translated from Spanish: Channel 13 responds to passage of CNTV for Yerko routine and defends its right to “make political cut and hours of adult humor”

The Santiago Court of appeals confirmed on Thursday the fine imposed on Channel 13 by the National Council of Television (CNTV) and equivalent to the sum of 200 UTM (more than 9 million (it is and average weight).
The reason? A routine of the character played by actor Daniel Alcaíno, Yerko Puchento, in which, according to the regulator, is “mockery and contempt” the image of the Virgin Mary. Through a letter signed by Javier Urrutia, executive director of the channel, from the station said that “Channel 13 has decided to defend, at all sites matching, our right to do humor, especially political cut and hours of adults”.
“Freedom of expression, the editorial freedom and political satire as a genre, do not require that I stop making his defence, but without them democracy is weakened and all lose,” added the letter.
In the letter, Urrutia points to that “while our country mature on civic issues, many who themselves progressive and seemingly advocating freedom, operating from intolerance when opinions, even those that are manifested in a clear “aimus iocandi (spirit of joke), do not satisfy them by imposing fines seeking to inhibit the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression, even the humor”.
“We are concerned of envelope so the CNTV, which was exceeding its powers via a punitive exercise destemplado, and excessive and legal attempt to impose us their punctual criteria of what a right mood and what not”, adds.
“This speaks badly of the entry into force of the freedom of expression in Chile, our democracy and our regulatory system and judiciary if those who exercise the power of the State are unable to separate their beliefs and sensitivities of the legal mandate entrusted to them” continues.
Finally, the Executive of Channel 13 is bluntly noting that “a modern means of communication, which aims to be relevant and be a contribution to the social debate and connect with audiences, may not be subject to the particular criteria of who, by political decisions, is” feel to regulate an activity so vital as the TV”.
Remember that during a chapter of the program “vertigo” Yerko simulated his own funeral, and there was where Alcaíno referred to the Catholic symbol as “Inmaculiada design” more than once.

Original source in Spanish