El Universo Will Go To The Interamerican Court to Stop Condemnation

After hearing the ratification against El Universo Newspaper, it is hoped that the Human Rights Commission issues precautionary measures to stop the implementation of the sentence, condemning the newspaper managers (brothers Nicolas, Cesar and Carlos Perez) and former editor of opinion (Emilio Palacio) to three years of prison and a compensation payment of $ 40 million (30 million euros), which would mean the collapse of the newspaper.

“Hopefully in the coming days, we will hear a a ruling by the Inter-American Commission, as precautionary measures have been requested,” said Joffre Campaña, one of the lawyers for the defense of the newspaper. He clarified that the Ecuadorian courts will disqualify the conviction and an arrest warrant issued in the next 15 or 20 days.

Campaña accused Correa of wanting to eliminate the independent press and said that El Universo does not appeal the ruling to the Constitutional Court of Ecuador, for “it doesn’t generate any confidence.” According t oCampaña, Ecuadorian President wants to “create a chain or cascade effect with other Latin American media.”

“We have gone back to the worst times of absolute concentration of power, absence of judicial independence and that the development of a democratic society is grim,” said Campaign.

The parties will receive official notifications of the decision in the next few days, then El Universo will file a petition for clarification and expansion of the judgment, said Campaña. Subsequently, the process will come to court in the province of Guayas, which would issue the arrest warrant and initiate processes to bankrupt the newspaper.

(MS)