Svetlana Montero, district director of MIES and daughter of Mayor Montero, verbally insulted a Supercable TV Cariamanga journalistic team

Location: Ecuador, Cariamanga
Date: June 7, 2024

Women Press Freedom strongly supports the journalistic team from Supercable TV Cariamanga, who were aggressively confronted by Svetlana Montero at the People's Hall of the Municipality of Calvas canton in Loja province. While covering a meeting between the Cabildo Workers Union and Mayor Jorge Montero, Svetlana Montero, the district director of the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES) and daughter of Mayor Montero, launched a verbal attack on the team, preventing them from documenting the event. We denounce any efforts to intimidate or impede journalists from reporting on events of public interest, especially when such obstacles arise from people in positions of authority who should be champions of press freedom and democratic principles. We call for an apology and accountability.

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Tensions flared at a recent Workers' Union gathering in Caramanga when Cristhel Jima, director of Supercable TV Caramanga, and her team faced hostility from local authorities, including Mayor Montero, on June 7, 2024.

Jima recounted that the Workers' Union invited her team, whose identities remain undisclosed for their safety, to the event. However, upon their arrival, Mayor Montero forbade any recording, declaring, “I rule here.” Metropolitan police were summoned to enforce the prohibition, but the team was eventually permitted to stay as attendees.

The situation escalated when Mayor Montero made a disparaging remark about “the hired media present,” provoking a heated exchange with Workers' Union members and resulting in the abrupt suspension of the meeting.

Municipal authorities and security personnel further obstructed Jima's team from interacting with officials. Svetlana Montero then unleashed a barrage of insults, repeatedly calling the journalists “scoundrels.”

Describing the situation, Jima says, “Our colleague [a woman journalist], attempted to defuse the situation and urged the lady to calm down, but she persisted in her aggressive behavior, shamelessly grabbing her arm and continuing her tirade.”

In recent years, Ecuadorean journalism has faced challenges stemming from a rise in assaults related to the escalation of drug-related crimes and heightened tensions during elections. The prevalence of death threats targeting journalists and assaults on news organizations underscores the presence of structural violence and a culture of impunity, impacting not only the journalism profession but also the broader Ecuadorean society.

Women Press Freedom unequivocally supports the journalistic team from Supercable TV Cariamanga. We condemn Svetlana Montero's verbal assault against the journalists and any attempts to intimidate or obstruct their coverage of public-interest events. It is particularly troubling when such obstacles come from those in positions of power who should uphold press freedom and democratic values. We demand an apology and accountability. Journalists have the right to report freely on events of public interest.

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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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