{"code":"25598","sect":"Columns","sect_slug":"columns","hits":"1766","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/en\/202107\/columns\/25598","link_edit":"","name":"On the Expulsion of Daniel Liz\u00e1rraga","slug":"on-the-expulsion-of-daniel-lizarraga","info":"","mtag":"Editorial","noun":{"html":"El Faro","data":{"el-faro":{"sort":"","slug":"el-faro","path":"el_faro","name":"El Faro","edge":"0","init":"0"}}},"view":"1766","pict":{"cms-image-000036094-jpg":{"feat":"1","sort":"36094","name":"cms-image-000036094.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000036094.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000036094.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000036094-jpg","text":"<p>Daniel Liz\u00e1rraga, editor at El Faro from Mexico, left El Salvador after the Bukele administration denied him residence, on the grounds that he couldn't prove his credentials as a journalist. Photo: V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a\/El Faro<\/p>","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EDaniel Liz\u00e1rraga, editor at El Faro from Mexico, left El Salvador after the Bukele administration denied him residence, on the grounds that he couldn't prove his credentials as a journalist. Photo: V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a\/El Faro\u003C\/p\u003E"}},"pict_main__sort":36094,"date":{"live":"2021\/07\/08"},"data_post_dateLive_YY":"2021","data_post_dateLive_MM":"07","data_post_dateLive_DD":"08","text":"\u003Cp id=\"docs-internal-guid-7fcb8d75-7fff-e2e3-b3ac-ea4596e39fcc\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"\/es\/202107\/columnas\/25596\/La-expulsi%C3%B3n-de-Daniel-Liz%C3%A1rraga.htm\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELeer en espa\u00f1ol\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe Bukele regime has expelled from the country renowned Latin American journalist Daniel Liz\u00e1rraga, a member of this newsroom\u2019s editorial team, in a serious escalation of attacks against El Faro and Salvadoran journalism.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe resolution immigration officials issued to Liz\u00e1rraga specifies that he was denied his work permit and residence due to his inability to prove he is an editor or journalist. The assertion is just as absurd and crass as \u003Ca href=\"\/en\/202104\/columns\/25412\/Government-Fabricates-a-New-Case-against-El-Faro.htm\"\u003Ethose made by the Treasury Ministry\u003C\/a\u003E in the course of ongoing audits of this newsroom.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ELiz\u00e1rraga, a journalist known around the continent, is an instructor at the New Journalism Foundation (FNPI) and Mexico\u2019s Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE), as well as an award-winning editor of regional investigations and coordinator of an investigation in Mexico that uncovered emblematic corruption cases during the administration of President Enrique Pe\u00f1a Nieto.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe true reason for his expulsion isn\u2019t that he cannot prove he\u2019s a journalist, but rather that he\u2019s a journalist specialized in investigating corruption. That\u2019s what truly bothers the Bukele regime, which is just as plagued with corruption scandals as it is committed to protecting its own corrupt.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ECorruption in this government hasn\u2019t only been reported by journalistic investigations. It\u2019s also been confirmed in the reports of the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/elfaro.net\/el-faro-english-bukele-talk-bitcoin-060721?e=3e101df639\"\u003Enow-defunct International Commission against Impunity in El Salvador (CICIES)\u003C\/a\u003E, as well as in the conclusions of the U.S. Congressional commission which prepared the so-called \u2018Engel List.\u2019 The response of the president, who has long promised to combat corruption, was to shield accused officials and persecute the press.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ELiz\u00e1rraga\u2019s expulsion is serious but unsurprising. Journalism capable of revealing corruption is a formidable obstacle to the plans of the corrupt.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThat\u2019s why this administration has spent months in a campaign of harassment, attacks, censorship, and threats against El Faro and against journalism outside its control. In their conception of power, there\u2019s no room for private organizations, universities, critical journalists, or the institutions tasked with monitoring government, investigating wrongdoing, or ensuring access to public information. Not even the constitution or the nation\u2019s laws have earned the respect of those currently in power.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EVarious outlets, including this newsroom, have spent more than a year denouncing the corruption of this government (as we did with its predecessors), as well as abuses of power, threats, surveillance, and stalking by the regime\u2019s operatives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EResolution 12-2021 of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which granted protective measures on behalf of 34 members of the El Faro newsroom, gives a precise recounting of these behaviors through January of this year, including President Bukele\u2019s baseless money laundering accusations against El Faro which he made in a national broadcast. It also details threats and smear campaigns, as well as the surveillance and obstruction of our work, orchestrated by Casa Presidencial and published on state-run platforms and by officials in the Bukele administration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EBut all of the regime\u2019s efforts to silence the press, including Daniel Liz\u00e1rraga\u2019s expulsion, are futile. He\u2019ll continue working with us, regardless of where he may be. His expulsion is a reflection of the nature of the regime that has been installed in El Salvador, not an impediment to the talents of Liz\u00e1rraga and all of our collaborators in the service of El Faro and our readers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EAn attack against critical journalism refusing to bow to government propaganda is an attack against our whole society, as it undermines the public\u2019s right to information. In previous administrations, journalistic investigations revealed the improper use of public funds and systemic corruption. Among other outcomes, these investigations led to the prosecution of corruption cases at the highest levels of government, as well as the discrediting of the two main political parties covering up those acts. Those investigations paved the way for Bukele and his party.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EProfessional journalists are obligated to continue scrutinizing the decisions of this and every government, because these decisions affect the public and the scrutiny of them is in the public interest. And we will continue doing so.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EWe condemn this latest attack against independent journalism and reiterate our commitment to continue practicing journalism held to the highest editorial standards, rather than the standards of antidemocratic rulers who resort to threats and harassment in response to inquiries into their use of power.\u003C\/p\u003E"}