A newspaper’s Orwellian decision to edit the Mayor of Santa Marta out of a photo with Colombia’s president has provoked criticism over the paper’s journalistic integrity.
“This is an aberrant case of disinformation because the photo was produced by the national Government,” said the mayor in question, Carlos Caicedo. “I have complained to the newspaper several times over libel and slander, but the truth is I do not want to go too deep into the matter.”
The original photo, taken April 7, showed Mayor Carlos Caicedo posing alongside President Santos, Interior Minister Fernando Carrillo and a number of other mayors, to show their support of the Havana peace talks between the Colombian government and rebel roup FARC.
However, when the photo was printed in the Magdalena newspaper “Hoy”, the region’s own mayor had vanished. Another local newspaper, “El Informador” published the photo in its original form with Caicedo.
The newspaper did not explain why the decision was made to remove the mayor, but questions have been raised as to whether the move was politically motivated, given the political stance the photo represents.
Magdalena newspaper was unavailable for comment.
Source
- La foto en la que se ‘borró’ al alcalde de Santa Marta (La Semana)
- Polémica por periódico del Magdalena que borró de foto al alcalde de Santa Marta (El Espectador)
