Chilean Parliamentarians and political leaders requested that ‘the administration of Michelle Bachelet shows a strong reaction against the temporary suspension of some television chanels ordered by the Government of Venezuelan Hugo Chavez’.
Some of the affected chanels are TV Chile, the international signal of the state broadcaster TVN Chile, accused as well as other five stations of violating the Venezuelan media law.
Mario Seijas, president of the Venezuelan Chamber of Cable Television, told AFP that in addition to RCTV, the dropped channels include Ritmo Son, Momentum, America TV, American Network and TV Chile.
They were accused of failing to broadcast speeches by President Hugo Chavez, which was considered ludicrous by Deputy Jorge Tarud, from the ruling Party for Democracy (PPD).
Tarud said “It’s ridiculous and absurd to compel an international network to broadcast national presidential messages.”
The parliamentarians considered that “the measure is an attack on freedom of speech and press freedom and a completely unacceptable situation” and claimed that “the executive through the Foreign Office tries to overturn it.”
Sen. Victor Perez of the rightist Independent Democratic Union (UDI), claimed that “We must react strongly to the Venezuelan administration and the Chilean ambassador in Caracas must be summoned to report what happened with the closure of TV channels” .
