Bloque De Armas
Bloque De Armas is a Venezuelan media holding company whose properties have included Diario 2001, Diario Meridiano, Meridiano Televisión, and magazine-publishing businesses.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Bloque De Armas is a Venezuelan media company and holding group formed in 1969 to consolidate the various publishing and other businesses developed by Armando De Armas. Its best-known Venezuelan properties include the sports newspaper Diario Meridiano, the general-interest newspaper Diario 2001, and the sports television network Meridiano Televisión. The group has also operated magazine and publishing businesses, giving it a presence across newspapers, magazines, television, and related media activities. The company grew out of an earlier business history associated with Armando De Armas. In 1947, he launched Distribuidora Continental, and in 1960 he established Editorial América. These businesses provided the commercial and publishing base from which the later holding structure developed. The formal creation of Bloque De Armas in 1969 brought together the founder's different activities. That same year, the group launched Diario Meridiano, a sports-focused newspaper that became one of its principal media properties. Diario 2001 followed in 1973, broadening the group's newspaper portfolio beyond sports coverage. Bloque De Armas also pursued expansion outside Venezuela. In 1965, before the holding company was formally created, Armando De Armas expanded into the United States and assembled a substantial collection of magazine titles. These activities included Spanish-language versions of titles associated with Hearst Corporation. In 1967, the business acquired Vanidades, a Cuban fashion magazine, and in 1970 it acquired the Colombian publishing company Editorial América Colombia. The group's international publishing interests therefore extended across the United States, Colombia, and Venezuela, although the available reference material does not establish the complete later ownership history of each title. The group subsequently changed the structure of parts of its international portfolio. In 1989, it sold Hispanic Magazine Network, U.S.A. to Grupo Anaya. In 1993, Bloque De Armas entered an alliance with the Mexican media company Televisa to print and publish magazines through Editorial Televisa Venezuela. In 1994, it sold its Colombian subsidiary, Editorial América DeArmas Colombia, to Televisa; the business was subsequently renamed Editorial Televisa Colombia. In Venezuela, the group has also been associated with the Meridiano de Oro award, an entertainment-industry honor described as the “Venezuelan Oscar.” The award recognized professionals and organizations in areas including journalism, broadcasting, acting, theater, and television, and was widely regarded as a leading Venezuelan honor of its type. The award illustrates Bloque De Armas's role not only as a publisher and broadcaster but also as a participant in the country's wider entertainment and media culture. The available reference material identifies Bloque De Armas as a Venezuelan media company but does not provide a reliable current ownership structure, executive roster, headquarters address, financial information, stock-market status, or confirmed present operating status. Its historical identity is nevertheless clear: it developed from Armando De Armas's publishing enterprises into a diversified media group with newspaper, magazine, television, and international publishing interests.
History
Bloque De Armas was created in Venezuela in 1969 as a holding company for the businesses of Armando De Armas. Its origins lay in the founder's earlier commercial and publishing activities. De Armas launched Distribuidora Continental in 1947 and Editorial América in 1960, establishing a base in distribution and publishing before the Bloque De Armas structure was formed. The group developed a significant newspaper presence in Venezuela. In the year of its creation it launched Diario Meridiano, a sports newspaper. The title became a central part of the group's identity and later provided the name for Meridiano Televisión, its sports television network. In 1973, Bloque De Armas launched Diario 2001, adding a broader newspaper title to its portfolio. The business also expanded internationally and into magazines. In 1965, Armando De Armas entered the United States and built a large collection of magazine titles, including Spanish-language versions of titles associated with Hearst Corporation. In 1967, the business acquired Vanidades, a Cuban fashion magazine. In 1970, it acquired Colombian publishing company Editorial América Colombia, extending its publishing interests into Colombia. The international portfolio later underwent important changes. Bloque De Armas sold Hispanic Magazine Network, U.S.A. to Grupo Anaya in 1989. In 1993, it formed an alliance with Televisa to print and publish magazines through Editorial Televisa Venezuela. The following year, Bloque De Armas sold Editorial América DeArmas Colombia to Televisa, which renamed the company Editorial Televisa Colombia. Beyond its publishing and broadcasting properties, Bloque De Armas was associated with the Meridiano de Oro award. The award recognized achievement in entertainment and related media, including journalism, announcing, acting, theater, and television. It was widely described as one of Venezuela's most important honors in this field and was sometimes characterized as the country's “Venezuelan Oscar.” The available sources do not establish the group's current ownership, management, financial position, headquarters, or operating status. They do establish a historical trajectory from Armando De Armas's distribution and publishing businesses to a diversified Venezuelan media group with newspaper, sports television, magazine, international publishing, and entertainment-award activities.
