Peru today has seen some pretty blatant press gagging, all due to the strange episode we at IKN covered on Sunday. In that post we explained how President Alan Garcia had slapped a young man in the face after the 25 year old had called him "corrupt" (truth hurts, it seems).
Over the last couple of days, Twobreakfasts has tried to deny it all and has even said that he did confront and shout down the young man, but didn't hit him. However, tonight it seems like his enthusiasm for keeping his lie at the forefront of the issue has led to some dramatic program changing on Peru's TV.
First up, the journalistic team of the weeknightly show "Enemigos Publicos" (Public Enemies) has reportedly resigned, because after getting an exclusive interview with the man slapped their report has been yanked off the air due to a decision by "a high-ranked director" of the TV station that runs the show.
Now, just a few minutes ago we hear that top-rated nightly show "El Francotirador" (The Sharpshooter) starring author and potential Presidential candidate Jaime Bayly has been pulled off the air as of tonight and in a definitive way (it was contracted to run until December) after the Francotirador team met with station chiefs this afternoon. The reason for the sudden decision to stop the show is not yet clear and in the past few days there have been some pointed remarks made by Bayly towards the channel's owner, but if you believe that today's decision has nothing to do with García's slapfest and the resignation of the rival show's reporting team, then I have a bridge you may be interested in purchasing.
In a corrupt Banana Republic, the country needs no laws to gag the press. All that needs to be done is a phone call from politico to millionaire media owner. The truth is out there, but the public don't get to hear about it until it's too late. Two national TV shows disrupted tonight because Alan García is a liar.
Pisco sours served. The end.