Fundamedios – Andean Foundation for Media Observation and Study

On 28 January 2013, the website “BananaLeaks.co” was under attack by unidentified hackers. The page was hacked after the publication of an article that revealed the alleged existence of two bank accounts owned by President Rafael Correa in Switzerland.

President Rafael Correa announced that during his next period in office the State will subsidize small “non-profit” media outlets, but the measure will not extend to the large media companies, which he says “are drowning in cash”.

Journalist Ángel Arregui, of television station Sacha TV in La Joya de los Sachas, was kidnapped and beaten by unidentified persons who, after leaving him on the highway, warned him that the attack had been punishment for “messing with the boss.”

On the evening of 3 December, blogger Paúl Moreno – who had been arrested for hacking into President Correa’s personal information – was released as a result of a request made by head of state during his N 299 “Enlace Ciudadano” program.

Journalist Andrés Carrión was notified that his program “Regresando con Andrés Carrión”, broadcasted by Radio Armónica of Quito, would be cancelled. He had recently interviewed Santiago Villa, the director of a censored documentary.

A protective rights action is a judicial guarantee intended to redress the violation of the fundamental rights of people. However, when the State files a protective action there is a contradiction in terms.

On 21 November 2012, the newspaper El Telégrafo reported on a lawsuit filed against Orlando Pérez, the paper’s director, by Salvador Quishpe, prefect of Zamora Chinchipe province, for having allegedly caused him “spiritual damage” in a 21 March article published under the title “Leader Supports Mining.”

The use of broadcasted government “cadenas” to spread the official messages of the State is also an instrument of attack against the media that is not pro-government and their allies, who are described as “opponents” for thinking differently, according to Fundamedios.