A delegation from the International Press Institute (IPI) today concluded a weeklong press freedom mission to Ecuador, after discussions with the vice-president, government, media owners, editors, journalists, civil society organisations and politicians. IPI visited both the capital, Quito, and Guayaquil.
Anthony Mills, IPI Acting Deputy Director, and Mariela Hoyer Guerrero, Press Freedom Adviser for Latin America & The Caribbean, have been seeking to acquire as complete a picture as possible of the media landscape, to listen to concerns expressed by journalists, to engage with government and other state representatives, and to advocate for an end to criminal defamation.
On Wednesday, IPI held meetings with Ecuador´s Vicepresident, Lenin Moreno, and the Communications Secretary, Fernando Alvarado. During the meetings, Mills highlighted concerns about press freedom in the country, notably those prompted by the use of criminal lawsuits against journalists, the development of new laws, hostility directed at certain segments of the media, and a climate of fear that appears to be leading to self-censorship.
Mills said: “We welcome the willingness of all of the various stakeholders to meet with us and discuss the climate of press freedom in Ecuador, including Vice-President Moreno, Communications Secretary Alvarado and Justice Minister Johana Pesántez. Throughout its 62 years of defending press freedom around the world, IPI has placed special emphasis on dialogue, and we have consistently underscored the importance of dialogue during this visit to Ecuador.”
Following the mission, IPI will publish a report on its findings.
