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A leakage reveals proposals for creation of a supposed government ‘troll center.’
Posted On 18 Nov 2016
The creation of a so-called “troll center” (profiles to counter opponents of the government in social networks) as one of the measures for the “crisis management,” the administration of strategic social networks, or the promotion of President Rafael Correa in different platforms, were part of the proposals made by the companies of publicist Kenneth Godwin Castro, who would have received several contracts to develop the official propaganda between 2009 and 2011.
This was revealed by the Ecuador Transparente (ET) organization, through the website of the Mil Hojas Foundation. A large number of documents and communications that show the proposals of the Emotional Intelligence and Kronopio companies, both linked with Godwin, are exposed, according to Ecuador Transparente.
Yesterday, the organization linked Godwin with Vinicio Alvarado, who works as coordinating minister of Production and has been one of the props of the government’s propaganda team, pointing out alleged commissions received by the official, which totaled $ 81,915.76.
Alvarado, however, rejected in a statement this “perverse attempt to damage the honor of the people in times of campaign,” and called those sites that published the documents “gossip sites.” “This is nothing more than a dishonest mix of false information with aspects of public management, nuanced with evidently tricky mails and crude assemblies.”
Along with the social network administration, the proposals would have included the development of several editions of “Hey Jude,” “Freedom is Everyone’s,” “Dialogue with Indigenous People,” or “Message from the President, Message of Peace,” as well as several spots against union marches and Daily El Universo.
The official warned to bring to court “all this information junk,” so that “this attack on my good name does not go unpunished.”
