By Ingrid Bachmann
The government of Alan García backtracked and re-instituted the operating license for La Voz de Bagua (The Voice of Bagua), the small radio station closed more than a year ago after the violent unrest in this province of the Peruvian Amazon, reported La República and EFE.
The station had been accused by authorities of inciting the violent protests in June 2009. According to the Associated Press, Prime Minister Javier Velásquez told the owner of La Voz that the re-institution of the frequency was a "political decision" of the government to avoid any doubt about respect for freedom of expression in Peru.
Organizations like the Inter American Press Association and Reporters Without Borders, among others, had called for the re-opening of the station. According to Velásquez, “the radio can return to the air as of tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 20)", explained AFP.
La emisora había sido acusada por las autoridades azuzar la violencia de las protestas de junio de 2009. Según la Associated Press, el primer ministro Javier Velásquez informó al dueño de La Voz que la restitución de la frecuencia era una “decisión política” del gobierno para evitar duda sobre el respeto a la libertad de expresión en Perú.
Organismos como la Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa y Reporteros Sin Fronteras, entre otros, habían solicitado la reapertura de la radio. Según el premier Velásquez, “la radio puede volver al aire desde mañana [viernes]”, explica AFP.
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.
