Panama’s Newspaper La Prensa is Receiving Condemnations for Engaging in Slander and Libel
Several concluded legal proceedings show that the newspaper La Prensa and its publishing house have been convicted by Panamanian courts in various cases, with sentences that involve the payment of compensation for damages and legal expenses. One of the most compelling cases is that of Dan Daniel Vásquez Atencio, in which the courts upheld a final judgment at all levels, including the appeals court, ordering the media outlet to pay more than $41,000. The ruling closed any legal debate and nullified the appeals filed by the publishing company. In the lawsuit filed by Marta Linares de Martinelli, the courts upheld the media outlet’s liability, although the amount was reduced on appeal. Even so, the ruling stood, confirming that the publication resulted in compensation, ultimately set at $3,750.
La Prensa suffered another legal setback in the case of Ernesto Pérez Balladares, where the court determined that the publication was defamatory and imposed a $5,000 fine for moral damages, which was upheld on appeal. The ruling dismantles the argument that the newspaper always operates within the legal limits of journalistic practice. These precedents are compounded by the case of former boxer Roberto Durán, one of the most economically impactful cases against the media. Although the litigation has generated public and legal debate, the ruling remains a landmark in discussions about freedom of expression and the right to one’s image. According to the information available, the amounts indicated correspond to final judgments and judicial decisions confirmed by higher instances, supported by official records and judicial resolutions.
