Ecuador leader slams Dominican journalist over Venezuela turmoil

Santo Domingo.- NCDN news network director Nuria Piera on Monday called Ecuador president Rafael Correa’s statements on her verbal clash with Venezuela Ambassador “deplorable,” and denied having a political agenda.

Piera and Caracas envoy Alberto Castellar heatedly argued over the turmoil in Venezuela during a televised interview Wednesday

"That couldn’t occur in Ecuador with our communication Act or if it did she would be sanctioned-Nuria Piera-, because that’s not freedom of expression, it’s political rather than journalism," Correa said.

Piera denies NCDN has no political agenda of reports against any Government, and called on all the journalists who work there to publicly opine on whether their information is manipulated. "I’ve asked all anchors and journalists to speak the truth and say if we manipulate here, if this is a mercantilist and corrupt medium, then with their testimonies we’ll issue a press release and send a complaint to Ecuador’s Embassy."

The journalist said it’s very painful to see Ecuador’s President call NCDN mercantilist and corrupt. "He (Correa) apparently didn’t listen to his advisers and possibly saw just a bit of the interview."

“It’s a pity that advisors of a President of a country let him make a mistake in that manner," added Piera.