- 1994
Colombian subsidiary is sold to Televisa
[1]Editorial América DeArmas Colombia was sold to Televisa and renamed Editorial Televisa Colombia.
- 1993
Alliance with Televisa
[1]Bloque De Armas and Televisa formed an alliance for magazine printing and publishing through Editorial Televisa Venezuela.
- 1989
Hispanic Magazine Network is sold
[1]The group sold Hispanic Magazine Network, U.S.A. to Grupo Anaya.
- 1973
Diario 2001 launches
[1]Bloque De Armas launched Diario 2001, expanding its Venezuelan newspaper portfolio.
- 1970
Editorial América Colombia is acquired
[1]The group acquired Colombian publishing company Editorial América Colombia.
- 1969
Bloque De Armas is formed
[1]Bloque De Armas was established as a holding company for Armando De Armas’s businesses.
- 1969
Diario Meridiano launches
[1]The group launched the sports newspaper Diario Meridiano.
- 1967
Acquisition of Vanidades
[1]The business acquired the Cuban fashion magazine Vanidades.
- 1965
Expansion into the United States
[1]De Armas expanded into the United States and built a collection of magazine titles, including Spanish-language editions associated with Hearst titles.
- 1960
Editorial América is launched
[1]De Armas expanded into publishing with the launch of Editorial América.
Products and positioning
A Venezuelan multi-platform media group combining newspaper publishing, sports media, television broadcasting, magazine publishing, and entertainment-industry recognition.
Sports newspaper · 1969
Diario Meridiano
A Venezuelan sports newspaper launched in 1969. It is one of the most identifiable properties associated with Bloque De Armas and supplied the Meridiano name later used for the group’s sports television network.
Newspaper · 1973
Diario 2001
A Venezuelan newspaper launched by Bloque De Armas in 1973. It broadened the group’s newspaper activities beyond the sports specialization of Diario Meridiano.
Sports television network
Meridiano Televisión
A sports television network associated with Bloque De Armas. The available reference identifies the network as one of the group’s principal properties but does not provide reliable details about its launch date, programming scope, or current status.
Magazines
Magazine publishing portfolio
Bloque De Armas and its predecessor businesses developed a substantial magazine portfolio spanning Venezuela, the United States, and Colombia. The portfolio included Spanish-language editions connected with Hearst titles and the acquired fashion magazine Vanidades.
Entertainment award
Meridiano de Oro
An award associated with Bloque De Armas that recognized achievement among journalists, announcers, actors, theater groups, television channels, and other entertainment professionals. It was widely regarded as a leading Venezuelan honor of its type.
Brand decisions
1994
Sale of Editorial América DeArmas ColombiaM&ABackground
Bloque De Armas had acquired Editorial América Colombia in 1970 and operated it as a Colombian publishing subsidiary.
Action taken
Bloque De Armas sold Editorial América DeArmas Colombia to Televisa.
Aftermath
Televisa renamed the company Editorial Televisa Colombia, transferring the subsidiary into Televisa’s Colombian publishing operation.
1993
Magazine-publishing alliance with TelevisaM&ABackground
Bloque De Armas operated magazine and publishing businesses in Venezuela and had prior international publishing interests.
Action taken
The group formed an alliance with Televisa to print and publish magazines through Editorial Televisa Venezuela.
Aftermath
The alliance created a formal publishing relationship between the Venezuelan group and Televisa. The source does not provide details about its duration or financial terms.
1989
Sale of Hispanic Magazine Network, U.S.A.M&ABackground
Bloque De Armas had expanded into United States magazine publishing and held a collection of Hispanic-oriented titles.
Action taken
The group sold Hispanic Magazine Network, U.S.A. to Grupo Anaya.
Aftermath
The sale reduced Bloque De Armas’s direct involvement in that United States magazine business. Further transaction terms are not provided in the reference.
Sources1 sources
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