Summary
The Courts
The Media
Human Rights Defenders
Note on Methodology
The Courts
Re-Packing the Supreme Court
The Record of the Supreme Court Since 2004
Rejecting the Principle of Separation of Powers
Rejecting Binding Rulings by the Inter-American Court
Ruling against the Independence of NGOs
Ruling against Government Transparency
Upholding Prior Censorship
Upholding Presidential Power to Establish Crimes by Decree
Upholding the Government's Power to Impose Mandatory Broadcasts
Ruling against the Right to Run For Office
Ruling against the Independence of Lower Court Judges
Judge María Lourdes Afiuni
Impact on Judicial Independence
The Inter-American Human Rights System
The Media
Expanded Powers to Censor and Punish Critics
RCTV
Globovisión
Globovisión President Guillermo Zuloaga
Globovisión Owner Nelson Mezerhane
Globovisión Commentator Oswaldo Álvarez Paz
Tu Imagen TV
Censoring Satire
Censoring News Coverage
Censoring Violent Images
Censoring a Soap Opera
Remaking the Media Landscape
Impact on Free Speech
Human Rights Defenders
Criminal Complaints against Human Rights Defenders
Expanded Powers to Punish Human Rights Defenders
Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons
Citizen Watch
Public Space
COFAVIC
PROVEA
Human Rights Defenders Outside of Caracas
Limiting Public Access to Information
Impact on Human Rights Advocacy
Venezuela's Obligations Under International Law
Judicial Independence
Freedom of Expression
Prior Censorship
Regulating Media Content
Controlling the Airwaves
Access to Information
Community Media
Protection of Human Rights Defenders
Recommendations
Regarding Judicial Independence
Regarding Freedom of Expression
Regarding Human Rights Defenders
Regarding the Inter-American Human Rights System
Acknowledgments.