Chavez opponent’s arrest for TV remarks a setback for free speech in Venezuela, critics say

Arrest in Venezuela raises free speech concerns

CARACAS, Venezuela — The arrest of an outspoken government opponent for his critical remarks on a TV talk show drew condemnation on Tuesday from opposition parties and human rights activists who said the case shows freedoms are being eroded in Venezuela.

Opposition politician Oswaldo Alvarez Paz was detained by police on Monday and has been charged with conspiracy, spreading false information and publicly inciting violation.

A coalition of more than a dozen parties opposed to President Hugo Chavez said in a statement that Alvarez Paz was arrested for a “crime of opinion” in an attempt to silence criticism and encourage a climate of self-censorship. Opposition leaders called the 67-year-old former Zulia state governor a political prisoner.

Human Rights Watch also condemned the arrest.

“This is a major setback for freedom of expression in Venezuela,” said Jose Miguel Vivanco, the group’s executive director for the Americas.

“For years Chavez has sought to intimidate his critics with unfounded allegations of conspiracies and coup-mongering. Throwing someone in prison for criticizing the government is a clear abuse of power, and all the more so in a country where it is very difficult to expect a fair trial given the government’s political takeover of the supreme court,” Vivanco said.

The government denied that Alvarez Paz is being prosecuted for political reasons, saying he has committed legitimate crimes and should answer in court.

“Someone cannot stand up to defame, to lie, to manipulate in the media here and not have anything happen,” Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami told reporters.

Alejandro Castillo of the Attorney General’s Office told state television that Alvarez Paz has been summoned to appear before a judge on Wednesday.

He denied that prosecutors targeted Alvarez Paz for political reasons, saying, “We are not talking about political persecution. We are talking about a citizen who broke the law.”

The politician’s lawyer, Omar Estacio, said he would ask the judge to allow Alvarez Paz to be released while he awaits trial. Estacio called the charges baseless.

Alvarez Paz has said he did nothing wrong and stands by his remarks from the March 8 broadcast of “Hello Citizen.”

Among several strong criticisms, Alvarez Paz said on the show that Venezuela has turned into “a center of operations that facilitates the business of drug trafficking.” He also said Chavez’s government is facing serious evidence presented by a Spanish judge that it has cooperated with the Basque separatist group ETA and the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Chavez has dismissed those accusations as lies. He insists his government is not turning a blind eye to drug traffickers and says opponents and the U.S. government criticize Venezuela’s counter-drug efforts for political reasons.

The program was broadcast on Globovision, the last remaining TV channel on Venezuela’s airwaves that takes a hard anti-Chavez line. Globovision already faces multiple investigations by regulators for alleged violations of broadcast rules, and Chavez regularly accuses the channel of trying to foment instability.

Prosecutors began an investigation into Alvarez’s remarks at the request of two pro-Chavez lawmakers who accused him of inciting “hatred against the institutions” of the country.

Days later, Chavez also called for action, saying without naming Alvarez Paz that one panelist “has the nerve to say that Chavez, the president of this country, supports drug trafficking, and also has the nerve to say there is evidence that here in Venezuela … a bunch of courses have been given to terrorists from ETA and the FARC.”

“That’s very serious. That can’t be permitted,” Chavez said.

Prosecutors say Alvarez Paz — who ran unsuccessfully for president in 1993 — could face two to 16 years in prison if convicted of any of the three charges.

Associated Press writer Ian James contributed to this report.