SNTP: “There is an undeclared curfew that threatens to dismantle journalism in Venezuela”

The general secretary of the National Union of Press Workers (SNTP), Marco Ruiz, stated this Monday that In Venezuela there is an undeclared curfew that threatens to dismantle journalism in the countryin reference to the Arrests of journalists after the presidential elections of July 28.

The statement was made on the program Vladimir a la Carteby journalist Vladimir Villegas, in which he explained that, in addition to the prisoners, there are journalists who have had to leave the country walking across the border to escape repression and persecution by the authorities.

“Just as we came to have a humanitarian emergency Today we have a communications emergency. “There is an undeclared curfew that threatens to dismantle journalism in Venezuela,” says the secretary of the SNTP.

He said that others are victims of an excessive hate campaign through social media and some, if they write a story for the media outlet they work for, prefer not to sign it for fear of reprisals.

According to Ruiz, all these actions have ended up demobilizing journalists, who are afraid to do their job and have preferred to prioritize the defense of their own lives.

SNTP counts new journalists arrested

The SNTP secretary also reported that there are currently nine journalists arrested, Among those he mentioned the recent case of the showbiz source communicator Carmela Longo and the reporter of the digital media The Watermelon Ana Carolina Guaita.

“The arrest of journalist Carmela Longo has caused enormous consternation, many questions and few answers. Those of us who know her know of her professionalism, of how careful she has been during all this time when reporting, when saying what is happening, and she also covers the news of the world, which makes the case even more striking. Her arrest is arbitrary and illegal, because at no time was there a court order,” he said.

Regarding Ana Carolina Guaita, he said that she would be used as a bargaining chip, and that she was covering the day that the statue of former President Hugo Chávez was torn down in La Guaira, and this is another element for her arrest.

Ruiz recalled that the detained journalists are being accused of terrorism and inciting hatred, and in many cases they have not had the right to a defense or to see their families.

“I would like to draw attention to the state of continued alert in which we Venezuelan journalists find ourselves. I call for national and international solidarity and a call to the State institutions to contribute to ending this campaign of hate against Venezuelan journalists, who are accused of terrorist crimes, something that has no justification whatsoever,” he said.

Finally the secretary of the SNTP urged authorities to remember that journalists are not terrorists“We are doing our job and that is why we demand respect and justice for our colleagues who are behind bars.”