"Democracy cannot exist without freedom of the press which, in turn, cannot exist without democracy", stated Cox, who added that it is the duty of the parliament to safeguard freedom of the press because journalism is crucial to the publics right to information and serves to aid those in power to protect two principles: honesty and transparency.
The president of the chamber of deputies of Bolivia, Luis Vasquez, presented Cox, representing the IAPA, with the Staff of Office which is the highest honor offered by congress. Vasquez explained that the Bolivian parliament normally works on passing laws in favor of freedom of information.
"Every citizen has the complete right to be informed about the management of the wealth of the nation. With that in mind, timely information, transmitted via information networks, and other means, will achieve that our citizens be fully in control of the management of public policy", stated Vasquez.
Today, the IAPA delegation will be received by president Jorge Quiroga at the Presidential Palace and will sign the Declaration of Chapultepec. It is expected that the president of Peru, Alejandro Toledo, who is on official visit to Bolivia, will also join the Declaration of Chapultepec. During the morning, president Quiroga will inaugurate National Chapultepec Forum in which the IAPA will discuss with both colleagues and Bolivian citizens the negative and positive aspects of freedom of the press in the country.
In addition to president Cox, the IAPA delegation is comprised of its first vice president, Andres Garcia Gamboa, Novedades Quintana Roo, Cancun, Mexico; Rafael Molina Morillo, president of the Commission for Freedom of the Press and Information, Ahora, Dominican Republic; Julio E. Munoz, executive director; Ricardo Trotti, coordinator of the Commission of Freedom of the Press and Information; Jairo Lanao, lawyer for the Chapultepec Project and Sean Casey, administrator for the Chapultepec Project.
Between yesterday and today this delegation visited the newsrooms of the newspapers El Diario, Jornada, La Prensa and La Razon, where they researched what problems newspapers have performing their day-to-day duties. In addition, president Cox and the IAPA delegation where officially honored in cities such as La Paz and El Alto.
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