IBEROAMERICA: Compromise on ‘Right to Truthful Information’

By Estrella Gutiérrez and Tito Drago Reprint | | Print |

Estrella Gutierrez and Tito Drago

MARGARITA ISLAND, Venezuela, Nov 7 1997 (IPS) - A controversial reference to the right to free and truthful information will not be removed from the final declaration to be signed Sunday by the leaders of 19 Latin Americans and Portugal and Spain at the seventh Iberian American Summit.

However, due to pressure applied by the Inter-American Press Society (SIP – linking media owners), as well as the Association of European Journalists, both of which warned that the mention of the right to veracious information was a harbinger of censorship, the issue will not be accorded a sub-section of its own.

After the touchy issue bogged down two days of preparatory discussions among summit coordinators, the foreign ministers agreed Thursday night that the reference would be included, Spanish Foreign Minister Abel Matutes announced Friday.

The question of the right to veracious information has been the focus of a heated public debate since the sixth Iberian American summit held in Chile, when Venezuelan President Rafael Caldera proposed it be included in this year’s declaration.

But while SIP and the Association of European Journalists have opposed any mention of the right to truthful informatil