By Maira Magro
A group of truck drivers in front of the printing presses of Argentina's La Nación and Clarín newspapers delayed the distribution of the Dec. 14 editions for more than two and a half hours, the two newspapers report.
According to La Nación, the Truck Drivers’ Union instructed its members to delay the delivery. The union, whose leader is considered an ally of President Cristina Fernández, said the protest was against labor problems affecting employees of the printing industry, Agência Estado reports.
However, Clarín said the move was in reprisal for publishing unflattering articles about teamster head Hugo Moyano, whom it accuses of having connections to alleged money laundering in the union. In addition, Clarín and La Nación are involved in an ongoing conflict with the government.
In 2009, the union blocked the circulation of Clarín and La Nación to demand that their distributors ally themselves with the union. In this case, the government distanced itself from the conflict.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
