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(Washington D.C.)- The resident commissioner in Washington, Luis Fortuño, strongly criticized Venezuela’s President, Hugo Chavez, for his government’s unwillingness to renew Radio Caracas Television’s (RCTV) broadcast license. Fortuño’s remarks were made in an op-ed that was published yesterday by the legislative newspaper The Hill, which covers the United States Congress, just a few days from the license expiration deadline of the oldest, private television channel of Venezuela. In the article that was published in The Hill, Fortuño and the known radio spokesperson, Blanquita Cullum, agreed that the decision to deny the renewal of this channel’s license will force Venezuela to undergo a somber period in its history, as Chavez utilizes the state’s authority to chastise a communication medium for disagreeing with their editorial line.
Fortuño assured that the moment has come for the United States Congress to express itself with regards to Chavez government’s actions and the circumstances of this Caribbean country. Fortuño, who is a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the House of Representatives, is the principal sponsor of Concurrent Resolution #50, which calls on the government of Venezuela to uphold human rights and the civil liberties of the people of Venezuela. This resolution, which already has 40 co-sponsors, evidences the support on behalf of the United States Congress for Venezuela’s citizens and their efforts to obtain the respect that their fundamental rights deserve. As Fortuño commented, “we are united by important historical and cultural bonds, and we cannot remain indifferent in the midst of the unfortunate circumstances that the Venezuelan people are facing.” According to Fortuño, “when the unalienable freedom of the press is infringed, the participation of citizens in the democratic institutions of a country is weakened.”
Tomorrow Thursday, Fortuño and Blanquita Cullum, who is a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors and chairwoman of the Talk Radio First Amendment Committee, will celebrate a press conference in Congress to oppose President Chavez’s decision not to renew RCTV’s license.
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