"Executives of the publisher of the newspaper Los Tiempos of Cochabamba confirmed this Thurs., Aug. 11, their denunciation of a campaign of economic asphyxia and political pressure against the newspaper through 'frequent' and disproportionate tax and administrative controls, the imposition of fines and sanctions, the exclusion from state advertising and the harassment by a businessman close to the government and the official party, Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS), among other actions.
They underscored that the purpose of these 'systematic attacks,' both direct and indirect, is to "take over" the news outlet by paying a rock-bottom price, to turn it into 'a resonance box for power,' they denounced before the Inter American Press Association (IAPA).
The press conference, given by the directors of Editorial Canelas S.A. together with union representatives and staff of Los Tiempos, was called forth so they could make their denunciations directly. The IAPA made them public on Wed. through a memo in which the hemispheric organization expressed its concern and alert regarding the 'campaign' against this newspaper from Cochabamba."
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