Ecuador’s restrictive communications laws have limited investigative journalism to news websites constantly struggling amid precarious economic circumstances, so the takedown of five online media outlets in less than 72 hours following numerous digital attacks represents a troubling development. The incidents have come ahead of a presidential election set for Feb. 19, where Lenin Moreno, a former vice president under incumbent Rafael Correa and the candidate of Correa’s Alianza País party, and main opposition CREO party candidate Guillermo Lasso lead in the polls. In some cases, the attacks occurred just minutes after the portals published news of the alleged involvement of members of Ecuador’s government in a corruption scandal affecting several Latin American countries. Read more>>
