ARCHIVES: Americas
Desi Bouterse, sworn in Thursday as President of Suriname, continues to be charged with the murders of five journalists in 1982, while he was dictator. A soldier by profession, Bouterse has been returned to power by an election. He first came to power in a coup on February 25, 1980 and went on to run the country with an iron hand for two periods, 1980-1987 and 1990-1991, violating fundamental human rights with no compunction. The five journalists were among a total of 15 pro-democracy activists... MORE
A journalist and a senatorial candidate got into a fight while appearing on a regional television program, trading punches and kicks on the air, Brazilian media reported Wednesday. Former Congressman Joao Correia, who is running for a Senate seat from the Amazonian state of Acre on the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, or PMDB, ticket, was being interviewed Tuesday on TV5 by journalist Demostenes Nascimento when the fight started. Correia became irritated at Nascimento’s line of questioning... MORE
Ulises González García, editor of Mexican regional weekly La Opinión , who was abducted from his home in Jérez, in the state of Zacatecas, on July 29, was released in the early hours of August 9 and was rushed to a private hospital for treatment to the injuries received during his abduction, some of which appeared to have been caused by torture. Paris-based Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) expressed relief at the news but stressed that there was no sign of any improvement in the general press... MORE
Supporters of President Hugo Chávez's government painted the façade of the Globovisón television station's headquarters with messages backing Chávez and with the logos of Venezuela's United Socialist Party (PSUV). The incident took place in Caracas on July 28, according to delayed reports by Instituto Prensa y Sociedad de Venezuela (IPYS-Venezuela) The individuals responsible for the graffiti identified themselves as workers for the Mercal food distribution network. Ronald Rivas, the network's... MORE
Venezuelan newscaster Alexander Mireles has said that his radio programme "Hablando Claro y Raspao", broadcast by radio station Class 98.7 FM, was taken off the air on July 6 because Teodoro Bolívar, governor of the State of Cojedes in central Venezuela, bought all of the station's air time, according to delayed reports. Mireles, who is critical of Bolívar's administration, told Instituto Prensa y Sociedad de Venezuela (IPYS-Venezuela) that his was one of the first programmes to be taken off... MORE
Eliseu Felício de Souza, also known as “O Zeu,” a gang member who has been on the run for the past three years after being convicted for his role in the 2002 murder of TV Globo reporter Tim Lopes, is openly operating as drug dealer in a northern district of Rio de Janeiro, according to a new TV Globo report. He took advantage of a “semi-release” programme to escape. The report broadcast by TV Globo, a national station, shows “O Zeu” armed and selling crack in broad daylight in a slum called... MORE
More than 1,000 Mexican journalists marched through the heart of Mexico City Saturday to protest the killing and disappearance of their colleagues as escalating drug violence increasingly targets reporters. Carrying signs reading "Not one more!", they demanded protection to do their work in an unprecedented effort to solidify the ranks of a traditionally divided and competitive profession, the Associated Press (AP) reported. "We're a little late — 64 killings late — but we've finally decided to... MORE
Three alleged members of the feared Sinaloa Cartel were arrested on August 4 for their suspected involvement in the abduction of four journalists last month in the northwestern state of Durango, according to Paris-based press freedom group Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) . Multimedios Laguna cameraman Javier Canales Fernández, Televisa cameraman Alejandro Hernández Pacheco, Televisa reporter Héctor Gordoa Márquez and El Vespertino reporter Oscar Solis Gurrola were kidnapped on July 26, a few... MORE
Media conglomerates News Corp and Time Warner Inc posted improved quarterly results on Wednesday, riding a recovery in advertising sales and several quarters of cost cuts, says a Reuters report. The results, which came a day after CBS Corp's strong quarterly report, sent media shares higher even as analysts pointed to an uncertain outlook due to the possibility of a dip in the global economy. "The general theme we've been seeing at media companies is strong advertising demand at all various... MORE
Mexico's journalist association has adopted a new " security protocol" for Chihuahua state, including recommended measures such as body armour and helmets, in the wake of attacks on media workers by drug cartels. The measures recommended by the State Human Rights Commission for reporters in the US border region is included in a new guide handbook, which details other safety advice such as waiting for security forces to arrive at a crime scene first, and to devise escape routes by car for when... MORE
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