In this period, the press was not exempt from pressures and aggressions during the run-off electoral campaign between the two presidential candidates, the conservative Guillermo Lasson and the leftist Andrés Arauz. A scandal over the Covid-19 vaccination process led to the resignation of two health ministers, Juan Carlos Zevallos and Mauro Falconí. In the Quito mayoral crisis, the Mayor, Jorge Yunda, has been questioned for several corruption scandals.
Several journalists and analysts were victims of attacks and insults in the midst of the dirty campaigns waged during the elections. Journalist Alondra Santiago and professor Fernando Casado were attacked on social networks, while other journalists were attacked on Twitter by former president Rafael Correa.
Among the most important events, the following stand out:
On March 21, a cyber-attack took down the website of the portal Periodismo de Investigación. According to those in charge of the portal, the attack occurred after the publication of a report on alleged irregularities in the campaign financing of the UNES ticket, Andrés Arauz and Carlos Rabascal.
On March 24, it was reported that the Spanish professor and political analyst, Fernando Casado, received several insults and xenophobic messages on his social network accounts.
On March 26, journalist Alondra Santiago - a contributor to the Teleradio media - was the victim of sexist and xenophobic attacks on her Twitter account, after posting a comment referring to her 16 years of living in the country.
On March 30, at the IESS hospital in Los Ceibos, Gelitza Robles - a journalist from the newspaper Expreso - was prevented from covering news at the hospital by guards who claimed she did not have authorization to do so.
On April 9, Eduardo Andino - a journalist from Gamatv television channel - was fired from the media due to a remark criticizing the way in which the Covid-19 vaccination process was being carried out.
On April 13, after an abrupt interruption of the City Council session by the mayor of Quito, Jorge Yunda, metropolitan police officers attacked journalist Stephany Paz - from the Teleamazonas channel.
