(IPYS/IFEX) – As of 20 July 2001, Jorge Vivanco Mendienta, deputy director of the Guayaquil based daily “Expreso”, is facing legal action brought forward by the heads of the Ecuadorian Roldosist Party (Partido Roldosista Ecuatoriano, PRE). This is the party of former president Abdalá Bucaram Ortiz, who was abruptly ousted and is currently living in […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – As of 20 July 2001, Jorge Vivanco Mendienta, deputy director of the Guayaquil based daily “Expreso”, is facing legal action brought forward by the heads of the Ecuadorian Roldosist Party (Partido Roldosista Ecuatoriano, PRE). This is the party of former president Abdalá Bucaram Ortiz, who was abruptly ousted and is currently living in exile in Panama as a fugitive. Vivanco, a 74-year-old journalist with over 40 years’ experience, is facing two actions filed by PRE Member of Parliament Fernando Rosero. The Guayas Prosecutor’s Office is currently examining a complaint for alleged insult and libel. In addition, in a suit currently before Judge José Rendon Alvarado, fifteenth judge of the Guayas Civil Court, Rosero is demanding compensation for damages.
These actions and investigations stem from one of Vivanco’s articles, published in the daily “Expreso” on Sunday 15 July, titled “The generals do not defend themselves.” In the article, Vivanco criticised the Armed Forces generals for not exercising their right to defend themselves in in the face of accusations by Rosero, PRE member of parliament and Bucaram’s right-hand man, in connection with the scandal of arms purchases from Argentina during the 1995 confrontation between Ecuador and Peru. Rosero had referred to the generals as “chatarreros del Cenepa”, (in reference to the Cenepa conflict and the purchase of “chatarra” arms, meaning old or useless).
Rosero is mentioned twice in Vivanco’s article. First, there is a reference to the fact that Rosero made these accusations against the Armed Forces high command. The article also refers to the actions of “those exiled in Panama, whose bearer was Member of Parliament Rosero, who is protected by parliamentarian immunity and impunity.” (According to Ecuadorian Law, members of parliament cannot be held accountable for what they say while exercising their functions).
Vivanco told IPYS that he sees no legal justification for the actions launched against him. Nevertheless, he is thankful that this situation has generated support for him throughout the country. He added that he does not fear the outcome of these cases.
When questioned about the case by IPYS’ correspondent in Ecuador, Jorge Ortiz, journalist for Teleamazonas and correspondent in Quito for the DPA news agency, condemned the politicians’ attitude towards Vivanco. He referred to Vivanco as an honest and irreproachable journalist, who has been critical of corruption and inappropriate actions in his column “Barajando los Días”, which appears daily in “Expreso”. Both Vivanco and Ortiz feel that the legal actions are unjustified and are intended to intimidate the “Expreso” columnist because of his regular critiques.
On Friday 27 July, a public announcement by the Ecuadorian Newspaper Editors Association (Asociacion Ecuatoriana de Editores de Periodicos, AEDEP) appeared in newspapers expressing the association’s support for and confidence in Vivanco. The association also expressed its belief that due process will be followed and the case will be tried in accordance with Ecuadorian laws that guarantee freedom of the press and expression.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
– protesting the legal action launched against the journalist and asking them to ensure that due process will be followed
Appeals To
Dr. Gustavo Noboa
President of the Republic
E-mail: saladeprensa@presidencia.ec-gov.net
Dr. José Cordero
President of the National Congress
E-mail: dpcn@rdyec.net
Dr. Galo Pico
President of the Supreme Court
E-mail: pres-csj@access.net.ec
Dr. Ramiro Larrea
President of the Anti-Corruption Commission
E-mail: coatinco@ecuanex.net.ec
Dr. Marco Morales
President of the Constitutional Tribunal
Fax: +593 2 569 861
Dr. Julio Prado
President of the National Human Rights Commission
E-mail: jprado@uio.satnet.net
Sr. Pedro Zambrano
President of the Ecuadorian Newspaper Publishers Association (AEDEP)
E-mail: pzl@eldiario.com.ec
Monsignor José Mario Ruiz
President of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference
E-mail: confeps@uio.satnet.net
Flora Proaño de Simancas
President of the National Journalists’ Union
E-mail: simancas@hoy.net
Dr. Juan de Dios Parra
President of the Latin American Human Rights Association (Asociacion Latinoamericana de Derechos Humanos, ALDHU)
E-mail: aldhu@ecuanex.net.ec
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
