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They confirm the prosecution of two radical ex-intendents for withholding voter documents
AR🏛️ PoliticsLean Progressive8 days ago

They confirm the prosecution of two radical ex-intendents for withholding voter documents

The National Election Chamber confirmed the prosecution of two former radical mayors, Lorena Andrea Otermín and Matías Rappallini, from the town of Maipú in Buenos Aires province, for allegedly retaining the documents of voters to prevent them from voting in the national elections held on October 27, 2019. The ruling was signed by judges Alberto Dalla Vía, Santiago Corcuera, and Daniel Bejas. The accused are alleged to have coordinated the acquisition of voters' identification documents in exchange for money, municipal services, or social aid benefits. In some cases, they provided food, construction materials, and mattresses in exchange for these documents. Victims, mostly unable to recover their ID cards before the elections, were thus denied the right to vote. The judges emphasized that a democratic electoral system aims to ensure the free expression of the people's will and stressed the importance of citizens' participation in public affairs and the right to freely choose their representatives. They highlighted that withholding identity documents, even temporarily, effectively strips individuals of their political rights, akin to 'civil death.'

Experts warned about the impact of disinformation on electoral processes in Spain and Mexico during a discussion between journalists Marcelo Molina and Jorge Elías. The conversation focused on how disinformation campaigns have influenced democratic processes, comparing experiences from Mexico, Spain, and Argentina to analyze how political manipulation strategies evolved before and after the rise of social media. The host recalled the long-standing dominance of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) in Mexico and noted that during its 71 years in power, there were various practices of electoral control. He cited examples such as transporting voters with ballots already filled in and instructing them on how to vote. He also referenced writer Mario Vargas Llosa's description of the Mexican regime as "the perfect dictatorship," due to the mechanism known as dedazo, through which the sitting president selected his successor. Marcelo Molina pointed out that the manipulation of information did not originate with the internet. Indirectly, he mentioned the impact of spreading information about supposed foreign bank accounts belonging to candidate Enrique Olivera during the 2005 Argentine election campaign. According to him, this episode demonstrates that political operations existed long before the expansion of digital platforms. The exercise of professional and critical journalism is a fundamental pillar of democracy, and thus it irritates those who believe they are the owners of the truth. Regarding Spain, Molina explained that the country has a Procedure for Action Against Disinformation, involving the Government Presidency, intelligence agencies, and the ministries of the Interior and Foreign Affairs. However, he stated that the national strategy announced to combat these threats has yet to be implemented. "What is concrete is that nothing has been done yet, and there isn't even a written word," he said referring to the official policy against disinformation campaigns. Molina illustrated this situation with recent incidents recorded in the city of Ceuta. He explained that authorities are investigating intense activity on social networks encouraging new attempts to cross illegally into Spanish territory. "There is very strong activity on social media encouraging people to return, claiming it will be the last opportunity; they even tell people how to go, where to go, and which doors are open, although they might not actually be open," he detailed. Additionally, he noted that these posts also promote the purchase of wetsuits and other flotation equipment to facilitate crossing. According to Molina, the National Police have started paying special attention to these campaigns following previous incidents at the border. Indirectly, he indicated that while authorities initially minimized the phenomenon, they are currently investigating whether behind these messages lies an organized strategy to encourage mass entries. During the conversation, the functioning of mail-in voting in Spain was also discussed. The journalist explained that this method is becoming increasingly important, especially because many elections coincide with the summer vacation period. However, he acknowledged that irregularities were detected in several municipalities during recent elections. "Irregularities were indeed detected in some municipalities; one case caused a scandal because it gave 100% of the votes to one of the candidates," he said describing one of the investigated cases. Jorge Elías added that the votes of Spanish citizens residing in Argentina can be decisive in certain localities, particularly in Galicia. He explained that some political sectors argue that expanding access to Spanish nationality for descendants of immigrants could also influence election outcomes.

