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Venezuela
Protests likely after attack by pro-government activists on television station headquarters in Caracas
Created: August 04, 2009 06:22 GMTUpdated: August 04, 2009 08:12 GMT More than 30 armed activists of the Union Patriotica Venezolana (UPV) – a political party supportive of President Hugo Chávez – on 3 August attacked the headquarters of Globovision, the country's largest private television station, in the capital Caracas. The assailants threatened employees with firearms and threw tear gas canisters; a police officer and a number of security guards were injured in the attack.Comment and Analysis Political rallies are common in Venezuela, and the latest incident could potentially trigger anti-government demonstrations by opposition groups in the capital and other cities. Such gatherings can result in unrest between rival activists and the security forces, and personnel risk incidental exposure to violence in the event of such disturbances. Localised traffic disruption should also be anticipated in the vicinity of these events. While overall travel risks for Venezuela are rated as MEDIUM, the risks associated with travel to Caracas are rated as HIGH.The incident is indicative of the government's hostile attitude to private media organisations, after many of the latter backed the 2002 coup that temporarily removed Chávez from office. A decision by the authorities in 2007 to deny the RCTV television channel a licence to broadcast triggered widespread demonstrations, though the protest campaign failed to reverse the government's decision and eventually ran out of momentum, highlighting significant levels of support for the president's political agenda.The attack on Globovision's headquarters follows government statements accusing the channel of dishonest reporting, and a crackdown by the authorities on the media. The National Assembly on 30 July began discussions on proposed new legislation that would impose a sentence of up to two years in prison for any article or report considered to threaten ‘the social peace' and national security, a sanction applicable to the authors of such reports and executives of the media outlet publishing them. The government on the following day closed 32 radio and two television stations, describing their operations as illegal. The opposition regards the measures as unconstitutional and a blatant attempt by Chávez to consolidate his power.Travel AdviceAvoid demonstrations, rallies and picket lines due to a credible risk of clashes between demonstrators and the security forces. Do not attempt to cross picket lines or roadblocks as this may prompt a hostile reaction.