The Ecuadorean government has fined a leading local newspaper, saying a political cartoon it recently published was defamatory and promoted social unrest, stoking concerns about press freedom in the South American country.
The fine imposed by a recently created media watchdog on Guayaquil-based daily El Universo represents the latest dispute between media companies and the administration of President Rafael Correa, which has often sued independent journalists. Last year, the country’s congress passed legislation banning reporters from pursuing stories that regulators judge can damage a person’s reputation.
