<
- El Pais published a photo of Hugo Chavez convalescing, it said, but hours later rpelaced it with one of a hairless Chavez that turned out to be fake. Immediately, the editors took the photo down. Photo: Diarios
- The text accompanying the photo confirmed that El Pais could not verify what date the photo was taken. Nevertheless, other media outlets did not excuse the error. Photo: Diarios
- The newspapers showed the 'misprint' of the false photo of Chavez. In fact, Infobae and other media ran headines on their web site page alluding to the controversy. Photo: Diarios
- Meanwhile, Argentina's Telam also highlighted the 'blunder.' Photo: Diarios
- The incident 'caused the occasion that the newspaper edition of the paper from Thursday Jan. 24 is not available in some kiosks, such as in Spain and abroad,' the paper reported itself. Photo: Diarios
- After meeting in Caracas about the publication of the fake photo, Ernesto Villegas, minister of communications for Venezuela, classified it as false and said it came from You Tube. The video was posted in 2008 and is identified thusly: 'Patient of 48 years old sufering from acromegaly who tried to intubate two years ago.' Photo: Diarios
- In addition, Villegas said on his Twitter account that the image is 'as grotesque as it is false.' Photo: Diarios
- 'Would El Pais publish a photo like this of a European leader? Of its director? Sensationalism is valid if the victim is a 'southern' revolutionary,' Villegas continued. Photo: Diarios
- The newspaper Clarín of Argentina also echoed the news. Photo: Diarios
- This is the video capture where they took the image of the man, who El Pais identified as Hugo Chavez. Photo: Diarios
- Chávez, 58 years old and in power since 1999, has been in Cuba since Dec. 10, where he was operated on for the fourth time for the cancer that was detected in June 2011. It is not known what type of cancer or how malignant it is. Photo: Diarios
- However, the decision to publish the photo happened because 'the particular politics of Cuba and the information restrictions imposed by the regime have made it impossible (to corroborate information),' according to the paper. In Venezuela, Twitter filled up with messaged regarding the photo. Photo: Diarios
- El País is one of the most reliable newspapers internationally, so the decision to publish the photo without verifying its authenticity surprised everyone. 'It's evident they acted lightly with this false image of Chavez,' said Venezuelan historian Elías Pino Iturrieta. Photo: Diarios
- "El País apologizes to its readers for the damage caused. The newspaper has opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of what happened and the mistakes made in verifying the photo,' said the newspaper in a release. Photo: Diarios
- On the other side, the oposition criticized the official secrecy surrounding the state of the president's health, and officials accused the media of being allied with the opposition to spread rumors that the president's health is worse than officially reported. Photo: Diarios
- Although El País is the medium on everyone's lips a the moment; it isn't the only one that was wrong about Chavez's health. In a similar episode, Wdnesday a news web site in Argnetina published an image of Chavez walking with his older brother and his father, which was the first photo of Chavez in 2013. An official spokesman told Reuters the photo was from 2011. Photo: Diarios
- Although the international media did not let El Pais' error escape, the majority realize a grand mystery exists concerning Chavez's health. Photo: Diarios
- "the state of the health of President Chavez continues to be delicate, presenting complications that are being addressed in the process not without risks,' read one of the statements just after Christmas, when it was reported Chavez was being kept alive artifically. Photo: Diarios
- Other Latin American presidents who recently suffered cancer include the leaders of Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay, have authorized the doctors to give all the details of their condition. But in the case of Chavez everything is the opposite. When he was first diagnosed with pelvic cancer in 2011, Chavez was his own spokesman. Photo: Diarios
- Vice-president Nicolás Maduro, named by Chavez as his heir apparent, has said he hopes 'sooner rather than later' that the presdient will return to his country. Photo: Diarios
1
20
El Pais published a photo of Hugo Chavez convalescing, it said, but hours later rpelaced it with one of a hairless Chavez that turned out to be fake. Immediately, the editors took the photo down.
Photo: Diarios

