Miami (November 1, 2019) - The Inter American Press Association described as discriminatory and contrary to the principles of press freedom, the executive orders issued by Presidents Donald Trump of the United States and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, in which they asked government agencies to cancel subscriptions to newspapers that are critical of their governments' efforts.
This week the president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, ordered the ministries of national government to cancel subscriptions of the newspaper Fohla de S. Paulo, in retaliation for criticism of his administration. In this case, the IAPA noted as further aggravating, that Bolsonaro has expressed that he will discriminate against that newspaper through manipulation of official advertising spend.
Last week, President Donald Trump had also ordered his White House offices to cancel subscriptions to The New York Times and The Washington Post in response to their critical positions against his government.
IAPA President Christopher Barnes and the chairman of the Press Freedom and Information Committee, Roberto Rock, agreed that "this is a new and dangerous form of discrimination against media according to its editorial principles."
Barnes, managing director of The Gleaner, Kingston, Jamaica and Rock, director of the Mexican portal La Silla Rota, added as unacceptable that "this discriminatory attitude, as well as the continued threats and insults they make against media and journalists, could also increase the risk of violent actions against the press ".
This week, Bolsonaro also threatened to take away the operating license from TV Globo for "practicing villain journalism," while, last year, Trump threatened to take NBC's license in retaliation for critical information.
The IAPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the defense and promotion of freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. It is made up of more than 1,300 publications from the Western Hemisphere; and is based in Miami, United States.
