A Bill to Monitor Phone Calls was Approved by the Bolivian Senate

Independent media in Bolivia is threatened by communication bill

The Bolivian Congress dominated by the political party of Evo Morales, approved last Thursday night a controversial bill of telecommunications. This bill was criticized by the opposition and the press since it gives the government the permit to listen phone lines, this is a threat to the media such as the radio and television.

The bill gives a 33% of the electromagnetic spectrum to the Estate. According to the critics of the law, Morales would control a 67% of the electromagnetic waves due to his relation with indigenous organizations, this could provoke that the private media lose their licenses.

Meanwhile radio stations associations and journalists criticize the bill since, in their opinion, it assaults the freedom that the Constitution promotes to the independent media and could allow the manipulation of the media. The president of the Bolivian Association of Broadcasters (Asbota) commented to the Bolivian newspaper La Razon (The Reason) “that this is a serious threat to the freedom of speech.” (AV)