Globovisión pays fine to prevent cancellation

In a press release, private news TV channel Globovisión claimed to be keenly aware of its responsibility towards its audience to go ahead, with an open signal, as it is the only free and independent window for denunciation and information in Venezuela.

In this regard, it prepared to pay forthwith a fine meted out by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ); otherwise it runs the risk of attachment of its assets and reversal of its concession by the Ministry of Information and Communication.

The following are the excerpts of the communiqué:

Globovisión is keenly aware of its responsibility to go ahead, remain open and keep on being the main free, independent window of denunciation and information, at the service of all Venezuelans, without making a difference concerning ideology. For this reason, while we wait for the judiciary to restore our rights, Globovisión has been forced to pay the fine at once. Otherwise, this grotesque and despotic ruling from the TSJ would expose Globovisión to the risk of an attachment in aid of execution of goods and equipment property of the channel in the next few hours. Consequently, the Ministry of Information could cancel the concession.

Globovisión addresses itself to Venezuelans to advise them that in the afternoon of today, June 28, three days before the beginning of the campaign for the next presidential election, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, without making the channel to use all legal proceedings and violating its right to defense, ruled on a presumed request made by the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) to enforce a fine for more than USD 2,093,040 imposed on Globovisión by the government of President Hugo Chávez for reporting on a matter in the public interest (the showdown in El Rodeo jail in June 2011).