The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), which comprises the news media in the hemisphere, is holding is half-yearly meeting in Caracas on March 28-30, amidst tensions with the Venezuelan government.

A few feet away from the venue where the IAPA meeting is taking place, a forum against "media terrorism" -endorsed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, an outspoken critic of the largest organization of newspapers in the American continent- will be held simultaneously.

While clear signals have sent that they are not welcomed, around 300 directors, editors and reporters are to attend the IAPA meeting.
 
The secretary general of the Venezuelan Press Bloc and coordinator of the half-yearly meeting in Caracas, Luisa Chiossone, said the IAPA expects to delve into the situation of press freedom in the hemisphere, reports about impunity in killings of reporters and about press freedom in Cuba, DPA informed.

"Freedom of expression in Bolivia and Venezuela will be scrutinized. They have faced serious problems over the last few months. We are going to monitor the results of the Miami resolution (issued during the previous half-yearly meeting) concerning the attacks against television reporters, particularly those working with (Venezuelan local television network) Globovisión and others in the Venezuelan countryside," Chiossone told DPA.

She added that the IAPA invited both Chávez and his Information and Communication Minister Andrés Izarra to attend the meeting, but neither of them has confirmed his attendance.