Conatel to add sanctions if Globovision refuses to pay fine

Venezuela's telecoms regulator Conatel has reiterated that the fine imposed on broadcaster Globovision in October 2011 is a legal and constitutional measure. Conatel fined Globovision over USD 2.16 million in its coverage of a prison uprising that left 30 dead in El Rodeo penitentiary near Caracas. Pedro Maldonado, head of Venezuela's National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel), said the ruling aims to protect citizens' rights, which were violated with that TV coverage. Globovision representatives attended on 17 February the Chamber for Administrative Litigation to request the nullity of the fine that was imposed to them and that the channel should have paid on 1 January this year. Globovision's defense alleged that freedom of expression has no restrictions and for such reason it broadcast the statements of El Rodeo inmates' relatives with a frequency of 300 times in four days. Maldonado believes that "They [Globovision] were inciting the over 40,000 inmates to ignore public order and laws". The board of social responsibility of Conatel analyzed the videos broadcast by Globovision and found out that those videos were edited, while some sounds were added (including machine-gun shots) which did not belong to original videos. Globovision was fined for inciting crime, inciting to ignore laws, promote uneasiness, hatred and intolerance just for political reasons, Conatel said. Maldonado also said that Conatel is evaluating imposing new sanctions due to Globovision's refusal to pay.