Ecuador Eco Volunteer

Emilio Palacio and Ecuador Politics

October 13th, 2011 |

Author: jake

For the last couple of weeks the news in Ecuador has been dominated by a court case that throes into doubt the future of freedom of expression in this small Andean nation.

Rafael Correa, the president of the republic of Ecuador has sued the journalist Emilio Palacio as well as three board members of the newspaper where Palacio works, El Universo, for allegations made in his article calling the president a dictator and murderer.

The article refers to the police uprising on the 30th of September when Rafael Correa was kidnapped by rogue elements of the Ecuadorian police force and held hostage in a military hospital. In the article Emilio Palacio calls the President Correa a dictator 8 times and accuses him of ordering the military to use lethal force when rescuing him which is a pretty asinine accusation right there.

Firstly, 4 out of the 5 people who died were trying to rescue the president and secondly: Which president on Earth would NOT order the military to use lethal force had he or she been kidnapped by rogue police units?

The Guayaquilenan Newspaper that is being sued, El Universo, is pretty much the mouth-piece of the countries incredibly corrupt and astronomically wealthy elite class. In this respect it makes sense that the newspaper has dedicated itself to defaming Correa and everyone else deemed a threat to these very powerful people that have ransacked Ecuador with impunity for decades.

Emilio Palacio himself seems like one of those snake-skin journalists that skews the news as well as the finest and most manipulative of FOX News anchormen. His skills and talents probably suit him more for celebrity gossip than for balanced and informed political opinion but that does not mean should not be able to express his opinion.

The Right to Express Ourselves Freely

I personally believe this to be a stupid and downright dangerous move by President Correa, one that has made a martyr out of Palacio and legitimized this journalists outlandish ravings. This move has unfortunately made one of the best democratically elected presidents Ecuador has ever had look like they very thing his enemies have tried so hard to paint him as – a dictator.

According to the court ruling Emilio Palacio and the three directors of El Universo owe President Correa $42 million in damages and are sentenced to three years in jail – a punishment completely disproportional to the so called crime whatever way you look at it. The case is currently being appealed and Emilio Palacio has fled Ecuador in the last few days to seek exile in the United States to continue his uneding diatribe against the president.

I have always admired much of what I have seen Rafael Correa do here in Ecuador for the four years. He really has been such a fantastic leader for this country compared to all of the corrupt presidents Ecuador has had in the past. This incident however has made me question him for the first time – the right to express yourself freely is one of our fundamental rights as human beings and should not be taken for granted.

¡Que Viva la Libertad de Expression!