{"id":45811,"date":"2022-03-08T15:01:16","date_gmt":"2022-03-08T23:01:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=45811"},"modified":"2022-03-08T15:01:16","modified_gmt":"2022-03-08T23:01:16","slug":"political-divides-color-latin-american-coverage-of-war-in-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=45811","title":{"rendered":"Political Divides Color Latin American Coverage of War in Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_63 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_1\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_63\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><a class=\"td-modal-image\" href=\"https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/50.62.88.172\/99t.7da.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/flag-g521b5f1eb_1920.jpg?time=1646771520\" data-caption=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-2\" title=\"flag-g521b5f1eb_1920\" src=\"https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/50.62.88.172\/99t.7da.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/flag-g521b5f1eb_1920-696x522.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/50.62.88.172\/99t.7da.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/flag-g521b5f1eb_1920-696x522.jpg 696w, https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/50.62.88.172\/99t.7da.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/flag-g521b5f1eb_1920-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/50.62.88.172\/99t.7da.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/flag-g521b5f1eb_1920-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/50.62.88.172\/99t.7da.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/flag-g521b5f1eb_1920-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/50.62.88.172\/99t.7da.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/flag-g521b5f1eb_1920-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/50.62.88.172\/99t.7da.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/flag-g521b5f1eb_1920-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/50.62.88.172\/99t.7da.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/flag-g521b5f1eb_1920-1068x801.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/50.62.88.172\/99t.7da.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/flag-g521b5f1eb_1920-265x198.jpg 265w, https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/50.62.88.172\/99t.7da.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/flag-g521b5f1eb_1920.jpg 1920w\" alt=\"\" width=\"696\" height=\"522\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_64 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_1 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_64\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span><a class=\"tdb-author-name\" href=\"https:\/\/ethnicmediaservices.org\/author\/pilar\/\">Pilar Marrero<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_65 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_1 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_65\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2022-03-08T12:18:14-08:00\">March 8, 2022<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_post_views tdi_66 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_1 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_66\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_post_share tdi_67 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_1\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_67\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"td-post-sharing tdb-block td-ps-bg td-ps-notext td-post-sharing-style1 \">\n<div class=\"td-post-sharing-visible\">\n<div class=\"td-social-sharing-button td-social-sharing-button-js td-social-handler td-social-share-text\"><em>Leer en <a href=\"https:\/\/ethnicmediaservices.org\/spanish-translations\/las-divisiones-politicas-tinen-la-cobertura-latinoamericana-de-la-guerra-en-ucrania\/\">espa\u00f1ol<\/a><\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_68 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_1 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_68\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Local politics, historical resentments, and economic realities have driven reactions in Latin America to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and that includes how media in the continent are covering\u2014and editorializing about\u2014the conflict.<\/p>\n<p>In Latin America, media outlets in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua\u2014all stalwart Russian allies\u2014have offered Moscow the most support by blaming NATO and the West for the events in Ukraine. All three countries have directly benefitted from Russia\u2019s economic support, and sanctions against that country can have direct impacts on their economies.<\/p>\n<p>Cuba and Nicaragua did abstain from a U.N. vote condemning Russia for its invasion last week, moves that were seen as a blow to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n<p>In all three countries, freedom of the press is severely limited, but a few\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.elnacional.com\/opinion\/la-otra-crisis\/\">dissenting<\/a>\u00a0voices can still be heard on the editorial pages of newspapers such as El Nacional, from Venezuela, for example.<\/p>\n<p>However, most Venezuelan media, including former opposition TV station Globovision (bought years ago by a pro regime figure), newspaper Ultimas Noticias and global network\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.telesurenglish.net\/\">Telesur<\/a>, keep their information clean of any bloody images in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>In their pages and social media, one can read about the \u201chumanitarian aid\u201d Russia has sent Ukraine, and about peace negotiations. Telesur regularly shares the same pro-Russia propaganda that one sees in Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik, two official Russian outlets, which have operations in Spanish.