Because of the recent attacks on press freedom and freedom of expression in Ecuador, the country's president, Rafael Correa, has been criticized in recent days by various journalistic organizations, according to the newspaper La Hora.
The organization of writers PEN International declared its concern over the state of freedom of expression in Ecuador, calling recent events "alarming."
Carlos Lauría, senior coordinator of the Americas program for the Committee to Protect Journalists, accused Correa of using laws to silence critical journalists.
Journalists from other countries also have expressed their concern for deteriorating freedom of expression in Ecuador, according to the television channel Ecuavisa. Among the most critical are the Brazilian newspaper O Globo, which published an editorial titled “Correa massacres freedom of expression”, and the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo, which published an editorial calling Correa the "Attila of the press."
Reporters Without Borders also condemned the recent court ruling, calling the sentence against the journalists "politically arbitrary and inopportune." Likewise, a new law that prevents journalists from covering elections does nothing but reinforce the impression that Correa is looking to limit the press, the organization said.
