Twenty years ago, journalists could not have imagined the present situation for media in Venezuela, according to Luz Mely Reyes, director and co-founder of digital site Efecto Cocuyo.
Yet, back in 2000, there were signs of what was to come. That was the beginning of harassment of broadcast media and the closure of public information sources, along with aggression towards journalists and media owners from former President Hugo Chávez.
“We always believed that it was a kind of confrontation, a natural, normal confrontation between a very charismatic leader and the media,” Reyes said. “I think we have to do a self-critical exercise because 20 years ago we didn’t have very strong media…we didn’t have a very strong democracy.” Still, she said, they didn’t believe what would inevitably happen was possible.
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