‘El Periódico’ says goodbye after political pressure from the Giammattei government

#DecimosNoalPoder is read on the cover of ‘El Periódico’ this Monday, May 15, words that are accompanied by an image of a man entering an immense maze and next to the dates 1996-2023, referring to the start time and completion of investigative media operations.

“During all these years, despite the fact that we have faced countless intimidations, attacks and constant harassment by the powers that be and those established, ‘El Periódico’ has made an effort to offer its readers the best information to understand society and the world in which we live”, the newspaper published digitally, referring to its closure.

This, its latest edition, was immortalized in digital format, as usual since November of last year, when the copies stopped being printed.

At that time, the newspaper laid off about 50 workers, which represented almost 70% of its workforce.

The communicators that remained stopped putting their names in the articles they wrote. But despite this, in March of this year the Attorney General’s Office announced that it was investigating nine journalists for obstruction of justice. The person in charge of said institution, prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche, argued that the publications made by the newspaper on the judicial process of the director of the outlet, José Rubén Zamora, were preventing its transparency.

According to the outlet, founded in 1996, six journalists and two columnists are being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office, for which some chose to go into exile, including its director, Julia Corado.

The articles in ‘El Periódico’ in reference to the Zamora case spoke of failures in the process, revealing some alleged abuses by prosecutors and judges in charge.

This scenario of dispute between the press and the State reached international spheres when the US State Department sanctioned prosecutor Curruchiche for “obstructing the fight against corruption” and “undermining democracy.”

And now, with the closing of the newspaper, United Nations officials have denounced threats and attempts to intimidate other media outlets in Guatemala.

“It is a threat to the entire national press: critical opinions or serious investigative journalism are not going to be allowed to be published here in Guatemala,” lawyer Frank La Rue, who served as UN rapporteur between 2008 and 2014, told AFP. .

“This is a threat not only to ‘El Periódico’, it is a threat to the entire national press,” added La Rue.

The Association of Journalists of Guatemala also made its opinion known: “The closure of the newspaper represents a setback for press freedom and fundamentally for democracy.”

The story before closing

“After 287 days of resistance, it is time to say see you later,” the outlet said in a statement on Saturday, May 13, when it announced its closure.

the decision came 10 months after the imprisonment of its founder and president, José Rubén Zamora Marroquín. A renowned journalist in his country who was the winner of dozens of international awards. In 2021, he received from the King of Spain, Felipe VI, the prize for the outstanding medium of Ibero-America.

He was arrested on July 29 on alleged charges of blackmail and money laundering. His arrest took place five days after launching strong accusations of corruption within the circle of President Alejandro Giammattei.

“With deep sadness, we are forced to interrupt the daily edition of ‘El Periódico’,” the directors declared. “The persecution has intensified, as well as the harassment of our advertisers,” they added.

The outlet said goodbye with the following message: “We will continue to believe in a fair Guatemala with freedom of expression, a Guatemala where democracy can flourish. Goodbye!”

‘El Periódico’ was born in 1996 and published multiple articles related to corruption cases linked to the country’s authorities, including the scandals that led to the end of the government of Otto Pérez Molina in 2015.

Attack on freedom of expression

Several international organizations and NGOs denounced what they consider to be attacks on the freedom of expression of the media in the country.

“’El Periódico’ is facing all kinds of financial pressure and malicious persecution after exposing government corruption,” reported Reporters Without Borders.

According to the organization, the persecution and censorship of journalists, through court rulings, has been increasing in recent years. One of the most alarming cases was the murder of the director of the Noticias del Puerto website, Orlando Villanueva, in March 2022.

In addition, they denounce the increasing repression of the Government. According to Reporters Without Borders, “civic space has shrunk as judges and prosecutors, human rights defenders and protesters have been subjected to unfounded criminal charges.”

Violence and impunity have led thousands of people to leave the country in recent years. Between 2018 and 2023, at least 30 Guatemalan justice system officials, prosecutors, activists, and journalists had to flee the country and denounced political persecution against them.

With EFE and Reuters