PRESIDENT CORREA REJECTS CRITICISM FROM INTERAMERICAN PRESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000225

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL:(#######)
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KPAO EC

SUBJECT: PRESIDENT CORREA REJECTS CRITICISM FROM INTERAMERICAN PRESS
SOCIETY

REFTELS: A) 08 Quito 616; B) Quito 108; C) 08 Qui...



id: 199921
date: 3/31/2009 20:46
refid: 09QUITO225
origin: Embassy Quito
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination: 08QUITO499|08QUITO616|09QUITO108
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C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000225

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL:(#######)
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KPAO EC

SUBJECT: PRESIDENT CORREA REJECTS CRITICISM FROM INTERAMERICAN PRESS
SOCIETY

REFTELS: A) 08 Quito 616; B) Quito 108; C) 08 Quito 499

Classified by Amb. Heather M. Hodges for reason 1.4(d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: At its midyear meeting in Paraguay March 13-16, the
Inter American Press Association (IAPA) criticized President Rafael
Correa and his government's attitudes and actions toward the
Ecuadorian media. On March 17, Correa responded to the IAPA's
declarations by rejecting its legitimacy to question his actions,
saying it has no "moral authority" and should "win an election" first
before commenting on his government. Though Ecuadorian media
commentators pointed out the fallacy of this response, civil society
seemed to shrug off the President's latest dismissal of criticism
against him as another example of one of his main governing tactics -
to attack any criticism. End Summary

2. (SBU) The IAPA made a number of critical points about the current
state of freedom of the press in Ecuador in the documents it
published during its March 13-16 midyear meeting in Paraguay. Among
them are these points: "The government continues to systematically
threaten and insult the press and journalists. On his Saturday radio
and television program, the president constantly depicts journalism
as causing all the country's problems." The IAPA also stated that
Correa, and other Latin American leaders, have taken up President
Hugo Chavez's tactic of "actively fanning the flames of hatred
(toward the press) through rhetoric," and that the GOE should abandon
its threats to not place government advertising as retribution
against media outlets that criticize it.


3. (C) The IAPA midyear report on Ecuador also said: "The
government's general attitude toward the press was summarized by
President Correa himself, who told the state-controlled Ecuadorian
newspaper El Telegrafo on March 9, 'Very few governments have had an
opposition as primitive and bloodthirsty as ours. The thing is that
it doesn't express itself through political parties...but they use
the press.' Meanwhile, the government has been consolidating a block
of state-controlled media outlets. So far the government has three
broadcast (UHF) television channels (out of six),one VHF channel and
one cable station (out of dozens),in addition to a national daily
newspaper and several radio stations." These actions are
inconsistent with Correa's comments to former Ambassador Jewell in
June 2008, when he complained about the lack of professionalism in
the Ecuadorian media, but also recognized the need for a free press
and that no one can be a neutral arbiter of what is "good or bad
reporting." On the other hand his attacks against some media outlet
owners, designed to undermine the credibility of their reporting,
have included allegations that they are tax dodgers.


4. (SBU) In public remarks on March 17 and March 23 Correa responded
to the IAPA's criticisms. He said on March 17 in Guayaquil, "What
moral authority does the IAPA have, an association of media outlet
owners? Who gave them any authority or moral right? They should
know their place. If they want to criticize the government or
recommend government policies, they should win an election first.
What legitimacy do they have?" On a visit to Paraguay on March 23 he
added, "What often exists, and not just in Ecuador, is a corrupt,
mediocre press that performs a political role. Where can I go to
complain about the press' harassment of the Ecuadorian government?
Just as the press can say many things, the president and the
government have the right to respond, based on (the principle of)
free speech." In Paraguay, he also alleged that the IAPA was founded
by someone with links to the CIA.


5. (SBU) Editorialists, op-ed commentators and columnists in Ecuador
quickly reacted to President Correa's counter-attack. One pointed
out that according to Correa's logic, no civil society entities could
ever protest government abuse because they never won an election.
Another said that Correa does not think that a free press is
essential in a democracy as a check on government power. A third
pointed out that regional Latin American governments are using state
advertising campaigns to discredit the independent media in their
countries. More than one contrasted Paraguayan president Lujo's
pledges, made at the IAPA meeting, not to restrict press freedom in
his country with Correa's rejection of the IAPA's authority to
comment on press freedom in Ecuador. Curiously, no civil society
groups in Ecuador spoke out publicly to defend the media or point out
that a free press is society's best defense against a government
trying to monopolize power.

6. (SBU) There is more than a grain of truth to Correa's observation
that the Ecuadorian media play a political role, in this case the
role of the opposition. Many media outlet owners come from the elite
business class that feels threatened by Correa's reform agenda, and
defend their own economic interests via their outlets. In addition,

Ecuador's weak political parties have left a political vacuum, which
has been filled in part by criticism of Correa by some of the large
Ecuadorian TV stations and newspapers.


7. (C) COMMENT: Correa's categorical rejection of the IAPA's
criticism, and its right even to comment on his government, follows a
familiar pattern of lashing out at the media and other critics and
brooking no dissent. It also is in line with his past criticism of
the Ecuadorian media and betrays an intolerance for free speech and a
free press. His statement that only those who have won an election
have the legitimacy to comment on his government reveals an even
deeper rejection of the give and take of modern politics than he has
shown in the past.

HODGES

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