(IPYS/IFEX) – A decision of the 7th Lima Civil Court is effectively preventing Nicolás Lúcar, journalist and former director of the “La Revista Dominical” programme, from ever again working for another station. Lúcar was ordered to pay US$2 million to the station which employed him until his resignation a few weeks ago. Any station that […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – A decision of the 7th Lima Civil Court is effectively
preventing Nicolás Lúcar, journalist and former director of the “La Revista
Dominical” programme, from ever again working for another station. Lúcar was
ordered to pay US$2 million to the station which employed him until his
resignation a few weeks ago. Any station that may now want to employ him
would have to assume responsibility, together with the journalist, for
paying the US$2 million.
The court ruled in favour of América TV and against Lúcar for breaching his
contract by resigning. The decision was communicated to all television
stations, thus effectively preventing them from hiring Lúcar.
Lúcar is married to Frances Crousillat, the daughter of América TV owner,
José Enrique Crousillat. However, it appears that his family connection did
not assist him.
Background Information
The journalist resigned from the programme after the broadcast of a
controversial interview by reporter Ãlamo Pérez Luna with President Alberto
Fujimori and his advisor Vladimiro Montesinos, conducted in the National
Intelligence Services offices. According to some sources, the interview was
arranged directly between the station’s owners and Montesinos. Lúcar had not
been informed of the interview and found out about it after it had been
arranged. On air, Lúcar stated that the interview was being broadcast
against his will.
In a press conference held a few days after his resignation, Lúcar admitted
having directed a programme advocating a particular political view which he
did not share. He suggested that he had done it because of “(family) loyalty
while hoping that things would change someday, ⦠but none of these things
make me a good example for any journalist to follow.”
According to some analysts, Lúcar’s situation resembles that of persons who
were linked to high level government circles and who, for various reasons,
decided at some point to disassociate themselves from these circles.
