Petro's war of words with press freedom groups stokes worries
Colombia is among the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists— a disinformation campaign against their protectors inspired international condemnation
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has spent weeks embroiled in a public fight with the country’s main advocacy group for journalists, the Foundation of the Liberty and Independence of the Press (FLIP).
It isn’t the first time Petro has gone on the offensive against journalists or the FLIP. But the catalyst for this most recent fight between the most powerful man in Colombia and one of the few organizations that protect journalists in a country that ranks in the bottom third of press freedoms worldwide was a series of articles about the alleged corruption of ex-cabinet members in his administration.
On Twitter, Gustavo Petro called the articles "Mossad journalism", suggesting that the journalist who wrote them, María Jimena Duzán, was involved in a coordinated disinformation campaign to damage his government. He also called on the FLIP to persecute journalists who publish what he has often called “fake news”— a term popularized by former U.S. president Donald Trump.
On June 26, FLIP issued a statement in which it expressed its concern about the accusations that Petro had issued against media and journalists who investigate alleged acts of corruption by people close to his government team.
"We reiterate our concern for the strategy maintained by President Gustavo Petro to discredit and stigmatize the work of journalists and media outlets that oversee the management of his government, thus ignoring his obligation as president to promote an optimal climate for the exercise of journalistic work," said the Foundation.
“Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are fundamental rights that must be guaranteed by the State and exercised with responsibility,” continued the FLIP in their statement
Being a local beat journo in Colombia is deadly work
Colombia is among the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, especially local journalists who investigate the nexus between criminal groups and politicians in areas plagued by conflict. Five such journalists have been murdered in Colombia in the last 19 months in retaliation for their work. Two other journalists' murders are also under investigation for less clear circumstances.
But instead of retreating from his comments after the statement by the FLIP, Petro instead doubled down with new public attacks. From there, thousands of messages containing disinformation or stigmatizing the FLIP were sent by the president’s followers, digital influencers, members of Congress from his party (Historical Pact), and appointed government officials— some of which Petro amplified on his Twitter account.
The false claims included accusations that the FLIP protects only wealthy right-wing journalists (they don’t), that they didn’t defend journalists who exposed corruption or malfeasance in previous right-wing administrations (they did) and that they don’t offer services or amplify independent or local journalists, especially in conflict areas (that is, in fact, their principal activity).
In the following days, he suggested that because one of the founders of the FLIP, who has not formed part of the organization for more than 20 years, has been accused of ties to paramilitary organizations, the FLIP must be inherently corrupt. He also repeatedly referred to journalists pushing back against the false accusations as “neo-nazis”.
He also, falsely, claimed that the organization had never released a statement condemning the deaths of 158 journalists in Gaza. They have.
As journalists across the political spectrum began to unify around the FLIP, he doubled down on attacks rather than backtracking. During a 5-day tweetstorm on the subject, he publicly attacked a freelance journalist who writes for center-left newspaper El Espectador who was trying to clear up the confusion, and calling the false accusations dangerous.
The accusations led to some of the president's millions of followers harassing, and at times even threatening, journalists who have spoken out about press freedoms in the country.
The fight goes international
“I think this popular outrage comes from a fundamental misunderstanding about what the FLIP does,” said Adriaan Alsema, editor and founder of Colombia Reports, the oldest English-language online news website in the country.
“Every day the organization is helping journalists in conflict areas apply for protection from the state, issuing flak jackets and helmets to those covering riots and civil disturbances, providing legal resources to journalists being accused of libel by corrupt politicians” and other actions that aid journalists facing physical or legal threats, including money for hotels and travel when local journalists facing immediate threat are forced to flee as a result of their work, he told PWS.
As the public battle escalated, institutions both within and outside of the country issued statements expressing concern over Petro’s actions. The Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation (PARES), a Colombian NGO that advocates for peace implementation in Colombia released a communique reminding the president that “the FLIP has a long history of protecting journalists no matter who the president may be”.
