(PERIODISTAS/IFEX) – On 18 February 2003, Cordoba province Governor José Manuel de la Sota pressured Radio and Television Services (Servicios de Radio y Television, SRT) authorities at Cordoba National University into removing journalist Jorge Martínez from his position as director of the television news programme “Cronica 10”. In a meeting with Dean Jorge González and […]
(PERIODISTAS/IFEX) – On 18 February 2003, Cordoba province Governor José Manuel de la Sota pressured Radio and Television Services (Servicios de Radio y Television, SRT) authorities at Cordoba National University into removing journalist Jorge Martínez from his position as director of the television news programme “Cronica 10”.
In a meeting with Dean Jorge González and the SRT board of directors, the governor advised university media outlets, including Radio Universidad, to “lower the volume” and refrain from broadcasting negative information about the provincial government. Otherwise, the governor warned, he would withhold payment owed to the university for past advertising and further advertising contracts would not be forthcoming.
In response to the pressure, “Cronica 10” workers and the Cordoba Press Union (Círculo Sindical de la Prensa de Cordoba, CISPREN) decided to stop working and declared a “state of alert” until Martínez is reinstated.
The governor has a history of hostility towards the press. Between 25 and 30 July 2002, De la Sota and his wife Olga Riutort, the provincial government secretary-general, verbally abused journalist Sergio Carreras of the Cordoba daily “La Voz del Interior” while appearing on a number of television programmes. During the 30 July broadcast of “La Cornisa” programme, Riutort referred to Carreras’ mother in an insulting way. Three days later, she publicly admitted that her choice of words had been “somewhat harsh.” At the time, the governor warned SRT that the university media outlets risked losing government advertising contracts for having commented on Carreras’ article (see IFEX alert of 13 August 2002).
On 4 July 2001, the governor filed a complaint against the editor of “Tiempo Latinoamericano” magazine, Luis Miguel Baronetto. In a 20 February 2001 article in the newspaper “Hoy Día”, Baronetto expressed his opposition to the privatisation of the provincial bank.
Recommended Action
Send letters of support to:
Círculo Sindical de Prensa de Cordoba
Tel/fax: +54 351 426 3662
E-mail: cispren@cispren.com.ar / gcabus@cispren.com.ar
Universidad Nacional de Cordoba
E-mail: prensa@rectorado.unc.edu.ar / rector@unc.edu.ar
Send appeals to Governor De la Sota:
– condemning his harassment of SRT
Appeals To
José Manuel de la Sota
Government of the Province of Cordoba
Switchboard: +54 351 468 9500
Press Secretary: +54 351 468 8450/8433
E-mail: webmaster@cba.gov.ar
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
