A Claim for Silence

There are two different forms of defending freedom of the press: as an absolute and a relative freedom of the press. The latter is the one predominating in Europe and Latin America and the one providing legitimate regulation to the press. This research is based on the suspicion that in Ecuador the idea of Free Press is one that the government can "freely" regulate. The conceptual framework of the investigation provides different perspectives of freedom of the press and predicts potential consequences to Ecuador's media practice in the future. The lawsuit against El Universo, recently brought by the Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, was seen as a "claim for silence" to the Ecuadorian press. The case of this newspaper, the largest in Ecuador, is deeply studied in this research and by conducting interviews, the issues of abuse of power, libel laws, and editorial opinions emerge. The findings indicate a contradiction in the perception of Free Press among the Ecuadorian government, the Ecuadorian media owners, and the international community. Furthermore, it also warns journalists about the consequences for the press in the short and long run.