The now-censored offices of TeleSUR. Photo: TeleSUR
Various journalistic and media organizations in Bolivia criticized the decision by the National Telecommunications Company (Entel) to remove, as of January 17, Telesur (channel 206) and Russia Today (channel 204) from its Fiber Optic Television, Satellite Television, and Entel TV Smart application services. The associations warned that the measure affects the public’s right to access a diverse range of information.
In a joint statement, the Association of Correspondents of the International Press (ACPI) and the National Association of Journalists of Bolivia (ANPB) questioned the decision by the state-owned company, which was justified on alleged “administrative issues” that, they noted, have not been clearly or thoroughly explained.
For both organizations, this lack of information “violates the audiences’ right to receive a serious and transparent explanation consistent with the responsibility of a state-owned enterprise.”
The journalistic entities stated that the insufficient justification offered both in Entel’s official statement and through its customer service channels gives rise to well-founded suspicions that this is an unacceptable act of censorship and a violation of freedom of expression.
They added that this concern is reinforced by precedents in Bolivia, as well as by recent experiences in other countries in the region, where similar decisions adopted after political changes led to restrictions on media pluralism and the weakening of democratic debate.
In this context, the organizations stressed that respect for diversity of voices and tolerance of differing—even opposing—positions are fundamental pillars of any democratic system, principles that are also recognized and protected by the country’s Constitution.
They further warned that the arbitrary silencing of media outlets and journalists can trigger a spiral of serious consequences for freedom of expression, normalizing censorship practices that later become difficult or even impossible to reverse.
“This situation harms society as a whole and exposes media outlets and journalists to the risk that, in the future, even more restrictive decisions may be adopted against those who do not align with official narratives,” the statement said.
For this reason, they urged the Bolivian government to fully guarantee the exercise of freedom of expression and respect for informational pluralism, without distinction as to the type of actor involved, as well as the population’s right to obtain information through the media of its choice.
The Association of Alternative Media of Bolivia (AMAB) joined the criticism, recalling that under previous administrations—even those with ideological orientations different from the current one—international channels such as CNN broadcast their signal in the country without restrictions or censorship.
AMAB stated that the exclusion of Telesur and RT “constitutes a direct attack on the fundamental right of Bolivians to be informed freely, pluralistically, and diversely” and that it violates essential principles enshrined both in the Constitution and in international human rights treaties.
The organization maintained that in a state that proclaims itself democratic, access to multiple sources of information should not be considered a privilege but a right. In that sense, it emphasized that press freedom is a pillar of democratic coexistence and protects not only journalists and media outlets but, above all, the public, which has the ability to decide what content to consume and which voices to hear in order to form its own judgment about national and international issues.
Finally, AMAB warned that Entel’s decision cannot be understood as a mere technical or commercial adjustment but rather as “a political measure that deliberately restricts the population’s access” to perspectives different from those promoted by the current state administration.
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(Telesur)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/CB/SL
Cameron Baillie is an award-winning journalist, editor, and researcher. He won and was shortlisted for awards across Britain and Ireland. He is Editor-in-Chief of New Sociological Perspectives graduate journal and Commissioning Editor at The Student Intifada newsletter. He spent the first half of 2025 living, working, and writing in Ecuador. He does news translation and proofreading work with The Orinoco Tribune.
