Venezuela: journalist Ibeyise Pacheco turns herself in, gets 2½ months house arrest
By Aleksander Boyd
London 16.03.06 | Have readers noticed the silence of international media with respect to prosecution of Venezuelan journalists Ibeyise Pachecho, Mariannella Salazar and Gustavo Azocar? Apart fom few, and far in between exceptions, the world is yet to awake to the news that in Hugo Chavez's land freedom of expression is being systematically restricted. Yours truly was object of threats by close associates of the regime less than a week ago, and, most probably, had I been in Venezuela I would be either in jail or six feet under.
Pacheco's speech before turning herself to chavista justice is one of defiance. Unmoved by the constant threats and the 16 investigations that the regime has opened against her, she said "I fear not and I don't dread the times to come." Brave words from a brave woman, fighting, pretty much on her own, against the totalitarian pseudo revolution.
Mariannella Salazar is soon to follow suit and Gustavo Azocar, well, he is in jail since last week for uncovering all sort of corruption scandals in Tachira state, where military chavista governor Ronald Blanco La Cruz saw fit to silence Azocar's denunciations.
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