Article 35 of the Political Constitution of Republic of Guatemala expressly recognizes the right to freedom of expression of ideas in the following terms: Ideas can be expressed freely through any medium without prior censorship or authorization. This constitutional right cannot be restricted by any law or governmental decree.
It seems now, however, that Internet Service Providers CLARO/TELGUA [1], TIGO [2] and Turbonett, Guatemala’s most prominent Internet Service Providers (ISPs), are ignoring the laws. Guatemalan users have reported blocked access to WordPress since Friday afternoon. El Abismo de Tux called customer service and blogged about it [3], stating that he had received no clear answer from them.
Demuexter [4] reported the blocked access to many blogs hosted on WordPress. Homo Homini Lupus denounced the censorship in Guatemala [5] and other blogs and tweets are demanding respect for freedom of expression in Guatemala. Micha Micha also reported [6]WordPress blocked.
Guatemala’s largest newspapers have not yet reported the incident. Other bloggers have called the office of consumer protection, but have received few answers. This block occurs just after a political crisis last month, when social media tools were used to protest [7] against the Government and demand justice.
Under the Twitter hashtag #bloqueowp [8] you can find more updates, and some savvy Guatemalans are using Herdict to report the blocked site [9].
Let’s hope that the authorities and private companies will stop blocking websites and in the future will respect Guatemalans’ rights as consumers and citizens.