Ecuador's Correa stages coup against media

[Zorro]

<snip>

Don't be fooled by the legal shenanigans surrounding Ecuador's populist President Rafael Correa's seizure of 195 companies from a Miami-based family involved in a major banking scandal in the 1990s.

At the bottom of the whole thing, it's a political scheme by Correa to grab the group's three television stations, put government loyalists at their helm and control the airwaves to win a September referendum that would allow him to tighten his grip on the country and seek reelection.

According to Correa's account of this week's events, Ecuadorean police following orders of the government's Deposit Guarantee Agency took over TC-Television, Gamavision, Cablevision, La Troncal Sugar Mill and dozens of insurance, construction and other companies that belonged to the Isaias Group in a measure allegedly aimed at doing justice to the failed business empire's remaining creditors.

Economy Minister Fausto Ortiz resigned in protest.

<snip>

More at: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/columnists/andres_oppenheimer/story/599744.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Why not post a news article, rather than an opinion article by Andres Oppenheimer?

Ecuador says TV station seizure won't compromise press freedom

ASSOCIATED PRESS

1:18 p.m. July 9, 2008

QUITO, Ecuador – Ecuador's government promised Wednesday to protect press freedoms despite including three television stations among nearly 200 businesses seized to collect debts from a bank collapse.
But it also moved to revoke concessions on 229 other frequencies.

“In no way does the government intent to control or interfere with freedom of the press,” said Economy Minister Wilma Salgado, whose department oversaw the seizure of properties allegedly linked to the Isaias family.

Salgado told Colombia's Caracol Radio that the government plans to sell the stations, as well as the other businesses, to raise money for depositors who lost money in the collapse of the Filanbanco bank once controlled by William and Roberto Isaias, who fled to the United States and who face embezzlement charges in Ecuador.

TC Television, TC Noticias, Gamavision and TC Radio were confiscated on Tuesday by a branch of the Economy Ministry dedicated to recovering assets lost by depositors in the financial crisis of the late 1990s.

The TV stations are run by relatives of the fugitive bankers.

More:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20080709-1318-ecuador-tvdispute.html

[Zorro]

3. Suppression of dissent may very well be one objective behind Correa's move

Seems reasonable to raise that question for consideration; this is, after all, a pretty serious action.

And now there's reports that the government is considering legislation threatening judges who agree to listen to lawsuits over this issue with jail time.

For such a opinionated blabbermouth, you sure don't like seeing opinions contrary to your own made available for people to read.

[Texano78704]

6. A left wing government

seizes three television stations to resolve a bank failure... and of course there has to be something sinister behind it.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Post news stories not opinion pieces, why not? From the Miami Herald:

Ecuador seizes business group's assets
The government called the takeover a move that should have been taken against Grupo Isaíasa decade ago to settle debts from a banking collapse.
Posted on Wed, Jul. 09, 2008

BY JANE BUSSEY
[e-mail]

Ecuadorean authorities took over three television stations, a sugar mill and dozens of other companies belonging to one of the country's most powerful business groups early Tuesday, calling it a move that should have been taken a decade ago to settle debts from a banking collapse.

Former Ecuadorean banker and now Coral Gables resident, Roberto Isaías, called the predawn takeover of companies and other assets belonging to Grupo Isaías ``completely illegal.''

Isaías, along with his brother William, are considered fugitives by Ecuadoran officials for their alleged role in the collapse of Filanbanco in December 1998.

Both reside in waterfront homes in the upscale Cocoplum neighborhood. Earlier this year President Rafael Correa renewed efforts to extradite them.

~snip~
Juan Falconi Puig, a Guayaquil lawyer and former bank rescue official who locked horns with the Isaíases over the bank rescue funds, insisted the measure had long been delayed because ``these people, using their television stations, frightened and intimidated government officials.''

The government said it would name new administrators for the companies and would respect the labor rights of employees.

In Miami, Roberto Isaías disputed the government's account of the bank debt. He insisted that all but some $30 million had been repaid to depositors and added that Ecuadorean courts have never made a final ruling on charges of fraud in the bank.

http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/598070.html

[Judi Lynn]

4. Ecuador says TV seizure won't compromise press freedom

Thursday July 10, 2008
Ecuador says TV seizure won't compromise press freedom


QUITO, Ecuador (AP) - Ecuador's government promised Wednesday to protect press freedoms despite including three television stations among nearly 200 businesses seized to collect debts from a bank collapse. But it also moved to revoke concessions on 229 other frequencies.

"In no way does the government intend to control or interfere with freedom of the press,'' said Economy Minister Wilma Salgado, whose department oversaw the seizure of properties allegedly linked to the Isaias family.

Salgado told Colombia's Caracol Radio that the government plans to sell the stations, as well as the other businesses, to raise money for depositors who lost money in the collapse of the Filanbanco bank once controlled by William and Roberto Isaias, who fled to the United States and who face embezzlement charges in Ecuador.

TC Television, TC Noticias, Gamavision and TC Radio were confiscated on Tuesday by a branch of the Economy Ministry dedicated to recovering assets lost by depositors in the financial crisis of the late 1990s. The TV stations are run by relatives of the fugitive bankers.

The Inter American Press Association expressed concern about seizure of the stations, releasing a statement Wednesday that called it "a serious abuse of the public's right to information.''

"What is not acceptable from any point of view is that these actions against the companies be accompanied a change in editorial policy, with the naming of a government news director,'' said Gonzalo Marroquin, head of the association's press freedom committee.

Meanwhile, the government's broadcast regulator announced Wednesday it was moving to revoke 229 of the 1,200 television and radio concessions in the country - an action it said was unrelated to the Isaias case.

The regulatory commission president, Jorge Yunda, said the revocations were due to irregularities such as lapsed payments or invalid contracts.

More:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/10/apworld/20080710110418&sec=apworld

[Judi Lynn]

5. Ecuador seizes TV stations; economy minister quits

Posted yesterday in LBN:
updated 2 hours, 32 minutes ago

Ecuador seizes TV stations; economy minister quits
Agency takes over two TV stations, other businesses for debts due to bank failures


QUITO, Ecuador (AP) -- Ecuador's government seized television stations and nearly 200 other businesses Tuesday for debts stemming from bank failures in the 1990s. The economy minister resigned hours after the takeover.

A state agency that protects depositors in failed banks took over the offices of TC Television and Gamavision in early-morning raids backed by dozens of police.

It also took over dozens of other properties of Grupo Isaias, including insurance, agriculture, construction and real estate businesses allegedly linked to bankers facing embezzlement charges who fled to the United States.

~snip~
The deposit agency's manager, Carlos Bravo, insisted at a news conference that the government was not persecuting the press and said he hoped the seized stations would be returned to private ownership "as soon as possible."

He said Correa was not even informed of the decision to take over the stations until Monday night.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/07/08/ecuador.tvdispute.ap/index.html
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3386565

[Zorro]

7. And so it goes

The Ecuadorean Assembly (controlled by Correa) has passed legislation preventing lawsuits to be filed against the government over this action. That's hardly a sign of "democracy in action".

And Correa has installed his cronies as news editors for the seized TV stations, conveniently ahead of the upcoming constitutional referendum (which, incidentally, has not been popular in Ecuador).

Correa is behaving like an autocrat more concerned with consolidating his power, than addressing national problems in a democratic fashion.

[Mika]

8. Finally, the democratic rule of law is being enforced.

And, as usual, the assassins & crooks and liars run to Miami for some protection from the fold.




Everything Andres Oppenheimer has ever written is mewling op ed.