On 20 March 2000, IPYS reported that the ad-hoc prosecutor appointed to the Exchange Rate Market (Mercado Único de Cambios, MUC) dollars case, Jorge Sanz Quiroz, initiated a preliminary investigation of the “El Comercio” newspaper. In comments broadcast on Channel 2 television station, Luis García Miro Elguera, a former shareholder and general manager of “El […]
On 20 March 2000, IPYS reported that the ad-hoc prosecutor appointed to the Exchange Rate Market (Mercado Único de Cambios, MUC) dollars case, Jorge Sanz Quiroz, initiated a preliminary investigation of the “El Comercio” newspaper. In comments broadcast on Channel 2 television station, Luis García Miro Elguera, a former shareholder and general manager of “El Comercio”, accused the daily’s management of having misused funds obtained through a preferential exchange rate in effect until 1990.
According to “La República” newspaper, the prosecutor asked Channel 2 for a copy of the report, aired on Sunday 12 March, which contained García Miro’s allegations. The prosecutor intends to summon García Miro and the newspaper’s legal representatives.
Based on the information that he collects, the prosecutor will decide whether he will initiate a more extensive investigation of the matter. Such an investigation would require the release of information about alleged foreign bank accounts which, according to García Miro, contained the funds obtained from the misuse of the MUC dollars.
Sanz Quiroz has been the ad-hoc prosecutor for the MUC dollars case since 1995. So far, few of the cases launched as a result of the misuse of the preferred monetary exchange have brought results satisfactory to the government. The majority of these prosecutions have been stayed because of the slowness of the court’s investigations.
Facing the dangerous prospect that the government could use a group of minority shareholders to assume control of the newspaper (similarly to what has occurred in other Peruvian news media), the editors of “Arequipa al día”, “La Industria de Trujillo” and “Tiempo de Piura” spoke out in support of “El Comercio”.
According to Carlos Meneses Cornejo of “Arequipa al día”, “this latest attempt against press freedom is added to the dangers that already exist due to Peru’s judicial instability. This will have perilous consequences for the future of the Republic and a crippling effect on our democracy.”
Hugo Coya Honores, “La Industria” editor, rejected “out of hand any attempt to muzzle ‘El Comercio’.” He also noted that the declarations of Alejandro Miro Quesada, editor of the aforementioned newspaper, “have demonstrated the existence of a connection or similarity
with what occurred with Frecuencia Latina and Baruch Ivcher.”
Luz María Helguero, “El Tiempo” editor, characterised the supposed orchestration as “an outrage and yet another example of the lack of a guarantee of press freedom in the country.” Helguero also expressed solidarity with the dean of the Peruvian press and stated that it is not possible to think that the minority shareholders are only trying to defend their own interests.
Background Information
In a 13 March public statement, the Council of the Peruvian Press affirmed its complete support for “El Comercio” and protested against the repeated use of legal manoeuvers to harm the independent media. The Council condemned the practice of hiding behind what appear to be business conflicts, when in reality, their aim is to limit the freedom of expression of the independent media and that of critics of the current government.
The most recent such case is related to the dean of the Peruvian press, against whom a legal action was prepared in order to put him under control of a group of minority shareholders who are linked to the government. This occurred shortly after the newspaper reported on the supposed falsification of signatures needed to register the Frente Nacional Peru 2000 -the party slate which includes President Alberto Fujimori as a candidate.
The characteristics of this new attack against the independent Peruvian press – particularly the attack on “El Comercio”- are similar to the means which were employed in 1997 to hand over the administration of Frecuencia Latina to its minority shareholders. That take-over occurred after the TV channel made serious accusations about assassinations and torture committed by members of the army, and about the millionaire income of a presidential advisor and director of the National Intelligence Service (Servicio de Inteligencia Nacional, SIN), Vladimiro Montesinos.
Besides the Council of the Peruvian Press, a number of important public figures, including former Secretary General of the United Nations Javier Pérez de Cuellar, also condemned the violent campaign to disparage El Comercio. “I would like to express my amazement and repulsion over the recent manoeuvers aimed at subduing the most prestigious and influential of the independent daily newspapers in the country for the ‘crime’ of having disclosed – as is its responsibility- a serious irregularity in the current electoral process,” the diplomat noted in his statement.
The president of the Episcopal Conference of Peru, Monsignor Luis Bambarén, also expressed his profound concern, indicating in his analysis that “one falls into disbelief about the dirty tricks that are being played. Indeed, this is very similar to what Baruch Ivcher of Frecuencia Latina went through. I am concerned about Peru’s reputation, which is being watched by the international community. We are aware of this kind of trick because its not the first time that it has happened, and I use the word ‘trick’ because it is obvious that it was thought through ahead of time.”
Politicians such as former President Francisco Morales Bermúdez, presidential candidates Alberto Andrade, Alejandro Toledo, Luis Castañeda and Federico Salas, as well institutions like IPYS and the Association of Exporters have expressed their complete support for “El Comercio”. Andrade, the current Lima mayor and presidential candidate for the political party Somos Perú, announced that he will call on the people to mobilise throughout the country in defence of “El Comercio” in the face of the attempt by the government to assume control over the administration of the paper.
“El Comercio” editor Quesada Cisneros reiterated in a televised interview that “there are enough indications to suggest that there is a risk that the newspaper could be taken over and be put under the government’s control.” He recollected that the situation with Frecuencia Latina began in the same way, adding that “in a totally absurd legal system, anything can happen.”
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
– demanding an impartial process and a stop to the intimidation against “El Comercio”
Appeals To
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
Martha Hildebrandt Pérez
President of Congress
Fax: +51 1 426 8290
Blanca Nélida Colán
Attorney General
Fax: +51 1 426 2474
Víctor Raúl Castillo Castillo
President of the Peruvian Supreme Court
Fax: +51 1 428 0803
Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Fax: +51 1 426 6657
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
