CNN – Libel case pits Ecuador’s president against newspaper
CNN writes about the libel lawsuit that Ecuador President filed against El Universo, a family-run 89-year-old newspaper. The newspaper says that it has offered to print a correction to the column in question, but President Correa says the time has passed:
Court proceedings began Tuesday in a high-profile libel lawsuit that pits Ecuador’s president against one of the nation’s largest newspapers.
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa is seeking $80 million in damages from El Universo newspaper and its staff. He also wants a judge to impose three-year prison sentences on the newspaper’s directors and its former opinion editor.
A judge is scheduled to rule Friday in the case, which has drawn international attention from press-freedom advocates, who say Correa aims to crack down on critics by restricting the media.
