Caracas, December 26 (RHC-teleSUR) -- The Argentinian government of Mauricio Macri ordered the immediate suspension of the Senate's TV channel, Senado TV, on Friday. The government justified the move by saying “the channel's programming will be reorganized, and the Senate will be externally audited over its accounts” during the suspension. The broadcast signal will, for now, be interrupted but the channel will not be shut down yet. However, the channel's temporary suspension violates an existing broadcast agreement with the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino), which receives it’s web broadcast signals from the Argentine Senate's TV channel.
“The measure recently adopted by President Macri will impact the 23 member countries of the regional integration organization,” Venezuela’s Representative to Parlatino Carolus Wimmer stated. The Venezuelan lawmaker criticized the decision on the grounds that the measure will prevent the Latin American public from accessing information regarding parliamentary sessions. The channel broadcasts the legislative sessions and various programs, including interviews with representatives, and a news bulletin. Macri’s administration, which formally took power 10 days ago, announced earlier this week that it plans to reorganize all of the country’s state-run media, sparking strong criticism from Argentine alternative media. The measure is part of a widespread move against public media in the country, that has sparked a series of major protests over the last two weeks.
