BOLIVIA

These don’t appear to be the best of times for press freedom in Bolivia. The current administration seems uncomfortable with press freedom and believes that any published criticism of its words or actions is part of a conspiracy against it. Thus prejudiced, the administration attacks, discredits and restricts the work of the press. In this latest period, journalists and the media have been adversely affected by pressures of various types, as well as by threats both open and veiled. It is true that the press continues to operate freely since President Evo Morales Ayma assumed office, but a climate of fear has undeniably taken root. The president has covertly used masses of supporters to intimidate journalists and media outlets, as well as opposition members of Parliament and the Constitutional Assembly. The administration and the president himself complain about the oppositional stance adopted by a number of media outlets. This is reflected in their proposals for the new Bolivian Constitution to the effect that the country should have a single voice and be of a single mind. President Morales supports the opening of union or community media outlets. Radio stations are already up and running in various rural communities, and the state-owned television station is now the main source of media support for the government. The financial and technical resources for establishing these media outlets have been provided by the Venezuelan government. In one of his recent—and frequent—trips to Bolivia, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez had no compunctions about lambasting Bolivian media outlets and officials. The current state of political polarization in Bolivia undeniably influences the work of journalists. The regime now has supporters and critics. The president’s support in the media comes mainly from radio stations, while his critics are mainly television stations and print outlets. The National Press Association reported this week that the government had accused the newspaper La Razón of publishing “false news and constantly lying.” The news agency Fides reported that it had been threatened in a letter from the self-styled “Investigation Committee" of the ruling Movement Toward Socialism. The letter accuses Fides of “creating a seditious spirit among the people in order to overthrow the government of Evo Morales.”