Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa didn’t like a cartoon so he pressed charges against cartoonist Xavier Bonilla ‘Bonil’.
So last week Ecuadorian authorities started a trial against Bonil:
The El Universo‘s cartoonist said he received a notice from the controlling body of information for alleged violations of a controversial media law issued last year.
“I do not know exactly what I’m being accused of, but today they sent a notice that accounts for the existence of an internal report that allows them to open a case against me”, said Bonilla.
…
The drawing shows rifle and helmet characters taking computers and boxes, with the caption, “Police and Prosecution break into Fernando Villavicencio’s domicile and take away corruption allegation documents”. Correa dared Bonilla to prove this last statement.
So it’s OK if Julian Assange does it, but Correa will haunt his own citizens when they say something he dislikes.
Correa’s double standard on free speech is not new, but this trend amongst Latin American rulers is worrisome.