Expulsion of Álvaro Nieto: The Growing Repression of the Press in Venezuela
Álvaro Nieto, director of THE OBJECTIVE.
In an alarming development, Álvaro Nieto, director of the Spanish media THE OBJECTIVE , was expelled from Venezuela without an official explanation. The journalist had traveled to Caracas to cover the political situation after the presidential elections, but his presence was considered unwanted by the Venezuelan authorities, who subjected him to two hours of interrogation before deporting him to Spain.
Nieto was not physically abused during his detention, but the lack of explanations and the denial of his right to communicate with the Spanish embassy show a worrying pattern. The staff of the Estelar/Iberojet airline showed support for Nieto, contrasting with the attitude of the Venezuelan authorities.
The fact that Venezuelan authorities attempted to delay the flight to deport him without apparent cause underlines the lack of transparency and the use of power to silence critical voices.
