Chavez accuses Venezuela's news media of conspiring to overthrow his leftist government. Many newspapers endorsed a recent, failed two-month general strike to demand early presidential elections. Chavez's term ends in 2007. Chavez suspended dollar sales to businesses and citizens Jan. 22 to stem a rapid devaluation of the bolivar currency and capital flight. The government published a list this week of 6,000 imported items, such as medicine and food, that will be eligible for private dollar purchases at a date to be announced. Newsprint is not on the list, although the government says it may be in the future.
"This is undoubtedly an attempt against freedom of expression. It's becoming a government policy," Otero said. The bolivar lost a quarter of its value against the dollar this year before currency sales were halted. [End]
The Americans were captured by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -- known as the FARC -- Feb. 13 after their U.S. government plane went down in rebel territory during an intelligence mission. A fourth American and a Colombian on the plane were killed near the scene. The U.S. State Department years ago classified the FARC as a terrorist group, but the U.S. Embassy denied that the offer of the money -- equal to more than a lifetime's pay for many Colombians -- and the hard-to-get U.S. visa is tantamount to negotiating with terrorists. ***