CORREA ESCALATES WAR AGAINST THE PRESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 001124 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/PPD: MDCONNORS, WHA/AND: JKEIL, DRL/AWH: JMUNOZ E.O. 12958: DECL: TEN YEARS TAGS: PGOV PREL EC SUBJECT: CORREA ESCALATES WAR AGAINST THE PRESS REF: QUITO 0565 Classified By: PolOff James Cohen for reasons 1.4 (b)& (d). ¶1. (U) Summary: President Correa ramped up his war of words and legal battle with the press May 15 by once again referring to the media as "mediocre and incompetent". While signing documents adding further charges of "insult" to his pending lawsuit against the daily newspaper La Hora, Correa vowed to fight "corruption in all of its forms", including the mass media. End Summary. BACKGROUND: "INTOLERABLE" AND "OFFICIAL VANDALISM" ¶2. (U) President Correa escalated his war against the press in general and specifically against the national daily newspaper La Hora by adding to his already pending lawsuit against them, filed on May 5. During a highly publicized press conference with Pichincha Fiscal (State Attorney General equivalent) Washington Pesantez, Correa held over his head, with Truman-like aplomb, a late April La Hora headline, "Correa Assaults the Junta Bancaria", referring to what La Hora perceives to be heavy-handedness on Correa's part towards the banking sector. While this article is not at the center of the law-suit against La Hora, Correa used it as an example of the kind of "irresponsibility and falsehood" that he will not tolerate, suggesting the possibility of additional actions of this kind. ¶3. (U) Observers trace the genesis of the continually escalating confrontation with the press to the Ecuadorian Newspaper Editor Association's (AEDEP) editorial entitled "Intolerable", which appeared several weeks ago, on the front page of eleven major Ecuadorian dailies -- an unprecedented example of coordinated press rebuke to a sitting president (reftel). The editorial, which placed blame for the recent congressional impasse on all branches of the Ecuadorian government, was nonetheless critical of President Correa's unwillingness to intervene and stabilize the situation. In the weeks following the editorial, Monica Chuji, Presidential Palace spokesperson, embarked on a series of spats with the media, most notably with La Hora, accusing them of inappropriately criticizing President Correa. ¶4. (U) Soon after the demonstrations in front of Congress, on March 9, 2007 La Hora published an editorial "Official Vandalism" which criticized the raucous behavior "pro-government groups" during demonstrations in front of the congress and suggested that Correa did little to stop them. The Correa administration reacted with outrage and Chuji publicly called for an apology, which was never given. A series of open letters between Chuji and the editors of La Hora were published, adding fuel to the fire. Other major dailies throughout Ecuador supported La Hora in its ongoing battle with Chuji. With La Hora willingly playing with the government in its game of brinkmanship, Correa filed suit against La Hora on May 5. Since the law-suit was filed, AEDEP has actively defended La Hora's right to publish the editorial in question, further irritating President Correa and his spokespeople. OTHER MEDIA CONCERNS ¶5. (C) The back and forth between the Correa Administration and the media is being played out in a somewhat tense environment for media organizations. The government has publicly confirmed that it is in the early stages of developing state-owned and run national television and radio stations and one or more newspaper outlets. While details of the formats and management of these outlets are still unclear, many agree that the move will involve the "reallocation" of television or radio frequencies. Many in the media are also consumed with rumors that the government may be interested in taking over the nation's oldest newspaper, (Guayaquil's "Telegrafo.") Correa has also singled out various outlets and even specific journalists for harsh criticism in recent weeks during his long and rambling Saturday radio addresses. It has also been noted in journalistic circles that La Hora's director, Francisco Vivanco, was Sub-Minister of Government in the administration of President Leon Fabres Cordero, whose center-right PSC party does not support President Correa. PSC deputies were amongst the 57 dismissed by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on March 8. COMMENT ¶6. (C) In January 2007, during embassy-sponsored workshops on freedom of the press, embassy contacts in the media noted that candidate Correa had not threatened "direct action" against the media and that they hoped that trend would continue. Correa's law suit against La Hora, his criticism of AEDEP's support for the law-suit, and his constant anti-press rhetoric (referring to the media owners as "corrupt mafiosos"),represent a disturbing new pattern. No doubt emboldened by high approval ratings, Correa is determined to prevent the media from tarnishing him or his agenda in any way. Embassy contacts in the media fear that his intimidation tactics may result, at a minimum, in self-censorship on the part of the press. It is too early to tell if the free and robust press Ecuador currently enjoys is in jeopardy, but the situation requires diligent monitoring. Various press and civil society organizations have expressed concern that relatively archaic "insult laws" still remain on the Ecuadorian books. Correa does run the risk of having an antagonized and bullied press turn on him if, as was the case with so many of his predecessors, his political fortunes sour. But for now, he is clearly willing to take that risk and run with it. JEWELL