The Uruguayan Press Association (APU) expressed its “total rejection” of the expressions of the Secretary of the Presidency, Álvaro Delgadoagainst a TV Ciudad journalist who asked her a question related to the change in tobacco control regulations at a press conference. APU noted in a statement his “concern” for “the repeated pointing out and stigmatization of the male and female workers” of that medieither.
“Once again, from the highest political level in the country, attacks are being made against the workers of Tv Ciudad. On this occasion, it was the Secretary of the Presidency of the Republic, Álvaro Delgado, who attributed to a journalist colleague the condition of messenger to formulate uncomfortable questions”said the guild at the beginning of the letter.
The incident occurred at the inauguration of the Ministry of Tourism stand at Expo Prado. The journalist from Tv Ciudad asked him about the amendments to the decree on cigarette packaging that enabled the sale of soft boxes. Delgado pointed out that there was a “major problem” with cigarette smuggling because there are no controls on the “production processes”and said it was a sign to be “more competitive with smuggling”The journalist then asked him if he did not back down from previous policies: “No, not at all. It’s about giving it more quality. We continue with the same policy of discouraging tobacco consumption. Those who want to consume should consume them with certified quality,” Delgado replied.
After this answer, the journalist consulted him by the meeting held by the then advisor to the Presidency, Nicolás Martinelli–today General Director of the Secretariat of the Ministry of the Interior– cwith executives of the Montepaz tobacco company in April. Delgado replied that I had no “idea” about the encounter. The press conference ended, but the recording continued, and at that moment, the hierarch approached the journalist and told her “they send you, eh”.
In a dialogue with El Observador, the secretary acknowledged that it was a “mistake” to tell a journalist from Tv Ciudad that she had been “sent” to ask questions and asked for “the case” apologies for her reaction..
Although APU admitted that the apology is a “positive” signalinsisted on his concern about the treatment of journalists from Tv Ciudad, a channel of the Municipal Government of Montevideo, and raised “to all political and social actors” the need to “reflect on these attempts at stigmatization, discrediting or exposure to derision for male and female workers in the media, whatever their editorial line.”
“These actions do not contribute to preserving the most adequate climate of democratic coexistencewhich is the responsibility of all of us who play a social and public role in the country,” said the journalists’ union at the end of the statement.
