Argentine Media bill: “a dictatorship couldn’t have done it better”
The conservative and influential Brazilian newspaper O Estado de Sao Paulo in an editorial described the Argentine government as an “austral democradura” (authoritarian regime) which is sponsoring legislation “to terrorize the media”.
The newspaper was referring to “anti-terrorism” legislation recently passed by the government of Cristina Fernandez intimidating the press and limiting access to newsprint.
“The Argentine government is making the exercise of freedom of the press extremely difficult with acts of intimidation which make honour to a dictatorial regime, a dictatorship couldn’t make it better” said O Estado de Sao Paulo.
Last week the Argentine congress passed two laws: one declaring of national interest the manufacturing, commerce and distribution of newsprint, and another describing series of crimes typified as ‘terrorists’.
The Media law which refers to all forms of journalism and signed by Cristina Fernandez gives the Argentine government control over Papel Prensa, the only newsprint manufacturer in Argentina, thus exposing newspapers to the ‘whims’ of Government House, Casa Rosada, points out the Sao Paulo daily.
The second bill describes as a terrorist crime those acts committed with the purpose of “terrorizing” the population. According to O Estado de Sao Paulo this measure will enable Casa Rosada to consider “terrorist” any news or comment which whoever sits at Government House would not like to be released from corruption claims in government dealings and bids to serious misbalances in government budget figures”.
“This second “liberticide” was more ingenious, an anti terrorist bill to terrorize journalism and the media. The government could appeal to that bill when a run on the banks, financial speculation or any bit of news the Casa Rosada dislikes. A dictatorship couldn’t have done it better”.
The conservative daily and which opposes the Brazilian Workers Party ruling coalition argues that control of the press was the only “obstacle” left for the government of Cristina Fernandez to “convert” her country into an austral version of “democcradura” (authoritarian or ‘strong’ democracy), Chavez style”.
The Argentine Media bill was also criticized last week by the Brazilian Association of Newspapers (ANJ) which described it as “of extreme concern” and a threat to “freedom of the press”.
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Even the “Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo” have a veiled threat 'for future abuses by another goverment. They chickened out of criticising Old Turkey Neck herself, probably because they might be the first to get arrested and jailed for the 'terrorist' thoughts.
Perhaps, some day, the poor deluded prats who voted for her (38.6% of the eligible vote did) will wake up and chuck her arse down the road: hopefully before the fat boy inherits the 'dynasty'.
Interestingly Goldman Sachs holds a 10% share in the Clarin group but it seems also in Grupo Estado owner of you guessed it O estado de Sao Paolo.
CFK is “passing” all of these “laws” to get a further stranglehold on power. She is taking her playbook directly from Chavez.
Argentinians are not a smart people but once they realize the gov't can't afford to subsidize their lives any longer there will be blow back. It is just a matter of time and it is fascinating to watch.
She better have the helicopter standing by....
Says the guy who voted twice for George Bush. LOL!
Pretty dumb response coming from a guy that voted the K's in 3 times ;-))
The idea that the media do not criticise the government of the UK is risible. Anyone with any real knowledge of the British will know both political satire and critical analysis of the government is alive and well here. In fact whole publications and TV programmes are dedicated to it. Though, to be fair, they ridicule the opposition too.
Pretty dumb response coming from a guy who still lives in the age of queens, castles and knights. ;)
Hong Kong = peach
Malvinas = parsley
@ 17 Can you imagine what will be like in this country in next months? I don't even want to think about it. How can someone in his own mind believe that the islanders would want to be part of this whatever this is in Argentina?
@ 18 Thank God (whatever) I'm not like you, Mr. Tolerance :)
BRITISH GO HOME, YOU DO NOT BELONG HERE, INVADERS, USURPERS, THIEVES
[such childish remarks from children just shames a once great country,]
Buy hey, that’s what indoctrination does to one people ]
.
It is all too clear that Argentinians have the fascistic factor in their weak minds since the times of “General” Peron.
Philippe
The government of Argentina has temporarily blocked the sale of smartphones, including Apple's iPhone, in an effort to stabilize its own economy. This consumer electronics ban is meant to slow inflation and reduce the widening chasm between the peso and the US dollar.
The ban is a part of Argentina Ministry Industry's recent decision to reduce the automatic import of certain phones. RIM and Apple have been forced to wait between 60 and 180 days for permission to sell from the Customs Authority. There's no word on how long the current ban will last.
The new antiterrorist law, doesn't include any sanction against the media, in fact were included references, in order to clarify that the exercise of human rights, can't be considered as terrorisem, maybe that conservative newspaper took the words of a functionary who said that some newspapers try to terrify the society.
Respecting the newsprint project, it was presented in august 2010, but the former congress, which was joint mostly by oponent politicians didn't treat it, because many of them answer to corporative interests, this is project is the best way to finish with the restriction to the acces of the smaller newspaper, which are very prejudiced by the hegemony of clarin, now all the newspapers, including clarin and nacion, and all the giornals of the country, will have acces to an equal prize, and there will be much more editions of all of them, ¿what kind of restriction to the freedom of press is this newspaper talking about?, guys you are inteligent too, i undertand that some of you love to make fun at my country, but you know perfectly that the powerfull media deffend eachother, you can't buy partia and the mendacious information that yo read, anyway i must recognize that mercopress is a very plural website, it's necesary.
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