Venezuela: ABC joining the disinformation media campaign

Laura Bécquer Paseiro

THE disrespectful coverage of the issue of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez’ health by the right-wing press is continuing with mounting aggressiveness.

The appalling conduct of the Spanish El País in publishing a photo falsely described as depicting the Venezuelan leader was apparently not sufficient. Now another Spanish newspaper, ABC, has joined the circus mounted by the mass disinformation media – as it should be called. The newspaper confirmed that doctors have communicated to Chávez’ family that "he will not recover." And, according to sources "in contact with the medical team" treating him, they have signed the death sentence of the Venezuelan leader, who is allegedly "in no condition to return to exercising the presidency of Venezuela."

It is not the first time that newspapers such as ABC have published fallacies on delicate issues like this one. The Bolivarian government has categorically and energetically rejected all the nonsense daily circulated concerning President Chávez’ state of health. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elías Jaua has condemned the constant publication of news "based on information supplied by sources without any further identification," and confirmed that the head of state continues to lead the Bolivarian government, and that strategic decisions he has made in Havana are an example of this, AVN reported.

From his Twitter account, Jaua called for respect for Chávez, "who is giving battle with much faith, firmly attached to life, the love of the people and with the conviction that this battle is one that he is going to win."

Communication and Information Minister Ernesto Villegas stated that, "ABC information regarding President Chávez is as true as the phony photo in El País."