El Universal columnist under attack from PPT supporters

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Monday, May 05, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

El Universal columnist, Roberto Giusti has come under attack from a "flying column" group of a government supporters as he pulled his beetle car into the parking space outside RCR  radio station in El Paraiso where he was due to broadcast a daily radio show. 

Rabid anti-Chavist columnist Giusti says a mob belonging to Patria Para Todos (PPT) shouted insults at him,  attacked his car and nearly destroyed the doors of the radio station. 

According to Giusti, PPT apparently blames him for the death of PPT militant Jorge Nieves in Guasdualito after Giusti exposed alleged PPT extortion of ranchers in Apure and alleged PPT links with the Bolivarian Liberation Front (FBL).  Giusti had reported that Nieves had acted as middleman between the families of a hostage kidnapped by the FBL a few days before he was murdered.

Giusti retorts that he will not allow himself to be intimidated by opponents and will continue to issue reports on the presence of Colombian and Venezuela guerrilla camps operating inside Venezuelan territory (El Universal, April 28), adding that he will not complain to the police or sue PPT because he does not believe in the current Venezuelan legal system.

PPT leaders reply that the group approached the station and the journalist demanding the right to reply but Giusti was "dismissive, rude and refused to allow representatives to speak on his radio show."