Venezuela's Currency Squeeze Threatens Nation's Newspapers

Venezuelan newspapers said President Nicolás Maduro's government is withholding the foreign currency they need to buy newsprint and in doing so crippling the industry and impoverishing the political discourse. At least 12 newspapers have shut down recently and another 15 are in danger of closing in the next few weeks unless they acquire paper, said free-speech advocacy group Espacio Público. "They've been wanting to shut us up," said Carlos Carmona, president of El Impulso newspaper. "They want to harass us to put us in line."