Politic Opposition Denounces Harassment to Ecuadorian Press

Washington.-

Organizations of Inter-American Dialogue, Freedom House and Human Rights Watch (HRW) expressed their concern over the treatment of Law Communications and specific cases that are meaningful according to the opposition in the Assembly, persecution and violation of rights.

Leonardo Viteri (PSC), Magali Orellana (PK), Fernando Gonzalez (before PAIS), Andrés Páez (ID), Cesar Montufar (CND) and Fausto Cobo and Fernando Aguirre both belong to the Patriotic Society and are in Washington, DC, to present on this bill the situation of expression freedom in the country.

The Ecuadorian former politicians participed with the chairman Michael Shifter  from the Inter-American Dialogue and Victoria Amato as the representative for Latin America to the Freedom House.

Inter-American Dialogue said that most questions focused on legal certainty, concentration of powers, investment climate, private property against the draft of the Land Bill, the international relationships focused on Colombia and the role of Organization of American States (OEA).

According to Paez, Freedom House was surprised with the persecution of Guadalupe Llori, prefect of Orellana province, along with the treatment given to the Communication Bill. Another concern was the situation with the Ecuadorian press.

The opposition’s group also pointed out the prosecution of journalists Juan Carlos Calderón, Cristian Zurita who published the book The Big Brother, which according to Paez aimed to benefit the Correa brothers.

The Assambleist (Paez) said the director of the ONG, José Miguel Vivanco, was interested in three topics: the Dayuma case, the “persecution” against  two journalists and legislators such as Leonardo Viteri .

“Vivanco has asked us to send enough information about these cases and has undertaken to review.”

Fernando Aguirre (SP) said that in our country the Goverment is trying to implant a politic system that wants to replicate the model Hugo Chavez uses in Venezuela.

Viteri said the role of the Office has been very poor and has become the “President Correa’s judicial arm “.

Paez criticized the OEA Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, because he didn’t received them, although they had made an appointment previously.

Thursday they are scheduled to meet with Catalina Botero from the American Commission on Human Rights of the OEA.

Ricardo Patino
CHANCELLOR
“Assemblies of extreme right and left ideology they started this campaign to throw mud on our project absolutely democratic.”