El Universo Case Hearing is Suspended

El Universo attorneys

Carlos Perez Barriga, the director of newspaper El Universo announced that he is willing to sign an apology to the Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa, but with three commitments.

During a press conference given in the newspaper, the director stated their conditions, “Your government must desist on all the demands made against journalists; that your government upholds the law of access against the public information that is active and order the officials to provide documents that have been arbitrarily denied to journalists and that a request be made to the Inter American Court of Human Rights and UN about the Communication bill and its compatibility with international treaties.”

El Universo directors, Carlos, Cesar and Nicolas Perez, along with the former editor of opinion Emilio Palacio face a sentence of three years in prison and a fine of $40 million compensation to Correa. Yesterday Monica Vargas, the attorney of the newspaper went to the Court to excuse the judges Luis Quiroz, Enrique Pacheco and Cesar Salinas to rule on the appeal regarding the cassation process made by the president.

Today, judge Enrique Pacheco could not attend the hearing due to health complications. When the hearing was suspended Correa left the building stating that this is another ‘foul play’ during this trial. (AV)