Columnists, contributors at state newspaper in Ecuador stop writing over alleged censorship

Writers at Ecuador state paper claim censorship

QUITO, Ecuador — Twenty columnists and contributors to the Ecuadorean state newspaper El Telegrafo said Tuesday they will no longer write for the paper because of alleged censorship.

In a signed letter sent to media outlets, the writers said they were quitting to protest “acts of censorship and the violation of the rights of free expression and press freedom.”

In recent weeks, El Telegrafo’s director and sections editor were removed from their posts and the deputy director resigned amid a disagreement with management over the direction the newspaper was headed.

El Telegrafo was a private newspaper until three years ago when it was taken over by the government amid debts and legal problems.

On April 1, a note from management directed that the newspaper’s editorial section not publish “commentaries, strategic information and other strictly internal information” written by the columnists and contributors.

Columnist Hernan Reyes told The Associated Press that El Telegrafo still hasn’t responded to their resignation letter.

Calls to the newspaper’s executives were not immediately returned.