Argentina: Javier Milei Will Close Télam News Agency

During the inaugural speech of the ordinary sessions before the Legislative Assembly, the President of Argentina announced on Friday that he intends to close the public news agency Télam, founded 73 years ago.

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The libertarian highlighted the closure of the National Institute against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism (Inadi), which he called "police of thought", and in the same line will close the agency Télam, the president said without offering more details of the operation.

Founded in April 1945, the Argentine public news agency Télam was in the crosshairs of the libertarians already since the electoral campaign, during which several leaders referred to its possible privatization or closure, as with the rest of public media.

On February 5, the Argentine Government published in the Official Gazette the decree of intervention for a year of all state media within its policy of "reorganization of public enterprises".

Unions and civil press organizations in Argentina have rejected the closure of the news agency, "we reaffirm our commitment to defend" Télam, and they "will do it with all the legal, trade union and political actions that are necessary to safeguard both its social role in democracy," warned the Argentine Federation of Press Workers (Fatpren) and the Press Union of Buenos Aires (Sipreba) in a statement.

"The closure of Télam would not only be illegal but also illegitimate," the Argentine press unions said, regarding the agency that has about 700 employees and correspondents in all provinces.

The Forum of Argentine Journalism (Fopea) ratified this Saturday in a statement its "position in favor of the existence of non-governmental public media, aimed at respecting freedom of expression and the right to information of citizens".