2023-05-19 03:05:51
Press freedom received a new blow in Guatemala with the closure of the newspaperan outlet that had earned a reputation for its tireless pursuit of accountability from the Guatemalan government.
The closing of the newspaper comes after its CEO was jailed under accusations of financial crimes, which led to the freezing of its accounts and caused a serious economic crisis that resulted in the suspension of its print edition last December.
The disappearance of a medium critical of all Guatemalan governments as elPeriódico represents the latest setback for Guatemalan democracywhich has become increasingly fragile, according to civil liberties organizations.
The right-wing and ultra-conservative president, Alejandro Giammattei has led the country towards greater repression by confronting his critics.including the media, opposition politicians and the judiciary.
A bastion of the Latin American press dies with elPeriódico
The birth of elPeriódico occurred at a hopeful, albeit uncertain, moment shortly before the signing of the Peace Accords in December 1996. These accords ended a 36-year armed conflict in the Central American country, which left hundreds of thousands of dead or missing persons.
During its beginnings, elPeriódico had no clear restrictions on what could and could not be published. The country was in the process of recovering from a legacy of military rule, repression, and assassinations of intellectuals and dissidents.
“We strive to be irreverent, not necessarily confrontational,” said Luis Aceituno, one of the few remaining employees at elPeriódico. At its peak, in 2012, the newspaper employed 400 people.
However, over the years, elPeriódico made enemies among the ruling elite.
Since Giammattei became president in 2020, elPeriódico has published numerous investigative articles focused on government corruption during his tenureincluding the Public Ministry and the Supreme Court of Justice.
“Despite the fatigue, the harsh adverse conditions, the humiliation and ridicule, I will not stop fighting for freedom and democracy in Guatemala,” wrote José Rubén Zamora, director of elPeriódico, in a last editorial written from prison. Zamora has been detained since last July, accused of money laundering, blackmail and influence peddling. He has denied any crime and has denounced a “persecution”.
The government has stated that the case against Zamora is not related to his journalistic work, but to his activities as a businessman.
The investigative reporters of the now-defunct outlet have sought asylum in other countries, in order to protect their well-being in the face of the persecution they are being subjected to.
This is the medium’s farewell post on its official Facebook page:
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