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Ecuadorian Cartoonist, Newspaper Reprimanded for Political Cartoons

Half a world away from the violence in Denmark, a cartoonist in Ecuador is being reprimanded. The man and the newspaper he works for are being forced to apologize for seven straight days after they published a cartoon poking fun at an elected official.

Cartoonist Xavier Bonilla was found in violation of Ecuador's media law after publishing a photo montage some consider racist. The drawing's subject is Agustin Delgado, an Afro-Ecuadorian former football star who was elected to the national assembly in 2013.

In the first box, Delgado is shown saying people call him "poor" when he reads. In the second box, a smiling Delgado says nobody can call him "poor" given the kind of money a member of the assembly makes.

The cartoonist claims he was only making an observation on Delgado's apparent lack of skills to be a legislator. Government critics say the case highlights concerns about censorship.

Human rights watch says the law "undercuts press freedom."

stephanie.jarvis@ideastream.org | 216-916-6340