Radio station taken off the air

(IFJ/IFEX) – The Radio Soberana Civilista station, owned by radio commentator Alonso Pinzon, was unexpectedly taken off the air on 8 September 2001, at 11:30 a.m. (local time). At the time, Pinzon and his colleagues were criticising the government and condemning the corruption and alleged attempts to commit fraud surrounding the 9 September Arnulfista Party […]

(IFJ/IFEX) – The Radio Soberana Civilista station, owned by radio commentator Alonso Pinzon, was unexpectedly taken off the air on 8 September 2001, at 11:30 a.m. (local time). At the time, Pinzon and his colleagues were criticising the government and condemning the corruption and alleged attempts to commit fraud surrounding the 9 September Arnulfista Party elections.

According to Luis Estribi Marciaga, of the organisation Journalists Against Corruption (Periodistas Frente a la Corrupcion), the broadcast was suddenly interrupted as Pinzon was reporting on manoeuvering by government officials to ensure that Mireya Moscoso would be reelected president of the Arnulfista Party.

After the broadcast’s interruption, the building’s engineer informed the radio station that upon examining the premises he discovered that the doors showed signs of forced entry and the electrical power had been cut.

A letter was left behind, presumably by those who were responsible for the interruption, notifying the station of its outstanding debts to the Elektra Noreste electricity company. However, the station had received no prior notice of this and had reached an agreement with the company one year ago as to the payment of its debts.

Following the incident, Pinzon stated that Moscoso has “enough influence and power to pressure Elektra Noreste” to cut the station’s power. He believes that the electricity was cut solely to prevent any further criticisms of Moscoso from being broadcast.

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