El Mercurio
Type	Daily newspaper
Format	Broadsheet
Owner	Agustín Edwards Eastman
Editor	Cristián Zegers Ariztía
Founded	June 1, 1900
Political allegiance	Conservative editorial opinion
Headquarters	Avda. Santa María 5542 Santiago, Chile
Website: http://diario.elmercurio.com/

El Mercurio is a conservative Chilean newspaper with editions in Valparaíso and Santiago. It is considered the country's paper-of-record and its Valparaíso edition is the oldest daily in the Spanish language currently in circulation. El Mercurio is owned by El Mercurio S.A.P. (Sociedad Anónima Periodística, "Journalistic joint stock company"), which possesses a network of 19 regional dailies and 32 radio stations across the country. (See List of newspapers in Chile.) Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (876x1568, 382 KB) El Mercurio cover This image is of a scan of a newspaper page or article, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the newspaper or the individual contributors who worked on... Newspaper sizes in August 2005. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, but a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. ... Conservatism is a political philosophy that generally favors free markets, traditional values and strong foreign defense. ... The snowcapped Andes above downtown Santiago Santiago (Spanish:  ) is Chiles capital and largest city. ... Port of Valparaíso, Chile Valparaíso is an important Chilean seaport and an increasingly vital cultural center. ... The snowcapped Andes above downtown Santiago Santiago (Spanish:  ) is Chiles capital and largest city. ... A newspaper of record is a colloquial term that generally refers to a newspaper that meets at least one of two criteria: high standards of journalism, the articles of which establish a definitive record of current events, for use by future scholars, and/or compliance with the legal requirements necessary... This article is about the international language known as Spanish. ... The following is a list of newspapers published in Chile: // El Mercurio Corporation newspapers El Mercurio Corporation is a holding company controlled in part by Agustín Edwards and his family. ...

History

The Valparaíso edition of El Mercurio was founded by Pedro Félix Vicuña — father of Benjamín Vicuña MacKenna — on September 12, 1827, and was later acquired by Agustín Edwards Ross in 1880. The Santiago edition was founded by Agustín Edwards MacClure, son of Edwards Ross, on June 1, 1900. In 1942 Edwards Mac Clure died and his son Agustín Edwards Budge took over as president. When Edwards Budge died in 1956, his son, Agustín Edwards Eastman, took control of the company. Port of Valparaíso, Chile Valparaíso is an important Chilean seaport and an increasingly vital cultural center. ... Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna (Santiago, August 25, 1831 - † Santa Rosa de Colmo, January 25, 1886). ... Portal:Currentevents September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... Naval Battle of Navarino by Carneray 1827 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1880 (MDCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, but a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Criticism

El Mercurio has been criticized for having received funds from the US government in the early 1970s to undermine the Socialist government of Salvador Allende through continuous anti-Allende propaganda and for "setting the stage for the military coup of 11 September 1973" (Kornbluh, 2003). The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... Salvador Isabelino del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Allende Gossens[1] (July 26, 1908 – September 11, 1973) was President of Chile from November 1970 until his removal from power and death on September 11, 1973. ...

The Presidential Letter issue

The entrenched conservatism of the El Mercurio led to several much publicized stand-offs with former President of Chile Ricardo Lagos — the country's first Socialist president since the overthrow of Salvador Allende. On September 16, 2005 Lagos complained about the newspaper’s excessive zeal in trying to tie his family members to graft or special government largess in a scathing letter he wrote to Edwards, which was then printed in the Letters to the Editor section of the newspaper and published on September 21, 2005. President Lagos said, in part: Flag of the President of Chile The President of Chile is both the chief of state and the head of government. ... Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar (born March 2, 1938) is a lawyer, economist and Socialist politician, and the president of Chile since 2000. ... The Socialist Party of Chile (Spanish: Partido Socialista de Chile or PS) is a political party in Chile, and part of the ruling Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. ... Salvador Isabelino del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Allende Gossens[1] (July 26, 1908 – September 11, 1973) was President of Chile from November 1970 until his removal from power and death on September 11, 1973. ... September 16 is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Unfortunately, when the history of these times is written, your newspaper will be shown to have showcased all the unfounded claims that were made against the president of Chile. I am profoundly sorry about this. I would have hoped for something better, given the knowledge that we both have of one another.

I have tried to do the very best for Chile, so that there is reconciliation and a renewal of confidence in one another. But because of the hate, the low blows, and the way your newspaper has permanently treated these subjects, I think your newspaper is far removed from what your grandfather would have wanted. Your newspaper has become the servant of a tribe of people in Chile: a tribe that wants to sow hate through the words written on your editorial page, a tribe that will strike out in any way possible.

Unfortunately, this ‘journalism’ is not good for Chile. But sometimes it seems that hate is more powerful, even if it hurts Chile.” (See a copy of the letter in PDF.)

Nevertheless, the letter from President Lagos received criticism by the Chilean National Journalism Association (Asociación Nacional de la Prensa, ANP). In a public statement, Juan Luis Sommers, president of the Association declared that:

there is a clear pressure by the highest authority of this country against a communication medium. Even worse, in modern democracies these pressures from the governments are not an accepted practice. This is something without precedent in Chile.

References

• Kornbluh, Peter (Sep/Oct 2003). The El Mercurio file. Columbia Journalism Review.
• CIA Freedom of Information Act-available article: "Report of CIA Chilian Task Force Activities, 15 September to 3 November 1970" (November 18, 1970). Report from CIA's 1970 Anti-Allende Task Force

The Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961. ...

External links

• El Mercurio, Santiago (printed edition)
• El Mercurio en Internet (online edition continually updated throughout the day)
• El Mercurio, Valparaíso