José Rubén Zamora
Encyclopedia
José Rubén Zamora Marroquín (born August 19, 1956) is the founder of three of Guatemala
's most important newspapers, Siglo Veintiuno
("21st Century") in 1990; El Periódico
("The Newspaper") in 1996 and Nuestro Diario in 1998. Although he has generated great controversy in his role as editor
-in-chief of the newspapers, he continues to edit the latter today. Since 2003 he has experienced attacks, threats and even kidnapping for his journalist work, with the probed responsibility of Guatemalan state forces in these crimes committed during the former president Alfonso Portillo
administration. He was kidnapped in 2008. http://www.elperiodico.com.gt/articulo/cronica.html
He received the Maria Moore Cabot Prize from Columbia University
in 1994 and the CPJ International Press Freedom Award from the Committee of Journalists in 1994. In 2000, he was named one of 50 Press Freedom Heroes of the 20th century by the International Press Institute
.
and business administration, he founded a news and production company in 1986 before launching Siglo Veintiuno four years later.
s and being attacked. He came into particularly sharp conflict with the government of Jorge Serrano
. After suspending Guatemala's constitution in May 1993, Serrano invoked censorship
of the press. Zamora responded to the restrictions by temporarily renaming his paper Siglo Catorce ("14th Century") and covering the censored segments with blocks of ink. Copies were burnt on the streets. Zamora fax
ed the uncensored version to various places outside Guatemala, resulting in greater condemnation of the Serrano regime in the international community. Indeed, Zamora's campaign against Serrano's suspension of the constitution is considered to be one of the main reasons why the latter eventually abandoned power and fled to El Salvador
.
In 1995, after an article linking certain high ranking military officers
with organised crime
, he was forced off the road and threatened. He refused to stop his investigations, and the death threats continued. In May 1996 Zamora resigned his post as editor due to disagreements with the newspaper's board of directors
. Two days later a grenade
was thrown at his car while it was parked outside a restaurant where he was eating. Zamora believed this was an attempt to halt his plans to set up a new newspaper.
. It was bought by the owners of Prensa Libre
, Guatemala's best-selling newspaper, in 1997. In June 2003 armed men entered Zamora's house, and held him and his family as hostages for several hours. Held at gunpoint in front of his wife and children, he was tied to a chair, and told that the government wanted him to stop his negative reporting. Due to the dangerous situation, Zamora was forced to send his family into exile in Miami until the forthcoming presidential elections
were over, but he stayed in Guatemala himself to continue his uncompromising coverage of the election.
Zamora's efforts have helped create a much stronger and more independent press in Guatemala. On October 15, 2003 he was awarded the Knight Award.
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
's most important newspapers, Siglo Veintiuno
Siglo Veintiuno
Siglo Veintiuno is an important Guatemalan newspaper. It was founded in 1990 by José Rubén Zamora.-External links:*http://www.sigloxxi.com/...
("21st Century") in 1990; El Periódico
El Periódico
El Periódico is Spanish for "The Journal" and may refer to*El Periódico de Catalunya *El Periódico...
("The Newspaper") in 1996 and Nuestro Diario in 1998. Although he has generated great controversy in his role as editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
-in-chief of the newspapers, he continues to edit the latter today. Since 2003 he has experienced attacks, threats and even kidnapping for his journalist work, with the probed responsibility of Guatemalan state forces in these crimes committed during the former president Alfonso Portillo
Alfonso Portillo
Alfonso Antonio Portillo Cabrera is a Guatemalan politician. He served as the President of the Republic of Guatemala from 2000 to 2004....
administration. He was kidnapped in 2008. http://www.elperiodico.com.gt/articulo/cronica.html
He received the Maria Moore Cabot Prize from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1994 and the CPJ International Press Freedom Award from the Committee of Journalists in 1994. In 2000, he was named one of 50 Press Freedom Heroes of the 20th century by the International Press Institute
International Press Institute
International Press Institute is a global organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of press freedom and the improvement of journalism practices. Founded in October 1950, the IPI has members in over 120 countries....
