"Three media outlets in Ecuador are being sued by businessman Pedro Bejarano Alvarado, who accuses Mil Hojas, Plan V, and the news site La Fuente – Periodismo de Investigación of publishing 'false and inaccurate' information that harms his 'reputation and honor.' A verdict has already been issued against journalist Juan Carlos Calderón, director of Plan V, without giving him the opportunity to attend his court hearing. Calderón was not legally notified in advance.
Bejarano initiated this legal action against the three media outlets over a 2020 investigation titled 'The drug trade has a hand in state contracts,' in which he is mentioned as part of the so-called 'Andean Cartel' and allegedly involved in illegal business dealings in Ecuador. The investigation included a query to the prosecutor's office website, which confirmed that Bejarano had been investigated for drug trafficking. It was also verified that he had been arrested by Interpol in 2016. This information had previously been published in Peruvian outlets such as Expreso and La República.
The legal complaint against the three media outlets is based on the same accusation: alleged harm to reputation and 'damage to image.' Bejarano is seeking the immediate removal of all information related to him from the websites and other digital channels of Mil Hojas, Plan V, and La Fuente – Periodismo de Investigación."
