CNN
—
The federal government of Nicaragua took CNN en Español off the air, shortly after 10pm native time on Wednesday.
It has not defined why it eliminated CNN’s Spanish-language service, and didn’t reply to CNN’s request for remark. The cable operators carrying CNN en Español within the nation additionally didn’t reply.
“At the moment the federal government of Nicaragua pulled our tv sign, denying Nicaraguans information and data from our tv community, which they’ve relied upon for 25 years,” the US-based service mentioned in a press release.
Nicaragua’s authorities below fifth-term president Daniel Ortega has sharply cracked down on each the press and on critics over the previous two years.
Many Nicaraguan journalists have been compelled into exile, and there stays “virtually no unbiased media inside the nation,” in keeping with press freedom group Reporters without Borders.
“CNN en Español was the one remaining outlet essential of President Daniel Ortega accessible to Nicaraguans,” Reuters reported on Thursday.
CNN en Español has mentioned Nicaraguans can proceed to search out Spanish-language information on its web site.
“CNN en Español will proceed to satisfy its duty to the Nicaraguan public by providing our information hyperlinks on CNNEspanol.com, so they could have entry to data not accessible to them in another manner.”
“CNN stands by our community’s reporting and our dedication to fact and transparency,” the assertion additionally mentioned, including, “At CNN en Español we imagine within the very important function that freedom of press performs in a wholesome democracy.”
In March this yr, Nicaragua’s Ambassador to the Group of American States Arturo McFields labeled his nation’s authorities a “dictatorship,” citing its repression of unbiased reporting and imprisonment of dissidents and political rivals, amongst different issues.
“Since 2018, Nicaragua has change into the one nation in Central America that has no print newspapers. There’s no freedom to publish a easy tweet, [or posting] a easy touch upon social media,” he mentioned.
“There are not any human rights organizations … They’ve all been closed, expelled, or shuttered. There are not any unbiased political events, there are not any credible elections, no separation of powers,” he continued.
Nicaraguan state media later posted a letter to Twitter saying McFields doesn’t symbolize Ortega’s authorities.