.
Early career
Zamora began working as a reporter in La Hora ("The Hour"), a newspaper owned by his family, when he was 17. After graduating in industrial engineeringIndustrial engineering
Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering dealing with the optimization of complex processes or systems. It is concerned with the development, improvement, implementation and evaluation of integrated systems of people, money, knowledge, information, equipment, energy, materials, analysis...
and business administration, he founded a news and production company in 1986 before launching Siglo Veintiuno four years later.
Siglo Veintiuno
Zamora and his staff were very quickly the subject of harassment, including receiving death threatDeath threat
A death threat is a threat of death, often made anonymously, by one person or a group of people to kill another person or groups of people. These threats are usually designed to intimidate victims in order to manipulate their behavior, thus a death threat is a form of coercion...
s and being attacked. He came into particularly sharp conflict with the government of Jorge Serrano
Jorge Serrano Elías
Jorge Antonio Serrano Elías was President of Guatemala from January 14, 1991 to May 31, 1993.-Career:Serrano was born April 26, 1945 in Guatemala City as the son of Jorge Adán Serrano and Rosa Elías...
. After suspending Guatemala's constitution in May 1993, Serrano invoked censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
of the press. Zamora responded to the restrictions by temporarily renaming his paper Siglo Catorce ("14th Century") and covering the censored segments with blocks of ink. Copies were burnt on the streets. Zamora fax
Fax
Fax , sometimes called telecopying, is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material , normally to a telephone number connected to a printer or other output device...
ed the uncensored version to various places outside Guatemala, resulting in greater condemnation of the Serrano regime in the international community. Indeed, Zamora's campaign against Serrano's suspension of the constitution is considered to be one of the main reasons why the latter eventually abandoned power and fled to El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
.
In 1995, after an article linking certain high ranking military officers
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
with organised crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
, he was forced off the road and threatened. He refused to stop his investigations, and the death threats continued. In May 1996 Zamora resigned his post as editor due to disagreements with the newspaper's board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
. Two days later a grenade
Grenade
A grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
was thrown at his car while it was parked outside a restaurant where he was eating. Zamora believed this was an attempt to halt his plans to set up a new newspaper.
El Periódico
Zamora's new newspaper, El Periódico, was launched on November 6, 1996, thanks to the donations of 125 citizens who supported his stand on press freedomFreedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
. It was bought by the owners of Prensa Libre
Prensa Libre
Prensa Libre is a Guatemalan newspaper published in Guatemala City by Prensa Libre, S.A. and distributed nationwide. It was formerly the most widely circulated newspaper in the country and as of 2007 it has the second-widest circulation. It is considered a local newspaper of record. It was founded...
, Guatemala's best-selling newspaper, in 1997. In June 2003 armed men entered Zamora's house, and held him and his family as hostages for several hours. Held at gunpoint in front of his wife and children, he was tied to a chair, and told that the government wanted him to stop his negative reporting. Due to the dangerous situation, Zamora was forced to send his family into exile in Miami until the forthcoming presidential elections
Guatemalan election, 2003
General elections were held in Guatemala on 9 November 2003, with a second round of the presidential election held on 28 December. Óscar Berger won the presidential election, representing the Grand National Alliance, a coalition of alliance of the Patriotic Party, the Reform Movement and the...
were over, but he stayed in Guatemala himself to continue his uncompromising coverage of the election.
Zamora's efforts have helped create a much stronger and more independent press in Guatemala. On October 15, 2003 he was awarded the Knight Award.
External links
- Biography
- BBC article on 2003 attack
- 'Guatemalan Editor Names Attackers' - Poynter Online
- Former soldier sentenced for attack on Zamora - IFEXInternational Freedom of Expression ExchangeThe International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....