EL UNIVERSAL

The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) Friday opened its half-yearly meeting in Caracas by criticizing the presidents of seven countries, accusing them of "making efforts to undermine" journalists' credibility.

The presidents of Paraguay, Uruguay, Honduras, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela "are doing their best to attack the press media with a goal to undermine their credibility, which in the long run is the major asset" of the profession, said Gonzalo Marroquín, chairman of the Committee on Freedom of Press and Information of the IAPA, during the opening session.

"Attempts at silencing reporters involve not only murder, threats, harassing or imprisonment," said Marroquín in questioning the presidents' rhetoric against reporters, quoted Efe.

He added that the Venezuelan ruler, Hugo Chávez, "and several of his ministers have adopted an aggressive stance against the media, which reflects the intolerance of the people who want to hold absolute power in lieu of strengthening democracy by promoting and respecting its principles."

Paraguayan President Nicanor Duarte was ranked as the ruler who over the last six months launched "the largest number of attacks against the media, using the worst words," said Marroquín, but he would not elaborate.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan lawyer Asdrúbal Aguiar took the floor and stated that the Venezuelan "government has misused the news media to advance its project."

He added that Chávez's government is monopolizing the news media in Venezuela, even though it accuses others of monopolizing the mass media.

Translated by José Peralta