Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] I also think that, for Venezuelans abroad, it has been very important to see the coverage by international media of this phenomenon embodied by Juan Guaido. This has also cornered the de facto government in Venezuela. Therefore, freedom of expression and freedom of the press are playing a fundamental role, hopefully for a peaceful solution to the situation in Venezuela.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] I don't know whether Carlos is available via audio or if I'm alone now.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] Yes, I think that the question is very important. Canada has a very important hemispheric role to play throughout the region, specifically in the situation of freedom of expression in Venezuela, as well as in the case of Nicaragua and of Cuba, and in investigative journalism in other countries.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] In the case of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the special rapporteur for freedom of expression, we are part of an international body, which is the Organization of American States, and, as such, we are subject to the protections afforded to international officials.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes. From what we know, a number of journalists who have been deported or expelled from Venezuela have attested and provided testimony of the situation they have suffered, such as arbitrary detentions, the detainment conditions they have been subject to and also the material they were covering at the time in Venezuela.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Carlos?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] Yes. To add to the response that was under way, I believe that in a transitional scenario, we need to think of a number of strategies. The first would be to modify the legislation that restricts freedom of expression in Venezuela.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] Yes, gladly. The situation of media ownership that we have documented is related to two phenomena. On the one hand, there is the expansion of state-owned media managed directly by the government. Carlos may help me out here, but there are around 10 different television stations that are directly controlled by the state and that broadcast only the official discourse, so to speak.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] Yes, very briefly, I'd like to mention that both the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the special rapporteur have been reporting on this situation from around 2002-03 to the present date. Some cases are emblematic.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] However, the situation now has become de facto, without any type of official—

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] Yes, the question is very relevant, because there are two kinds of repression. The first one is the one that was mentioned, monopolizing traditional media. If there's a lack of freedom within traditional media, bloggers and citizens start using the Internet more and more, and during certain years that was the space that was much more free than traditional media.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] I would add that there is a pattern that has been in place for the past eight years but has intensified in the past few years. Journalism has been criminalized. When a journalist or a media source provides information within Venezuela about corruption in the government or violation of human rights, there is immediately a legal case opened up against them and they are prohibited from leaving the country.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] Yes, no problem. I would like to refer to the journalists René Méndez and Daniel Cáceres from the French press, who were detained by the national intelligence service, as well as people who have made certain accusations, such as Diosdado Cabello, and the initiation of four cases against people who were denounced and who were publishing stories about irregularities and corruption in Venezuela.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to thank the committee for this invitation to expose the situation of freedom of expression in Venezuela. I want to shift to Spanish for better understanding. [Witness spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] During my presentation, I would like to speak about two examples with regard to the situation of freedom of expression in Venezuela: in the first place, about the situation of the coverage that journalists are trying to carry out with regard to the current humanitarian crisis; and second, with regard to the de facto government that came into power on January 10, in the name of Nicolás Maduro.