(IPYS/IFEX) – In a report submitted to IPYS, journalist Alberto Pintado Villaverde denounced the attempted bribery of the media in the province of Bagua Grande, district of Amazonas. He reported that the departmental coordinator of Perú 2000, Milecio Vallejos Bravo, attempted to manipulate Radio Galaxia Súper Stereo by offering bribes to its news director, Carlos […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – In a report submitted to IPYS, journalist Alberto Pintado Villaverde denounced the attempted bribery of the media in the province of Bagua Grande, district of Amazonas. He reported that the departmental coordinator of Perú 2000, Milecio Vallejos Bravo, attempted to manipulate Radio Galaxia Súper Stereo by offering bribes to its news director, Carlos Flores Borja. In exchange for the proposed bribe, the news director was asked to broadcast a letter opposing presidential candidate Alejandro Toledo and change the contents of the news program.
According to the document, on 24 April 2000 at approximately 10:00 p.m. (local time), Milecio Vallejos, accompanied by Colonel Raymundo Flores of the Peruvian Army and Flavio Flores, a journalist with Radio Utcubamba, arrived at Flores Borja’s house to “invite him to talk” at the home of the coordinator of Perú 2000.
Once they were together, Raymundo Flores passed Radio Galaxia’s news director a letter that opposed presidential candidate Toledo and the Civil Transparency Association (Asociacion Civil Transparencia). The colonel offerred him 700 soles (about USD$200) to broadcast the document and to change the line of his news programs in favour of “a patriotic campaign for the salvation of the country.” Flores Borja replied that they ought to discuss the request with the manager and owner of the radio, Juan Sánchez Castañeda. After hearing the proposal, Sánchez Castañeda offerred them an hour of programming as paid commericial time.
As an antecedent, Pintado noted in his report that two days before the 9 April elections, a person who identified himself with an identity card from the same radio station, warned Flores Borja to stop sending dispatches to Radio Marañon de Jaén. The person told him that there would be problems if he continued to send the dispatches. Upon making some inquiries, they verified that the person did not actually work for the radio station.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
- protesting the pressure being put on the media to support the incumbent president’s campaign
Appeals To
Alberto Fujimori Fujimori
President of the Republic
Fax: +51 1 427 6722 / 426 6535
Alberto Bustamante Belaunde
President of the Council of Ministers
Fax: +51 1 447 1628 / 475 0689
José Villanueva Ruesta
General Commander of the Armed Forces
Fax: +51 1 436 1423 / 435 4623
Carlos Bergamino Cruz
Minister of Defence
Fax: +51 1 433 6906
Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Fax: +51 1 426 6657
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
