By Jorge Santos
I do not care! Some usual disbelievers will shout. What do I care! The individualists and defenders of the status quo will shout. But what is real and important is that the loss of a means of communication is the certain death of democracy in any society, whether we like it or not. Even if we consider that it is none of our business, the definitive closure of elPeriódico is a product of the dictatorial system in which we live. Yes, dictatorial. Because dictatorships are characterized by punishing the free expression of opinions and government control.
In its 25 years of existence, elPeriódico opened its doors to the diversity of opinions and positions, bringing updated and relevant information to its readers so that they could form their own criteria. He shared, with other journalistic efforts, great investigative reports that illustrated forms of abuse of power and authoritarianism in a Guatemala that was in the midst of the post-conflict period. It incorporated among its pages the voices of analysts as varied as the diversity in the country: columnists women, indigenous people, young people, mestizos, foreigners, right-wing, human rights defenders.
As not everything in life is politics and debate, this media outlet also disseminated information about artists. He summoned us to concerts, exhibitions, the cinema and theater where our humanity was recreated. He presented academic, scientific, and technological innovations, suggesting the importance of humanity dedicating its capacities to advances that could improve the quality of life. Surely many searched its pages for the results of the sports contests of the day. In the long-awaited rest periods, he gave us the accordion with readings for recreation; and for the not so restful days, a section of several pages dedicated to economic analysis.
Founded in the same year that peace was signed in the country, it documented the efforts to overcome the causes and consequences of the internal armed conflict in the country. It seems like a bad joke in life, which always gives us lessons, that this media outlet is closing down at a time when the country is returning to the darkness of the internal armed conflict.
More than just a bad joke, it is a symptom of the impact of corruption as a government ethic and authoritarianism as a method of governance.
Obviously, his reports critical of the government, the denunciations of corruption caused discomfort, even anger. The murders in Pavón, the suitcases full of money in Antigua, the irresponsible business of vaccines or the Russian carpet occupied pages of elPeriódico, provoking questions and citizen discontent.
Hope? Of course, if you are reading here, you are debating internally about your position in front of this column, there is hope. From 1960 to 1986 there were 26 years of internal armed conflict, from 1986 to 2022 there were 36 years of building democracy and consolidating peace. What will you choose for the next 46? You can choose between dictatorship, arrogance, corruption, drug trafficking, impunity or something else that could represent dignity.
Jorge Santos
Defender of human rights, lover of life, hopes and utopias, which has led me to work for another Guatemala, in student and peasant organizations, victims of the Internal Armed Conflict and the protection of human rights defenders. I faithfully believe, like Otto René Castillo, that those who build it beautiful find life beautiful.
Source The Time
