-bloqueo-por-parte- del-gobierno-de.aspx [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 129 MADURADAS. (2014) Maduro autorizó a la FANB a responder por Twitter a opositores que les insulten. Maduradas. [Online] 16 March. Available from: http://www.maduradas.com/maduro-