3 reports

Perfil logoPerfilIndependentProgressiveFactual 85Objective 8017 days ago
Experts warned about the impact of disinformation on electoral processes in Spain and Mexico

The article discusses the impact of disinformation on democratic processes in Spain and Mexico, through a discussion between journalists Marcelo Molina and Jorge Elías. They compare experiences across Mexico, Spain, and Argentina, highlighting historical practices of electoral manipulation, such as the PRI's control in Mexico and the 'dedazo' system. In Argentina, the 2005 campaign involving alleged foreign bank accounts of candidate Enrique Olivera is cited as an example of pre-internet political manipulation. Regarding Spain, Molina notes the existence of a legal framework against disinformation but points out that it has not been implemented. He references recent incidents in Ceuta where social media campaigns encourage illegal border crossings, promoting the purchase of flotation devices. The Guardia Civil is now paying more attention to these activities after previous border incidents.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the issue of disinformation as a threat to democracy, emphasizing the need for critical journalism and institutional responses. It highlights systemic issues in countries like Mexico and Spain, suggesting a left-leaning perspective by focusing on structural inequalities and state-

Why factuality (85): The article provides specific examples from Mexico, Spain, and Argentina regarding election manipulation and disinformation, citing historical practices like 'acarreo' and 'dedazo' in Mexico, as well as an example from Argentina’s 2005 elections. These details align with general knowledge of politic

Why objectivity (80): The article presents information in a generally neutral manner, discussing historical and contemporary issues without overt bias. The phrase 'esto no les gusta a los autoritarios' introduces a slight subjective tone, but overall the piece remains balanced in its discussion of disinformation across m

Perfil logoPerfilIndependentProgressiveFactual 85Objective 728 days ago
Press, whistleblowers and a source protection programme

The article discusses the challenges faced by whistleblowers in Argentina, particularly highlighting the risks they endure and the lack of adequate protection mechanisms. It references Laura Muñoz, a key witness in the Ciccone case who led to the conviction of former Vice President Amado Boudou. Muñoz describes the traumatic experience of exposing corruption and the subsequent threats she received from state-aligned media. She was enrolled in the National Witness Protection Program but found the process ineffective due to its executive dependency, leading to concerns over political influence. The piece also mentions other whistleblowers whose careers were ruined or who faced institutional violence. The article criticizes the role of powerful legal actors in undermining journalists and whistleblowers, especially in high-profile cases like the 'Cuadernos' trial.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the issue of whistleblower protection as a systemic failure within the Argentine political system, emphasizing the dangers faced by individuals who expose corruption. It highlights the lack of independence in the protection program and criticizes the involvement of powerful legal,

Why factuality (85): The article presents a detailed account of Laura Muñoz’s experience as a whistleblower in the Ciccone case, citing her direct quotes and describing the challenges faced by informants in Argentina. It references specific legal and political figures (Amado Boudou) and mentions the National Witness Pro

Why objectivity (72): The tone is critical of authoritarian tendencies and the lack of protection for whistleblowers, but remains focused on presenting facts through the perspective of an individual involved. There is some editorializing when discussing the impact of journalism on democracy, but overall the narrative rem

La Nación logoLa NaciónIndependent🔒CenterFactual 85Objective 7012 days ago
They confirm the prosecution of two radical ex-intendents for withholding voter documents

The National Election Chamber confirmed the prosecution of two former radical mayors, Lorena Andrea Otermín and Matías Rappallini, from the town of Maipú in Buenos Aires province, for allegedly retaining the documents of voters to prevent them from voting in the national elections held on October 27, 2019. The ruling was signed by judges Alberto Dalla Vía, Santiago Corcuera, and Daniel Bejas. The accused are alleged to have coordinated the acquisition of voters' identification documents in exchange for money, municipal services, or social aid benefits. In some cases, they provided food, construction materials, and mattresses in exchange for these documents. Victims, mostly unable to recover their ID cards before the elections, were thus denied the right to vote. The judges emphasized that a democratic electoral system aims to ensure the free expression of the people's will and stressed the importance of citizens' participation in public affairs and the right to freely choose their representatives. They highlighted that withholding identity documents, even temporarily, effectively strips individuals of their political rights, akin to 'civil death.'

Bias read (Center): While the article discusses a politically sensitive issue involving allegations against former officials, the framing remains balanced, presenting both the accusations and the judicial reasoning without overt ideological slant. The focus is on legal proceedings and constitutional principles rather a

Why factuality (85): The article reports on the confirmation by the National Election Chamber of the processing of two former mayors accused of retaining voters' documents. It provides details about the judges involved, the political affiliations of the defendants, and the alleged actions including financial incentives

Why objectivity (70): The article presents the allegations against the former mayors but includes some emotionally charged language such as 'maniobra delictiva' and describes the impact on voters. While factual, it frames the situation from the perspective of the victims and the judicial process, showing some bias toward

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