by the El Reportero’s wire services
Mexico is the most dangerous country for journalists in America today, says a report of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
The document released by the Mexican daily La Jornada, says that one out of three murders documented since 2010 to date was committed in this country.
During the last five years, 150 journalists and media workers were deprived of life in the Americas, which means that in the region a journalist is killed every 14 days.
The increased risk and the high number of attacks against Mexican journalists, results in self-censorship and the forced displacement and exile of journalists, says the Rapporteur.
Other countries reporting significant numbers of media workers killed are: Colombia, Guatemala, Peru and Paraguay.
According to the study, violence is exacerbated in areas or territories with a strong presence of organized crime.
Salvador: Charges against ex President Flores confirmed
The Attorney General’s Office confirmed the charges of embezzlement and disobedience pressed against ex president Francisco Flores, and a now he faces legal action for money laundering.
In a preliminary hearing in courts in this capital, the Attorney General’s Office also requested that ex president Flores (1999-2004) remains under house arrest despite all evidence presented, which has generated desatisfaction among the plaintiffs.
In the opinion of Ramon Villalta, from Social Initiative for Democracy, it is deplorable that the Attorney General’s Office, after evidence proves clear commission of crimes, has failed to include money laundering in its petition.
“All the evidence presented clearly proves that the crime of money laundering was committed,” Villalta told Prensa Latina.
He added that much more regrettable is “the deplorable role of the Attorney General’s Office” in requesting to keep the accused under the preventive measure of house arrest.
If the perpetration of acts of corruption was in fact proven, “I don’t see a reason why a person that has committed crimes of this nature is being given privileges, specially when we have all witnessed that the money donated by Taiwan was supposed to go to projects to improve the quality of life of poor people and deal with damages caused by quakes in 2001,” he stressed.
How come that with the social effects this causes, and this can only be related to crimes against humanity, the Attorney General’s Office is considering Flores remaining under a preventive measure of house arrest, so that he continues getting benefits,” he wondered.
The hearing is likely to run until tomorrow, when it will be decided if the ex president is brought to trial, accused of money laundering, and taken to prison.
Nicaragua: Venue of the Duty-Free Zones Conference of the Americas
The 19th Conference of Duty-Free Zones of the Americas starts today in Nicaragua with the participation of some 150 industrialists, investors, exporters and experts of several countries and the objective of strengthening that regime in the area. Under the slogan The Americas, the continent of new opportunities, the meeting includes panel discussions on the latest trends and developments of that industry, will look to promote investment possibilities offered by the region in that modality.
Among the issues to discuss, there is how to innovate productivity and logistics; how to invest in Nicaragua and the region to boost this sphere; the policies of duty-free zones and the regional chain of added value, point organizers.
The executive director of Duty-Free Zones of the Americas, Camila Moreno, said in statements to news media that among the objectives of the venue stands out the promotion of business meetings and business alliances.
