Jailed DirecTV Execs Accused of Destabilizing the Economy in Venezuela

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/...sed-of-destabilizing-the-economy-in-venezuela

Three DirecTV executives have been arrested in Venezuela and accused of fraud and destabilizing the economy after parent company AT&T abruptly severed television service in the country last month, leaving millions of Venezuelans disconnected from popular news and entertainment programming.

In a statement last month, AT&T announced that it had become impossible to balance U.S. sanctions against Venezuela with the Venezuelan government demands to carry state-backed TV networks and censor international channels critical of Nicolás Maduro's regime.

“Because it is impossible for AT&T’s DIRECTV unit to comply with the legal requirements of both countries, AT&T was forced to close its pay TV operations in Venezuela, a decision that was made by the company’s U.S. leadership team without any involvement or prior knowledge of the DIRECTV Venezuela team,” AT&T said in a statement.

With a 44 percent market share of the Venezuelan TV market, the decision sparked scattered protests in cities like Caracas among frustrated customers who’ve been homebound since March as part of the country’s efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Politics in Venezuela is an issue for the detained Directv management.