Government Threats Silence Venezuela Media, as Student Protests Leave Three Dead  · Global Voices
Jessica Carrillo

Student protesting on February 12th, 2014. Photo by Carlos Becerra, copyright Demotix.
[All links lead to Spanish language pages, unless otherwise noted]
Venezuela saw a wave of protests [en] in the streets of its major cities on February 12. Citizens, mainly university students, took to the streets to demand that authorities release a group of young people who had been arrested in previous demonstrations. They also demanded improvements in the food supply (food shortages [en] are around 27%) and public safety.
The march, which aimed to reach the federal prosecutor's office, was organized mainly by opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez. The protest unfolded peacefully until the demonstrators neared the center of Caracas, where a group of riot police and members of armed security forces, hooded and on motorcycles, had taken control of the zone. The majority of the protesters left the area, but a small group remained and clashed with the security forces.
The confrontations in the center of Caracas resulted in two fatalities: a student and a member of a collective. Users uploaded videos of the moment when Bassil Alejandro Da Costa Frías was hit by a bullet and killed.
The protests spread to the east of the city, and during the night, another student was killed. The day ended with a toll of three deaths and dozens of people injured and arrested.
Young people protesting in Caracas on February 12th, 2014. Photo by Carlos Becerra, copyright Demotix.
During the events, including the march and the ensuing violence, Venezuelan media continued to air their regular programming, after authorities threatened [en] to sanction any media that covered the protests. Those who sought information about what was happening had to tune in to the cable news channel NTN24.
In reaction to these events, Hilda Lugo Conde posted on Facebook:
Mientras se reportan heridos graves y hasta un muerto según la agencia Reuters en la marcha de hoy en Caracas, esto es lo que se ve en las pantallas de televisión de señal abierta en el país en este momento:
1- Venevisión: telenovela En nombre del amor
2- Globovisión: las películas más taquilleras en Estados Unidos este fin de semana según NTN24
3- Canal I: Mundo Fitness
4- VTV: Diosdado Cabello en la sesión especial de la Asamblea Nacional por los 200 años de la Batalla de la Victoria
5- Televen: telenovela Las Santísimas
6- La Tele: telenovela Cada quien a su santo
7- Tves: Pocoyo
Y la radio, también, en su mundo paralelo. Ese que impone la censura, la autocensura…
While the agency Reuters is reporting serious injuries and even a death during the march today in Caracas, this is what is being seen on open-signal television in the country right now:
1. Venevisión: Soap opera “En nombre del amor”
2- Globovisión: The highest-grossing movies in the United States this weekend, according to NTN24
3- Canal I: Mundo Fitness [Fitness World]
4- VTV: Diosdado Cabello in the special session of the National Assembly for the 200-year anniversary of La Batalla de La Victoria
5- Televen: Soap opera “Las Santísimas”
6- La Tele: Soap opera “Cada quien a su santo”
7- Tves: Pocoyo
And the radio, too, exists in a parallel universe. One that is under censorship, self-censorship…
In the afternoon, journalists of the news channel NTN24 condemned the fact that the government had pressured subscription television companies to remove NTN24 from their selection of channels. Minutes later, the complaint had become reality, and Venezuelans could see the channel only via internet.
Fran Monroy posted on Twitter:
A las 6:17 PM hora de Caracas, murió la señal de @ntn24 en @movistarve pic.twitter.com/GyiJrXeoW3
— Fran Monroy Moret (@fmonroy) February 12, 2014
At 6:17 PM Caracas time, the signal for NTN24 went dead on MovistarVe.
Rodrigo Blanco posted an alert about the situation:
A los panas fuera de Venezuela: 2 estudiantes asesinados y blackout informativo del gobierno. Los milicos reprimiendo.
— Rodrigo Blanco (@rodrigoblancoc) February 12, 2014
To our friends outside of Venezuela: two students killed and information blackout by the government. Police are repressing.
Students protesting in Caracas. Photo by Juan Hernandez, copyright Demotix.
Daniel Prat questioned the state of democracy in the country after what took place in the capital:
No protestes porque te disparo. No reclames porque te meto preso. No informes porque te saco del aire. Linda democracia no?
— Daniel Prat (@DanielPrat) February 12, 2014
Don't protest, because I'll shoot you. Don't make demands, because I'll take you prisoner. Don't inform, because I'll take you off the air. Nice democracy, right?
However, Gabriel Lopez expressed his disagreement with the protests proposed by Leopoldo Lopez and marked by the hashtag #LaSalida:
“La salida” que algunos proponen carece de sentido democrático. Hay lapsos y formas para “salir” del gobierno, RR entre otros. No a golpes
— Gabriel López (@GaboVzla) February 13, 2014
“La salida” [The Exit] that some people are proposing is undemocratic. There are loopholes and ways to “exit” the government, including a recall referendum. Not by force.
The night ended with a national parade where President Nicolas Maduro celebrated Youth Day and the bicentennial of La Batalla de la Victoria.
Furthermore, a judge issued an arrest warrant for Leopoldo Lopez. This morning, the office of his party, Voluntad Popular, was searched.
The protests have not stopped.
The Facebook page Rebelión 2014 is collecting reports and photos (unverified) of the current protests.