Reporters Without Borders, (RSF by their French acronym), an international NGO that tracks press freedom worldwide, said the organization “categorically rejects” statements by Petro, and “any harassment” towards those journalists who exercise that right.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, (CPJ), also issued a statement expressing concern that “Petro’s stigmatizing discourse against the press and journalists encourages other authorities and his supporters to do the same, putting investigations on issues of public interest at risk.”
Petro did not immediately respond to the statements.
Press Freedom in Colombia
Colombia has long struggled with press freedom, not just due to physical threats from criminal groups, but also due to institutional oppression by the Colombian state. According to RSF, the country ranks 119th of 180 countries in the world.
In addition to physical repression, which has included wiretapping of journalists by intelligence and physical attacks under previous administrations, RSF also identifies the hegemonic control of large corporate media owned by right-wing donors as a problem for the freedom of expression.
Some of that media landscape, particularly columnists for large right-wing propaganda outlets, have released thinly sourced opinion pieces making wild accusations against the Petro administration.
“There is good journalism and bad journalism, as in all professions, said Ana Cristina Restrepo, president of the board at the FLIP. “But freedom of the press is a mark of democracy.”
Laura Bonilla, deputy director of PARES said that the mission of FLIP "is not to control the press, nor its quality, but to defend freedom of the press".
"It is true that Colombia has had a media that has been very complacent with power, but at the same time brave, honest and ethical journalists", have risked their lives to expose wrongdoings by the state.
Press freedom under Petro has improved in comparison to the previous administration of Iván Duque, who was criticized for widespread police repression of journalists during a national strike in 2021 (a phenomenon well documented by the FLIP at the time) as well as spying on journalists critical of his administration.
When Duque left office, the country was ranked 134th in the world, a position that Petro has improved, in contrast with previous governments in Colombia, simply by not physically attacking journalists.
But the risk is that the National Government's stigmatization and demonization of the entire journalistic profession sends a signal of impunity for actions against journalists as individuals, reversing those gains.
Petro promised in the campaign to end such practices. He currently faces an opportunity to do so. Or he could adopt the strategy of strongmen in Latin America like Bukele and Ortega, who intimidate critical voices, sometimes, into exile.
The choice is his.
The Big Headlines in LATAM
Panama announced the closure of three of the main encampments that receive and provide humanitarian assistance to migrants who have entered the country via the Darien Gap. The decision will endanger the lives of migrants in what is already the most dangerous land corridor for migration in the world.
The move also occurs amidst U.S. pressure to cut down on migration throughout the Americas, and a new joint anti-migrant operation between U.S. and Panamanian officials. We covered this dynamic in depth for paid subscribers in this week’s “Ship’s Log”.
Ship’s Log
Last week we experienced a formatting error when we published our weekly newsletter. When the story was transferred from google docs to the website, the same paragraph duplicated itself three times in the body of the article. The error was quickly corrected on the website, but unfortunately, the email had already been sent to 2,000 subscribers. If you didn’t catch the piece, which was on migrants being lost in the Darien Gap, we urge you to give the updated version another glance.
Thank you again and we regret the error.
Spanish Word of the Week
periodismo amarillista - Yellow journalism
“Yellow journalism”, in English sounds a bit antiquated. It came originally from the U.K. to refer to newspapers that relied on gross exaggerations, insinuation or outright propaganda to drive newspaper sales.
It refers, in short, to all the worst ethical practices of a free press. But the term is still in common usage among Spanish speakers. And the phenomenon of yellow journalism is alive and well the world over.
Unfortunately, some journalists are more interested in driving a pre-conceived narrative than uncovering the truth. And even more sadly, some aren’t above outright lying.
But despite the bad actors, no matter where you go, journalism (and the right to criticize power) remain fundamental for a free society.
And a lot of journalists all over the world risk their lives every day to do exactly that. Please support them if you can! They deserve it.
Thank you for this week’s piece on press freedom in Colombia.