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s hard for me to find real independent media in Venezuela,\u201d said Joshua Collins, a freelance journalist covering Colombia and Venezuela who is based in Bogot\u00e1. \u201cTelesur essentially repeats RT propaganda.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After a US diplomatic visit to Caracas over the weekend to discuss, according to the White House, \u201cenergy security\u201d and the situation of Americans arbitrarily detained in Venezuela, media in that country reported that Venezuela was now \u201cat the center\u201d of important role in the \u201cgeopolitical chessboard\u201d. They covered new softer statements by President Maduro and first Lady Cilia Flores calling for peace and worrying about \u201cWWIII\u201d. The other coverage of the conflict stayed the same.<\/p>\n<p>The opposite occurs in neighboring Colombia. \u201cThe coverage here is pretty sympathetic of Ukraine. Everyone knows Colombia\u00b4s closest ally in the world is the U.S. but you can also see coverage as extensions of the political party or ideology,\u201d said Collins.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/caracol.com.co\/\">Radio Caracol<\/a>\u00b4s owner, for example, is the biggest donor to the party of the current president, Ivan Duque. \u201cThey are kind of covering it the same way Duque talks, he likes to talk about forceful military solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Center left media, such as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.elespectador.com\/\">El Espectador<\/a>\u00a0in Bogot\u00e1, are opposed to any type of intervention, he added, although they aren\u00b4t defending Russia or expressing a pro-Russia line.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Mexican media and journalists have expressed a variety of positions about the conflict, much of it reflective of ideology and how much of the traditional \u201canti-Americanism\u201d (Anti-USA) that opinion contains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMexico is a country with a strong current of anti-American opinion based on well-known historical resentments,\u201d said journalist Dolia Estevez, a regular commentator for Mexico\u00b4s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mvsnoticias.com\/\">Noticias MVS<\/a>\u00a0and a contributor to Poder Magazine.<\/p>\n<p>Contempt for the U.S. translates into defense of Putin and his war, she added.<\/p>\n<p>The President of Mexico, Andr\u00e9s Manuel L\u00f3pez Obrador, has not joined in condemnation or support of Russia, arguing that he supports \u201cnonintervention.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But on social media, a variety of influencers\u2014who may or may not be financed by the government and who usually support official positions\u2014are showing support for Russia and spreading disinformation that echoes some of the Russian propaganda. The very active Twitter account of the Russian Embassy in Mexico constantly engages in criticism of Mexican media that reports the news in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>In Cuba, the media reflect the official position of the government, said Jesus Hernandez Cuellar, editor of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.contactomagazine.com\/\">Contacto Magazine<\/a>\u00a0in Los Angeles.\u00a0 \u201cThe alternative view is outside of Cuba, with one exception, digital newspaper\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.14ymedio.com\/\">14ymedio.com<\/a>\u00a0which is led by Yoani Sanchez.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sanchez became world-famous via her blog years ago and her outlet is the only one inside Cuba that has covered stories and contains opinion pieces that are critical of Russia.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHer newspaper covered this story about a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.14ymedio.com\/internacional\/Voces-cubanas-bajo-bombardeos-rusos-Ucrania_0_3269073071.html\">Cuban baseball player<\/a>\u00a0that offered to fight for Ukraine after taking his family out of that country,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cThat would not have been a story that any Cuban outlet in the island would cover at all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Local politics and opinions regarding controversial president Nayib Bukele dominate the media in El Salvador, said Roger Lindo, an independent journalist living in the capital and writing for the online magazine\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.barracudaliteraria.com\/\">Barracuda Literaria<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEl Salvador was one of the nations that abstained at the U.N. from condemning the invasion,\u201d said Lindo. \u201cBukele was closer to the U.S. at the beginning of his government, but he has moved away from it and gotten closer to Russia, seeking to evade the financial systems of the West.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bukele has been promoting Bitcoin as a legal currency of his country and that has\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/world-nation\/story\/2022-02-23\/el-salvador-bitcoin-experiment\">not gone his way<\/a>, he said.<\/p>\n<p>Most media in the Central American country have been critical of both Russia and Bukele.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVery few Salvadorean outlets have a different position than that of the West and they have used Bukele\u00b4s increasing closeness to Russia as a hammer against him,\u201d Lindo explained.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ByPilar Marrero March 8, 2022 Leer&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=45811"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45811\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45812,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45811\/revisions\/45812"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=45811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=45811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=45811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}