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### Viewing cable 09CARACAS1201, GLOBOVISION TV PLAYS WITH FIRE; BURNED A 6TH TIME

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09CARACAS1201 | 2009-09-15 17:27 | 2011-01-24 21:30 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Caracas

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    VZCZCXRO6224
    PP RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
    DE RUEHCV #1201/01 2581727
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 151727Z SEP 09
    FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3697
    INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
    RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY
    RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
    RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 001201

    SIPDIS

    HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
    DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2024
    TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE
    SUBJECT: GLOBOVISION TV PLAYS WITH FIRE; BURNED A 6TH TIME

    REF: A. CARACAS 1174
    ¶B. CARACAS 1180
    ¶C. CARACAS 1013
    ¶D. CARACAS 1187

    CARACAS 00001201 001.2 OF 002

    Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBIN D. MEYER
    REASON 1.4 (D)

    ¶1. (C) Summary: On September 7, CONATEL, the Venezuelan
    government's telecommunications regulatory commission, opened
    a sixth administrative proceeding against Globovision
    Television, this time for its September 3 broadcast of text
    messages from viewers warning of a coup and calling for
    people to resist the government. CONATEL also asked
    government prosecutors to open a criminal investigation into
    the Globovision broadcast, which took place the evening
    before the worldwide "No Mas Chavez" demonstrations were
    scheduled to be held (refs a and b). Globovision has 10
    working days (i.e., until September 21) to respond to the
    charges. Globovision's broadcast of these controversial text
    messages exposes the station to further investigation and
    harassment, undermines its credibility, and potentially
    hastens the demise of Venezuela's last remaining
    opposition-oriented free-to-air network. End Summary.

    ---------------------------------------------
    This Time, GLOBO Charged with Inciting a Coup
    ---------------------------------------------

    ¶2. (SBU) On September 4, CONATEL issued an Administrative
    Resolution ("Providencia Administrativa") charging that
    Globovision Television violated the "Law on Social
    Responsibility in Radio and Television" by transmitting text
    messages on the scrolling ticker at the bottom of the screen
    that incited viewers to disrupt public order. The text
    messages were shown during the September 3 broadcast of the
    program "Good Night" ("Buenas Noches"). CONATEL highlighted
    the following messages, several of which were repeated during
    the course of the program:

    -- "Urgent: Activate the networks of information, possible
    coup... Alert for Friday in the early hours of the morning."

    -- "We have to march and not abandon the street, happen what
    may, and we must overthrow the tyrant once and for all.
    Despite setbacks, move forward with urgency ("al mal paso
    darle prisa")."

    -- "Buenas Noches informs us about the aforesaid coup that
    will take place tomorrow in the morning."

    -- "Whoever announces the coup, don't worry about Chavez, he
    is now safe with Kadafi."

    -- "Here in Guatire we are all against Chavez, we will not
    let him enter the country again. Out with Chavez."

    -- "100 anti-gas masks and 300 persons to implement the
    resistence-withdrawal-exchange-resistence plan to do battle
    with the dictatorship."

    ¶3. (SBU) The "Administrative Resolution" orders the opening
    of an administrative sanctions procedure against Kiko
    Communications al Reves, C.A., and Corpomedios GV
    Inversiones, C.A., the owners of Globovision, to determine if
    the station's conduct was in violation of articles 28 and 29
    of the "Law of Social Responsibility in Radio and
    Television." Article 28(4)(x) provides for the suspension of
    the airwaves, fines ranging from 1-2 percent of gross income,
    and/or the suspension or revocation of the concession in
    cases where messages are broadcast that incite the audience
    to disobey the law. Article 29 provides for the suspension
    for up to 72 continuous hours when messages are broadcast
    that, inter alia, incite the audience to war, civil
    disturbances, and crime, promote religious intolerance, and
    are contrary to national security. The "Administrative
    Resolution" stressed that the messages were transmitted in a
    climate of tension and anxiety in which public demonstrations
    were being promoted. A "No Mas Chavez" demonstration was
    scheduled for September 4 and a demonstration against the
    "criminalization of protest" was set for September 5 (refs a
    and b). The "Administrative Resolution" gives Globovision 10
    working days from the date of notification to respond to the
    allegations.

    ¶4. (SBU) At the request of CONATEL's President, Diosdado
    Cabello, who is also the Minister of Public Works and

    CARACAS 00001201 002.2 OF 002

    Housing, Caracas Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Rosa Bueno
    Monsalvo initiated a simultaneous criminal investigation
    against Globovision for allegedly inciting disrespect of the
    law ("desconocimiento de las leyes").

    -------------------------
    Just Implementing the Law
    -------------------------

    ¶5. (SBU) In a September 8 press conference, Cabello
    repeatedly denied that the government's actions were intended
    to suppress freedom of expression, stressing instead that the
    opening of criminal and administrative investigations
    represented the government's commitment to applying the law
    equally to everyone, including the privileged classes that
    had traditionally been above the law. He asserted that
    CONATEL would hold the concession holders responsible for the
    broadcasts calling for the assassination of Chavez and a coup
    d'etat. According to Cabello, their conduct is, at heart,
    anti-democratic. "We are going to see who has more
    cartridges if war is war ... we are going to confront them
    ... with the law in front ("con la ley por delante"). He
    argued that none of the concession holders would have a legal
    basis for claiming that the government was acting
    arbitrarily. "How it must pain them!" Cabello commented.
    "They are not untouchable." Speaking more broadly about both
    the television and radio stations that were being reviewed,
    Cabello affirmed that the government was committed to
    "democratizing the airwaves." Cabello made clear CONATEL's
    role in this process: "CONATEL's importance to the country
    is not only in regards to telecommunications, but as a
    promoter of social welfare as well."

    ----------------------
    Globovision's Response
    ----------------------

    ¶6. (C) Embassy reviewed the September 3 broadcast and
    confirms that the messages cited by CONATEL were broadcast on
    the "Buenas Noches" program. The ticker-feature, which
    Globovision uses on other programs as well, encourages
    viewers to send text messages expressing their political
    opinions, which are then supposed to be filtered by
    Globovision before being aired in virtually real-time. An
    Embassy source at Globovision claimed in a conversation with
    PAS Officer that the program's producer left the filtering to
    an intern, who did not read all the messages before letting
    them be aired. The Globovision employee acknowledged that,
    "for the first time, we (Globo) don't know how to defend
    ourselves." However, on September 11, Buenas Noches producer
    Franciso Kico Bautista told the daily "El Nacional" that he
    never would support violence or a coup d'etat and suggested
    that the messages that appeared could have been put there by
    the government or fabricated in a laboratory. He concluded
    that the government's "intention is not to investigate, but
    rather to close the media."

    -------
    COMMENT
    -------

    ¶7. (C) To date, over 60 lawsuits and complaints have been
    filed against Globovision in lower courts by pro-Chavez
    supporters. While Globovision only captures 3.9 percent of
    the free-to-air market share nationwide, it plays a
    disproportionate role in shaping international news coverage
    of Venezuela. Globovision is clearly playing with fire by
    broadcasting incendiary messages, which undermine its
    credibility and legitimacy and risk giving Chavez a stronger
    and more compelling excuse for shutting it down. Meanwhile,
    with headlines focused on Globovision, Chavez continues to
    threaten to close more radio stations, which are the primary
    means by which most Venezuelans get their news (ref b).
    DUDDY

`