Brazil
Press freedom regresses in Latin AmericaPosted Sep 23 2009
In Latin America a new trend of negating press freedoms is manifesting in both leftist and moderate governments.
After nearly two decades of gradual press freedom legislation, countries such as Brazil, Venezuela and Bolivia are regressing to previous levels of press protection and freedom. In Argentina, President Kirchner is attempting to pass a controversial new media bill that opponents say is attempting to punish media conglomerate Grupo Clarín for being critical of the administration.
The most obvious example of restricting press freedoms is in Venezuela, where under the guise of unity and national security, press freedoms have been greatly restricted since 1999 when Chávez was first elected as president.
A more obvious and less controversial illustration of the growing anti-press sentiment in Latin American, took place in a Brazilian federal court.
Brazilian Senate president José Sarney’s son, Fernando Sarney, asked a federal court to issue an injunction against O Estado de São Paulo, a leading newspaper, after the paper published reports detailing a phone conversation recoded by the police.
The court granted the injunction; however Mr. Gandour, O Estado’s editor-in-chief, said the paper is appealing the decision and continuing the investigation. Mr Gandour told the New York Times, “The recordings show a senator with his son and close family members negotiating jobs and benefits as if the Senate were a private company, the property of the family.”
Several newspapers published allegations that Mr. Sarney abused his influence by securing jobs for family and friends. Other reports published allegations that the Senator had an illegal bank account.
The Senate’s ethics council considered 11 allegations against Mr. Sarney but dismissed all allegations, later citing all charges were based on “media reports.”
While press freedoms may be declining in many Latin American countries, press freedom stands strong in many others, most notably Peru.
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