Maduro's instruction from the BBC to its staff: 'Do not use the phrase he was kidnapped'
Maduro's instruction from the BBC to its staff: 'Do not use the phrase he was kidnapped'
The British broadcaster BBC sent a new directive to its employees regarding the language of the news after the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Maduro in the US operation. In the internal correspondence, it was requested not to use the phrase "abducted" when defining the case, but instead to use the words "caught" with reference to US sources or "captured" as an editorial preference.
British public broadcaster BBC sent a warning message to its employees about the language to be used while reporting the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US forces.
In the e-mail sent to the staff by the BBC News Editor, it was emphasized that certain expressions should be selected "in order to ensure clarity and consistency in the news".
Prohibited _expression_ 'Kidnapped'
In the note sent to the staff, it was instructed to avoid the use of the word "kidnapped" regarding Maduro's condition.
Instead of this statement, the editor wanted the use of the verbs "captured" or "seized" in the institution's own narratives, referring to the US definition of operations.
BBC News Editor included the following statements in the message he sent:
“As discussed at meeting nine, please follow these guidelines when describing recent events in Venezuela to ensure clarity and consistency in our news: Attribute the phrase 'Caught' to the U.S. description of operations. Example: 'The US announced that Maduro was caught during the operation.' Where appropriate, the _expression_ 'captured' can be used in our own news. Avoid using the phrase 'Kidnapped'.”
The controversial language warning came after the explosion and plane sounds heard in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, around 02:00 local time on January 3.
Following these explosions, the Venezuelan government accused Washington of attacking civilian and military facilities in the country. US President Donald Trump announced that a large-scale attack was carried out against Maduro, and that Venezuelan leader and his wife Cilia Flores were taken out of the country.
Heavy accusations from the US Department of Justice
Making a statement about the legal dimension of the operation, US Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that a criminal complaint was filed against Maduro and his wife Flores in the USA.
Bondi announced that Maduro was accused of "drug terrorism, cocaine trafficking, machine guns and possession of destructive devices against the US".
Maduro appears before the judge in New York in recent hours.