IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 77 
Calling on the Government of Venezuela to respect a free and independent 
media and to avoid all acts of censorship against the media and free 
expression. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 1, 2007 
Mr. WELLER of Illinois (for himself, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. PENCE, Mr. FORTUN˜O, 
Mr. WOLF, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, and Mr. LAMBORN) 
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Calling on the Government of Venezuela to respect a free 
and independent media and to avoid all acts of censor-
ship against the media and free expression. 
Whereas freedom of the press and freedom of expression are 
under threat in Venezuela; 
Whereas Venezuelan President Chavez announced on Decem-
ber 28, 2006, that Radio Caracas Television (RCTV), 
Venezuela’s oldest private, commercial broadcaster found-
ed in 1953, would not have its broadcasting license re-
newed, and therefore the license would expire on May 28, 
2007; 
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•HCON 77 IH 
Whereas RCTV claims its broadcasting license doesn’t expire 
until 2022, and that President Chavez is suppressing cov-
erage that is critical of his administration; 
Whereas the decision not to renew the broadcasting license of 
RCTV lacks transparency and appears to be politically 
motivated; 
Whereas calls of concern regarding the decision not to renew 
the broadcasting license of RCTV have been expressed by 
international media organizations, including: Instituto 
Prensa y Sociedad (Institute of Press and Society), the 
Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Press 
Institute, Reporters Without Borders, and the Inter 
American Press Association; 
Whereas Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary 
General Jose Insulza said the decision not to renew the 
broadcasting license of RCTV gives the appearance of a 
form of censorship against freedom of expression, and at 
the same time serves as a warning against other news or-
ganizations in Venezuela, leading such organizations to 
limit their actions at the risk of facing the same fate as 
RCTV; 
Whereas the OAS Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Ex-
pression, Ignacio Alvarez, has said that the closure of 
RCTV will mean Venezuelans would be deprived of a 
source of news that offered critical views of the govern-
ment; 
Whereas the decision not to renew the broadcasting license of 
RCTV is only the latest in a series of maneuvers the 
Government of Venezuela has taken to limit press free-
dom; 
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•HCON 77 IH 
Whereas Venezuela has been noted to have a steady decline 
in press freedom over the past several years; 
Whereas Freedom House rates freedom of the press in Ven-
ezuela as ‘‘not free’’; 
Whereas the Government of Venezuela has passed laws since 
2004 to restrict the media and free expression; 
Whereas the 2004 Law of Social Responsibility in Radio and 
Television regulates the type of content that is allowed in 
radio and television programming in Venezuela; 
Whereas this law gives the Government of Venezuela the 
power to impose onerous fines on, and suspend broad-
casting rights of, media outlets that publish messages 
‘‘contrary to the security of the nation’’, as determined 
by the Venezuelan Government; 
Whereas a second offense for a publishing message ‘‘contrary 
to the security of the nation’’ may lead to the suspension 
of a media outlet’s broadcasting license for five years; 
Whereas the 2004 Law of Social Responsibility in Radio and 
Television is vaguely worded such that it can be easily 
used with political motivation and applied to severely re-
strict freedom of expression; 
Whereas the provisions of this law violate international stand-
ards protecting free expression and could penalize broad-
casters’ legitimate expression of political views; 
Whereas in 2005, journalists in Venezuela were barred from 
reporting on the military, hospitals and stadiums, and 
the judiciary; 
Whereas on November 1, 2005, columnist David Ludovic was 
pressured by President Chavez’s security personnel into 
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•HCON 77 IH 
handing over a tape of interviews done adjacent to the 
Palacio Blanco, the Miraflores presidential palace; 
Whereas on January 23, 2006, at the request of the Ven-
ezuelan Attorney General, Venezuelan courts banned ten 
media outlets from reporting on the criminal case involv-
ing the car bomb assassination of Danilo Anderson, the 
prosecutor who led the probe into the 2002 coup against 
President Chavez; 
Whereas Human Rights Watch has noted that, at moments 
of political tension, the Venezuelan National Commission 
of Telecommunications (CONATEL) warns media direc-
tors of punishments that they face for coverage that vio-
lates Venezuelan law; 
Whereas desacato (disrespect) laws were enacted in Ven-
ezuela as part of the 2005 criminal code reform law; 
Whereas the use of desacato laws have a serious and chilling 
effect on the public and the media, since such laws deter 
not only criticism but also public scrutiny of alleged mis-
conduct by the government; 
Whereas under Venezuela’s desacato laws, insulting the 
President of Venezuela is punishable by six to 30 months 
in prison and making comments that could ‘‘expose an-
other person to contempt or public hatred’’ is punishable 
by one to three years in prison and a severe fine; 
Whereas journalist and government critic Ibeyise Pacheco of 
the daily El Nacional was convicted and placed under 
house arrest for one week under Venezuela’s desacato 
laws; 
Whereas in July 2005, the Venezuelan Attorney General in-
voked desacato laws to investigate the Caracas-based 
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•HCON 77 IH 
newspaper El Universal for an article allegedly criticizing 
his office and the judiciary; 
Whereas in February 2006, television journalist and presi-
dential critic Jose Ovidio Rodriguez Cuesta, known as 
Napoleon Bravo, was prosecuted under Venezuela’s 
desacato laws for public criticism of the Venezuelan Su-
preme Court; 
Whereas the Government of Venezuela controls two national 
television stations, a national radio network, and a wire 
service, and President Chavez regularly exercises his 
power to preempt programming in private media outlets 
to ensure extensive broadcasting of government an-
nouncements; 
Whereas President Chavez has been granted the power to 
rule for the next 18 months by decree in Venezuela 
through an ‘‘enabling law,’’ further eroding the demo-
cratic process and checks on concentrated government 
power, making the need for an independent press even 
greater; and 
Whereas freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and free-
dom of expression that allow multiple viewpoints to be 
heard are essential components to a healthy and well- 
functioning democracy: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress— 
(1) expresses support for members of the media 
in Venezuela who are facing an assault on their 
rights to freedom of the press, freedom of speech, 
and freedom of expression; 
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•HCON 77 IH 
(2) expresses deep concern regarding the an-
nouncement of Venezuelan President Chavez not to 
renew the broadcasting license of Radio Caracas Tel-
evision (RCTV); 
(3) calls upon the Government of Venezuela to 
immediately reverse its decision not to renew the 
broadcasting license of RCTV; 
(4) urges the Government of Venezuela to cre-
ate an independent body to assign and renew broad-
casting licenses in Venezuela; 
(5) calls upon the Government of Venezuela to 
respect the rights of an independent media to freely 
communicate and broadcast through print, radio, 
and television without fear, intimidation, censorship, 
or the threat of censorship; and 
(6) urges the Government of Venezuela to re-
spect the rights of freedom of expression for all Ven-
ezuelans. 
Æ 
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