Miami (December 23, 2024) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) expressed today its concern and rejection of the decision by Kölbi, the commercial brand of the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), to withdraw its advertising from the program El Chinamo on Teletica, Channel 7, and to threaten to review its continued presence on the network.
The measure by Kölbi was announced in disagreement with the content of the segment El Chinaoke, a space that critically satirizes various aspects of national reality, according to press reports. Its format, based on musical parodies, uses humor and irony to explore the issues discussed.
The segment has covered topics such as the security crisis, the rising cost of living, and allegations of corruption, using critical humor and satire to highlight realities that affect Costa Rican society.
Kölbi's reasons for withdrawing the advertising are based on the claim that such content "does not align with the brand's values," stating that it does not wish to be associated with "situations where violence, either implicit or explicit, discrimination, the promotion of crime, or the parody of the suffering of victims are encouraged or exposed."
José Roberto Dutriz, President of the IAPA and CEO and general director of La Prensa Gráfica in El Salvador, emphasized that "the decision not only constitutes an act of indirect censorship but also represents state interference in the editorial line of the media, which is contrary to democratic principles and freedom of expression."
Carlos Jornet, Second Vice-President of the IAPA and president of the entity's Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, noted that "it is concerning that the measure resembles practices of authoritarian governments, where public resources are used to manipulate editorial lines. We urge authorities to reverse this decision and guarantee transparency in the allocation of state advertising," said Jornet, who is also the editorial director of La Voz del Interior newspaper in Argentina.
The measure, which was supported by the Popular Bank—whose board of directors is controlled by the Executive—contravenes Principle 6 of the IAPA's Declaration of Chapultepec, which states that "media and journalists should not be subject to discrimination or favors based on what they write or say," and also Principle 7, which warns that "the granting or suppression of state advertising should not be used to reward or punish media or journalists."
Additionally, the principles of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights prohibit any form of direct or indirect censorship through the arbitrary allocation of state advertising.
The Institute for Press and Freedom of Expression (IPLEX) emphasized in a statement that the Costa Rican Constitutional Court's jurisprudence has been clear in condemning the withdrawal of advertising without valid objective and technical reasons. "This practice constitutes indirect censorship, a form of intimidation designed to influence news content and send a warning message to other media," stated IPLEX in its statement.
The IAPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to defending and promoting freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. It comprises more than 1,300 publications from the western hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida, United States.
