illegal to make Twitter post that could cause run on banks in Venezuela and Guatemala

More criminalizing of free speech in Latin American countries, people being arrested for writing a few quick comments on Twitter allegedly trying to cause a run on the government-owned banks.

That's how precarious the economy is in some of these countries, the government has to resort to arresting its citizens for saying things they don't like on Twitter.

In July 2010, two people were arrested in Venezuela. The Committee to Protect Bloggers wrote at the time, "They are facing the possibility of 9 to 11 years in prison under a 2001 banking law on charges of “disseminating false rumors” to “destabilize the banking system”."

These people had dared to express their opinions that Venezuela's bank was about to collapse and people should pull their money out while there was still time. One of the users apprehended, @Leaoxcord, had tweeted, "Ladies and Gentlemen, don't say you weren't warned... Pull out today... I'm telling you, there are just a few days left."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jul/15/venezuelans-charged-in-case-of-false-tweets/

A Twitter user in Guatemala was arrested too.

Jean Anleu Fernandez (@jeanfer) suggested in a tweet that people should withdraw their money from Guatemala's Banrural bank. "The first action people should take is to remove cash from Banrural, and break the banks of corrupt people #escandalogt," he wrote. Fernandez was arrested, and his computer confiscated, for "inciting financial panic".

The Venezuelan government also now appears to be trying to censor the internet of information about what the current black market exchange rates are for its currency. All foreign currency exchanges must legally be made through the government, at government set rates.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/commi...ists/venezuela-service-provide_b_4440813.html

 

It's a mess in Venezuela...

Rubber Bullets Fired on Venezuelan Protesters; 1 Killed
June 22, 2017 - Venezuelan security officials clashed with protesters again Thursday, firing rubber bullets at demonstrations in Caracas. One protester was killed.

 

Maduro claims his government would initiate a restructuring and refinancing of the country’s foreign debt...

As a Debt Deadline Looms for Venezuela, Maduro Is Defiant
NOV. 2, 2017 — With the threat of default looming over Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro said late Thursday that his government would initiate a restructuring and refinancing of the country’s foreign debt.