Rodrigo Salazar analyzed the management of Aníbal Torres: “There is an unofficial strategy against the press on the part of the government and the spearhead is the premier”

Rodrigo Salazar Zimmermann, executive director of the Peruvian Press Council (CPP), discussed the management of Prime Minister Aníbal Torres, who has been constantly attacking the media. In his last speech, the prime minister, in addition to insulting Cardinal Pedro Barreto, also said that measures against the press will have to be started.

What is the general opinion of the Peruvian Press Council (CPP) regarding Aníbal Torres?

—The CPP's opinion is that Aníbal Torres is looking for a kind of scapegoat and his excuse is the media. When the press investigates alleged acts of corruption by Pedro Castillo's government, the premier's response is that we are coup-makers and thieves of the truth. This may have an almost criminal impact on the particular issue that Ximena Pinto, a former PCM official, commented about the prime minister seeking to lead the publicity from the State so that it would not reach the El Comercio Group; that is against the state advertising law. There is an unofficial strategy against the press on the part of the government and the spearhead is Aníbal Torres.

—The premier said that the press belongs “to the upper class, the right and the far right”.

“It seems that he has the balance of ideologies a little reversed or, in any case, uncalibrated. To call a coup media outlet because it investigates acts of corruption is not to recognize possible errors. If we look at the regional level, we can mention, as a good example, former US President Donald Trump: when a president attacks the press like this, what he usually seeks is for citizens to have animosity against the media. When the Cabinet of Ministers appeared in Congress, there was a group of protesters from Peru Libre abroad who were assaulting journalists; that is not accidental, but rather a constant upheaval on the part of the government. Today, journalists are seen as enemies of the people, and in part it is, because the government itself creates this dynamic and rhetoric.

— What can be the solution?

—If there are situations of possible acts of corruption and investigations in opposition journalism, the response of a ruler should be to offer interviews to open the spectrum of collaboration with the media. However, the government closes ranks and attacks, which is quite eloquent.

— Aníbal Torres praised Hitler and then said that the media misrepresent his words, as a result of “ignorance” because we do not understand that there is “absolutely good or bad” people.

“He is a person who has no will to amend, who does not correct himself. This causes great damage to freedom of expression because any research done by the press is going to be considered a coup, and that takes away the legitimacy of the media vis-à-vis a sector of citizenship.

IAPA MEETING

Salazar Zimmermann attended the mid-year meeting of the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), which was held in virtual mode between the 19 and 21 April, and it was warned that there is a wave of violence against journalists “never seen before”. In referring to Peru, the Latin American association of news agencies stressed, in its biannual report, that “the situation of freedom of expression and the press is at its worst in the last two decades”, including the government of Pedro Castillo among the institutions that most affect these rights.

“It was common currency that the rulers of several countries in the region such as Nicaragua, El Salvador or Argentina had a particular tendency: to criticize the media publicly in order to generate animosity among citizens. And it works with one sector,” he said.

The journalist compared Pedro Castillo to Donald Trump, although bridging the gap: “I know it sounds very strong, but if we look at the attitudes of the presidents towards the media and freedom of expression, in the Peruvian government it is much worse. It is true that Trump threw out several journalists - such as Jorge Ramos - from the White House, but, in this case, the government attack is systematic; the president's agents have beaten a journalist next to the head of state; the national publication is a shield so that journalists cannot reach the president. There are also extreme situations in which journalists were unable to enter the press room of the Government Palace. That is what happened in the United States with Trump because attitudes are concrete. It is a very complicated situation that began in 2016, in a Congress that was dominated by Fujimorists. It was a constant degradation.”

The writer also said that at the IAPA meeting they received “condolences” from other Latin American countries due to “the deterioration of freedom of expression in Peru”.

What is your message from the Peruvian Press Council (CPP)?

—We want to try to bring them both together: the Executive and the press. I'm not saying we're friends, but that we have a working relationship. Let us interview the president and the ministers. In addition, the CPP has held meetings with international and supranational organizations to come to Peru, including the IAPA. We have processed a letter, together with the IPYS (Press and Society Institute) and the ANP (National Association of Journalists of Peru), to the IACHR (Inter-American Commission on Human Rights) to come to our country and see what is happening against freedom of expression.

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