Jorge Lanata: 'President Milei has the right to speak and criticise, but not to say just anything'
TODAY 05:15
One of Argentina’s most important journalists on his court case against President Javier Milei, pro-government reporters, the challenges facing the media and the nation’s new political order.
Jorge Fontevecchia
Cofundador de Editorial Perfil - CEO de Perfil Network.
Jorge Lanata is one of this country’s most important journalists. He founded and headed some of the most innovative and disruptive newspapers in Argentina’s media landscape. He confronted and criticised every government in the last 20 years.
Earlier this month, the 63-year-old joined the list of prestigious journalists attacked by President Javier Milei. On April 17, he took the decision to lodge a civil and criminal lawsuit against the head of state for having described him as “on the take,” a case that paradoxically has ended up in the courtroom of Ariel Lijo, the federal judge nominated by Milei for a Supreme Court vacancy.
In an extensive interview, Lanata reflects on journalism, freedom of expression and social media in the era of post-truth, as well as the new political order created by Milei’s victory and the La Libertad Avanza leader’s political success.
You have recently figured across the media, apart from your daily three hours in Radio Mitre. Do you continue needing journalism as much as you did 40 years ago?
My upcoming judicial battle is important so I need support and I don’t care if it comes from people with whom I have disagreed. If we’re on the same side, we’ll give battle. I’m not going to punch below the belt but everywhere else. You’ve known me for years, that’s the way I am. And that’s also why those guys mistrust me because I don’t care. If I have to drop everything I’m doing, I’ll do so now and turn to speaking at 15th birthday parties of teenage girls. So there is no way they can make me shut up and I really believe that the President was out of line.
More:
https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/jorge-lanata-when-milei-confronts-a-sector-fear-is-the-message.phtml