Depredador(a)

Daniel ORTEGA

Presidente de Nicaragua desde 2007 (después de haberlo sido por primera vez entre 1979 y 1990)

Depredador desde que fue reelegido para un tercer mandato consecutivo, en noviembre de 2016

Nicaragua, 121°/180 en la Clasificación Mundial de la Libertad de Prensa 2021

Dear [Name of Candidate],

I am writing to ask you what you plan to do to defend the First Amendment, freedom of the press, and the fundamental rights of journalists to practice their profession freely in what has become an increasingly hostile environment for information and news providers.

The United States, which enshrines press freedom in the First Amendment of its Constitution, is currently witnessing a drastic decline in media freedom. On June 28, one of the most horrific attacks on press freedom in the United States occurred when five employees, including four reporters, were killed at the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland. According to the US Press Freedom Tracker, which comprehensively documents press freedom violations in the US committed by national, state, and local authorities as well as private individuals, 33 journalists were arrested, 43 were physically attacked, and 15 seizures of journalists’ equipment occurred in 2017. In one of these incidents, Rep. Greg Gianforte physically assaulted a Guardian journalist the night before his state’s election. While covering the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, journalists were impersonated on social media, impeding their ability to accurately investigate the facts and disseminate information which could be vital to preventing a similar tragedy. This hostility towards the press not only risks compromising the American public’s right to be informed through journalists’ reporting, but can also degrade the public’s trust in the media itself.

This is not a partisan issue; it is a fundamental right that impacts every American no matter their politics. Journalism is at the crux of our democracy, and communities everywhere rely on journalists to provide them with information that is essential to their daily decision-making processes. It was local investigative journalist Curt Guyette who broke the story about Flint, Michigan’s lack of access to clean water in 2014, prompting years of class-action lawsuits, protests, and subsequent federal assistance to the city in order to try to resolve the crisis. Reporters Megan Twohey, Jodi Kantor, and Ronan Farrow publicized sexual assault allegations against influential Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017, leading to the ubiquitous and powerful #MeToo movement which brought decades of sexual abuse and harassment across multiple industries to light.

Yet freedom of the press in the US is currently in dire need of congressional support. It is our civic duty as one of the world’s leading democracies to uphold principles that support and protect the rights of journalists so that they may hold those in power accountable and ensure an informed and engaged community.

If you are elected, what do you plan to do to protect this utterly essential component of our democracy? What are your plans to protect the public’s right to be informed through a free and independent press?

Sincerely,
[Your name]

Hello, my name is _______ and I am from [city, state].

I’m calling to let you know that [candidate/representative]'s stance on freedom of the press is extremely important in my decision to vote. I feel that this is not a partisan issue, but a fundamental right that impacts every American no matter their politics.

I have become increasingly concerned with the growing climate of hostility for journalists in this country, and I would like for [candidate/representative] to publicly address what they will do to defend press freedom if [he/she] is elected.

Thank you.

Freedom of the press is suffering in the US. @[yourcandidate] if you are elected to serve in Congress, what are your plans to protect journalists and our right to be informed? Will you #DefendPressFreedom?

Democracy depends on a free and independent press and its ability to hold those in power accountable. [@yourcandidate] will you take measures to protect journalism and the First Amendment? Will you #DefendPressFreedom?

In June, four reporters were murdered in an appalling targeted attack on the Capital Gazette and freedom of the press. [@yourcandidate] what will you do to address the growing threat to journalists in this country? #DefendPressFreedom

Press freedom is in steady decline in the US. I want my representative to defend the work of journalists as well as my right to be informed. [@yourcandidate] if you are elected what will you do to protect a free press? #DefendPressFreedom

Journalists play a crucial role in our democracy by keeping us informed and holding those in power accountable. And yet in the US, attacks on journalists are becoming more common, undermining the media's role and creating opportunities for government overreach, the erosion of press freedom, and impeding our right to be informed. I’m contacting my candidates and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. Join me at DefendPressFreedom.com

A free press is essential to our democracy. Communities everywhere rely on journalists to report on our government’s actions and hold public figures accountable, providing us with the information we need to make decisions every day. And yet physical, verbal, and online attacks against journalists in the US are increasing at an astonishing rate. I’m contacting my candidates and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. You should too. Read more at DefendPressFreedom.com

Press freedom is declining in the US at an alarming rate. Physical, verbal, and online attacks against journalists have increased drastically in the last two years. As the US midterm elections approach, we must remind our congressional candidates that journalists play a crucial role in our democracy by keeping us informed and holding those in power accountable. I’m contacting my representatives and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. Join in and help me spread the word at DefendPressFreedom.com

MÉTODO DE DEPREDACIÓN: la asfixia económica y la censura judicial

Desde finales de 2016, la prensa independiente nicaragüense vive una verdadera pesadilla, bajo una opresión constante del gobierno de Ortega y sus simpatizantes del Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN), quienes intentan silenciar a las voces críticas por todos los medios: amenazas, persecuciones, campañas de acoso y difamación, arrestos y encarcelamientos arbitrarios, además de la “ley reguladora de agentes extranjeros”, cuyo propósito es vigilar de cerca a los medios y organizaciones que reciben financiamiento externo. Ortega no se detiene ante nada para controlar la información. Ha instaurado un mezquino sistema de asfixia económica contra los medios independientes, con políticas discriminatorias para la publicidad oficial, la concesión de frecuencias de radio y televisión, restricciones a la importación de equipos y materiales periodísticos, o auditorías abusivas. También se presiona a los anunciantes privados para disuadirlos de comprar espacios publicitarios en medios independientes. En septiembre de 2018, el gobierno llegó a prohibir el suministro de tinta, papel y caucho, lo que provocó la desaparición de la mayoría de los periódicos impresos del país. Finalmente, con vistas a las elecciones presidenciales de noviembre de 2021, Ortega ha reforzado su arsenal de censura al emprender procesos judiciales abusivos contra todos sus opositores, desde la clase política a los medios de comunicación.

OBJETIVOS PREDILECTOS: la familia Chamorro y los medios privados

Las bestias negras del presidente Ortega son el editor de prensa Carlos Chamorro, fundador del diario digital informativo Confidencial, y su hermana Cristiana, cofundadora de la Fundación Violeta Chamorro, que defiende la libertad de prensa. Muy crítico con Daniel Ortega, el primero tuvo que exiliarse temporalmente a Costa Rica en 2019 a causa de las amenazas y ataques en su contra alimentados por el gobierno. La segunda, una periodista que se convirtió en candidata presidencial en 2021, se encuentra bajo arresto domiciliario desde el pasado 3 de junio después de que el gobierno la acusara de blanqueo de capitales. La Fiscalía también ha interrogado e intimidado a casi una veintena de periodistas cercanos a la Fundación con el fin de amedrentar a Cristiana Chamorro y excluirla de la carrera presidencial.

DISCURSO OFICIAL: paranoico y excesivo

“El terrorismo desinformativo, gestado desde los Estados Unidos y que los medios de comunicación de muchos países, incluidos los de Costa Rica, cumplen al pie de la letra es brutal, criminal y xenofóbico”. (Mayo de 2020. Extracto de un discurso dirigido a los medios costarricenses (La Nación, Telenoticias y Noticias Repretel) y estadounidenses (CNN) que ponían en duda las cifras y el discurso oficial del gobierno sobre la gestión de la crisis sanitaria).

"Los periodistas son los hijos de Goebbels". (28º aniversario del ejército de Nicaragua, 1 de septiembre de 2007).