The Spanish newspaper El Pais removed a fake photo of Hugo Chavez tubing

January 24, 2013
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Spanish newspaper El Pais explained why the print edition was cancelled this morning due to a fake photo of Hugo Chavez.

‘The Spanish newspaper El Pais withdrew this morning on its website a photo that showed a man cased in a hospital bed and a news agency (Gtres Online) had provided the newspaper claiming that it was Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela. Chavez is hospitalized in Cuba after surgery for cancer characteristics that the Venezuelan government has refused to specify. The photo remained on the paper’s website about a half hour.

In the text accompanying the photo it was said that El Pais had failed to independently verify the circumstances, the place or the date on which the photograph was made. Having found that the image offered was not Chavez, El Pais also paralyzed the distribution of print and proceeded to send a new edition to the retail outlets, which is available in Kiosk. The incident may cause the issue printed of the newspaper dated Thursday January 24 is not available in some kiosks, both in Spain and abroad.

El Pais apologizes to its readers for the injury caused. The newspaper has opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of what happened and the mistakes that have been committed in the verification of photography”.