Alba Cecilia Mujica Fired for Speaking Up about Oscar Pérez

She was a household name, and one of Venezuela's most respected journalists, with a 17-year track record of achievement at Globovisión. The mistake that got her fired? Talking candidly about what happened on Monday.

 

At the start of the January 16 edition of Globovision’s mid-morning magazine “Mujeres en Todo”, co-host Alba Cecilia Mujica addressed on live television the issue that everybody knew happened but that no TV channel in Venezuela dared to cover, unless they were repeating the official version of events.

What happened yesterday in our country shouldn’t happen again from now on because definitely we Venezuelans are fighters for life, and those who we are working to push this country ahead… are too, even more. What happened yesterday was not even being given the chance to say “I give up. Here I am. Allow me to undergo due process like it has happened previously in this government.

What happened yesterday ended the life of many innocent people that were in that house in El Junquito. It ended the life of officials that participated in that operation. It ended the life of colectivo members that also died and we don’t know why they were there.

What happened yesterday shouldn’t happen again. We have to think about the peace of this country. We have to move forward, not backwards…”

After that, Mujica was fired by Globovisión. First, she personally confirmed the news on Twitter and then released this statement in her Instagram account.

With lots of pain I want to inform all my followers, more than that, to the lovely people that believe in me, that, indeed, after 17 years, 6 months and 2 days, I was let go from Globovisión…

…I leave standing tall and with a clean heart because all I’ve done in my life is fight for my country and against injustices. It won’t be any different from now on. Now with more strength and with the respect that I’ve always acted with, I’ll continue doing my honest work and attached to the truth…

The Venezuelan Journalists’ Association and the National Press Workers’ Union have condemned the channel’s decision. But make no mistake. This is how the hegemony rolls.

We stand in solidarity with Ms. Mujica in this tough time, wishing her well.