Can A News Website De-Stabilize A Country? Venezuela Says Yes

A waiter counted bolivar notes at a restaurant in Caracas on July 14. Venezuela sued a U.S. website, DolarToday.com, for publishing the black-market value of its bolivar. PHOTO: CARLOS GARCIA RAWLINS/REUTERS

Wall Street Journal: Venezuela, Black-Market Currency News Site Square Off in U.S. Court

Lawsuit alleges DolarToday.com is destabilizing Venezuelan economy

CARACAS—Venezuela’s central bank and the most prominent website publishing information on the country’s currency black market are squaring off in U.S. court where this South American government is seeking the closure of the outlet it blames for destabilizing its entire economy.

Lawyers for Delaware-registered DolarToday.com on Thursday filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit submitted by President Nicolás Maduro’s embattled leftist administration in October, in which it accused the site of engaging in cyberterrorism and manipulating Venezuela’s bolivar currency—whose value has fallen 80% in 2015.

Analysts and critics say the government’s suit is a last-ditch effort to deflect blame for the oil-exporting nation’s severe crisis. The International Monetary Fund estimates a 10% economic contraction this year, while inflation nears 200%.

WNU Editor: Everyone knows that a website cannot destabilize a country .... all that a website does is provide information that you can either accept and/or reject. But it looks like the Venezuelan government needs someone to blame .... so they are now blaming 3 guys with a computer and a website for the reason on why Venezuela's multi-billion dollar economy has imploded, impoverishing millions of families in the process.