UNESCO CHIEF VOICES CONCERN AFTER MEDIA OUTLETS IN VENEZUELA LOSE LICENSES

The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom has voiced deep concern today over a recent order to revoke the licences of 34 radio and television broadcasters in Venezuela.

"I am deeply concerned over the reduction in the number of outlets through which citizens can exercise their right to receive information from diverse sources," said UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura.

"The people of Venezuela have the right to benefit from a diversity of perspectives in reports and analyses of events that concern them," stressed Mr. Matsuura.

He added that without a number of media outlets operating in the country, there can be no freedom of expression, or even democracy, and urged authorities "to reconsider their decision to take a great many broadcasters off air, and to protect media personnel from harassment."

According to an order issued in July, another 240 radio stations and 45 television channels are in danger of losing their licenses for alleged breaches of Telecommunication Law, in addition to the 32 radio and two television stations which have already lost the right to broadcast.

Mr. Matsuura also noted recent reports of an attack on the headquarters of Globovisión by 30 individuals, led by Lina Ron, head of the Venezuelan Popular Unity party (UPV), who forced their way into the building, throwing teargas which reportedly affected four people.

VENEZUELAN MICRO-CREDIT AID EXTENDED TO REFUGEES, ASYLUM-SEEKERS – UN

The Venezuelan Government has expanded micro-finance assistance to Colombian refugees and asylum-seekers in border areas, the United Nations refugee agency said today.

The first stage of the project – providing $250,000 in micro-credits to dozens of projects involving production, trade and services – helped over 100 families, mostly headed by women, refugees and Venezuelans living in areas bordering Colombia.

The Banco del Pueblo Soberano, one of the Government's largest micro-finance institutions, will double their aid this year to other communities and border states after registering a high level of return and a low bad debt rate of below 3 per cent.

"This plan promotes self-employment in host communities and is a big step in the effort to protect and integrate some 12,000 asylum-seekers who are waiting for status recognition," Ron Redmond, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said.

In Venezuela, it can take as long as three years for asylum-seekers to be recognized as refugees and receive the paperwork necessary allow them to work.

The micro-credit scheme is part of UNHCR's "borders of solidarity" strategy in countries where integrations is the best solution, the agency said.

Roughly 200,000 Colombians have fled conflict to Venezuela in the past ten years, and most of those in need of protection do not have the identity cards needed to access funding, the labour market or business opportunities.
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