Chavez: “The situation with Globovisión can’t continue like this”

Venezuela, November 21, 2010

Hugo Chávez, Venezuelan president, said today that it is unacceptable the way in which the private news agency Globovisión attacks the government, while Guillermo Zuloaga, its largest shareholder, does the same from the United States.

The president on Saturday asked Elias Jaua, Vice President, the Attorney General and the Supreme Court to “do something” to end this situation.

At a act of students in front of the Miraflores Palace, Chavez said “the issue is being reviewed to see what we can do” and “Let’s wait and see what happens, but that situation can not continue because it is a violation to the Constitution and the laws.”

Chavez also said in his statements that Zuloaga is asking to the “empire” to intervene in the country, which is “treason.” This refers to the statements done by Zuloaga last November 17 in the U.S., where the shareholder of Globovisión spoke against the Venezuelan leader.

He added that “Zuloaga must choose between returning to Venezuela and assume his judicial charges or see his assets involved” noting “he has to appear here to face justice or the government will take action against his companies, including the television channel (Globovisión). It’s a logical thing, something elemental.”

Chavez spoke out against opposition leaders, who said that if Globovisión was going to be intervened, then they’ll protest in the streets, and argued that “They threatened that if the State takes a decision to reinstate the law, they will go to the street and go to overthrow the government.”

Zuloaga escaped to America after being accused of “generic usury” and “conspiracy” because he used to sell vehicles at higher prices. There was asked to Interpol the international arrest warrants for the shareholder of the private news agency Globovisión.