This article, published on the one-year anniversary of the unrest in Ecuador, discusses changes in the country’s military and police roles and President Rafael Correa’s relationship with the country’s media:
Correa’s relationship with private media also took a major hit. Following the revolt, and subsequent press coverage, Correa filed a lawsuit against El Universo newspaper for a column by former editor Emilio Palacio, in which the journalist called the president a “dictator,” implying that he had ordered the military to open fire on the hospital and had caused the deaths of several people. The president won $40 million, while the newspaper’s three directors and Mr. Palacio were sentenced to three years in jail. Human rights and freedom of expression organizations around the world strongly condemned the ruling, which could well lead the paper to financial bankruptcy and closure. Ecuador’s legislature is also reviewing a draft for a media law that would create a controversial state panel to regulate media content.
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