News organization sues governor, press secretary over access to La Fortaleza

Wilma Maldonado Arrigoitía, editorial director at the Center for Investigative Journalism (Instagram via uprarecibo_oficial)

By THE STAR STAFF

The Center for Investigative Journalism (CPI by its initials in Spanish) has sued Gov. Jenniffer González Colón and her press secretary, Marieli Padró, alleging violations of press freedom after journalists from the organization were barred from covering press conferences at La Fortaleza for not presenting a credential issued by the Department of State -- a requirement CPI argues is unconstitutional.

The information was provided by the CPI, which filed the lawsuit Monday.

The legal actions include a preliminary and permanent injunction, as well as a declaratory judgment challenging the constitutionality of the directive. CPI seeks to ensure its reporters can attend press conferences at the governor’s residence using only their CPI-issued press credentials, as has been the longstanding practice, the CPI said.

The dispute began in November when CPI’s editorial director, Wilma Maldonado Arrigoitía, and reporter Luis Valentín Ortiz were stopped by La Fortaleza security for lacking the state-issued press ID. Although they were eventually allowed in, officials insisted the credential was mandatory. Maldonado Arrigoitía requested documentation supporting the rule, but none has been provided by the administration.

In December, CPI journalists Valentín Ortiz and editor Noel Algarín Martínez were separately denied entry to press events despite carrying CPI credentials, which historically sufficed for access.

“The Department of State ID is optional and was never intended as a prerequisite for practicing journalism,” Maldonado Arrigoitía said. “For decades, reporters have attended governors’ press conferences with their media IDs without issue. Requiring this credential now is arbitrary.”

Originally, the state-issued press certification was designed to facilitate access to designated parking areas for journalists, not to regulate press conference attendance. CPI’s lawsuit argues that conditioning access on this credential infringes on constitutional press freedoms, the CPI said.

“The freedom of the press cannot depend on discretionary permits or administrative IDs not required by law,” CPI Executive Director Carla Minet said. “Blocking access to press conferences over an irrelevant credential is censorship that undermines the public’s right to information.”