The 2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices issued by the US Department of State highlights violations of human rights in Cuba, Venezuela and Colombia. The three Latin American countries are criticized by the "restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and association," throughout 2009, DPA reported.

In the case of Venezuela, the report focuses primarily on government attacks on private media.

"Government officials, including the president (Hugo Chávez), used government-controlled media outlets to accuse private media owners, directors, and reporters of fomenting anti-government destabilization campaigns and coup attempts," said the report. The paper also highlights the "active harassment" to privately owned and opposition-oriented television stations, media outlets, and journalists using "administrative sanctions, fines, and threats of closure."

In this sense, the report recalls "government's harassment" of private TV news network Globovisión. It also states that by the end of 2009, 32 radio stations and two television stations were been shut, and the government announced "its intention to close" another unspecified 29 radio stations.

The US Department of State also echoes the recent report issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) which warned of a "troubling trend of punishments, intimidation, and attacks on individuals in reprisal for expressing their dissent with official policy."

According to the US Department of State report, Cuban authorities "interfered with privacy" of citizens and engaged in "pervasive monitoring of private communications." At the same time, the Caribbean island once again banned non-official press, and refused to recognize domestic human rights groups or independent journalists.

The report was severe with Venezuela and Cuba, but showed a softer stance on Colombia. However, unlike the previous human rights report, the 2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices made critical remarks about the situation facing freedom of expression, especially due to the country's guerrillas.

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas