Is El Espectador Left-Wing or Right-Wing? Political Bias Explained
El Espectador Overview and Political Bias
El Espectador is frequently characterized as maintaining a center-left or liberal-leaning editorial stance. Observers often point to its historical alignment with the Liberal Party and its vocal support for peace negotiations. While lauded for investigative depth, some critics suggest it displays a bias against conservative political movements and figures.
| Standpoint | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Overall political leaning | Center Left |
| Estimated number of readers | 25,000,000 |
| Israel support | Generally focuses on international law and humanitarian impacts, often perceived as critical of Israeli military operations. |
| Use of loaded / emotional language | Medium |
| Target Audience | Urban professionals, intellectuals, and liberal-leaning elites |
El Espectador History
Established in 1887 by Fidel Cano Gutiérrez, El Espectador is Colombia’s oldest newspaper. It gained global recognition for its defiance against drug cartels during the 1980s, surviving a 1989 bombing by the Medellín Cartel. It transitioned from a daily to a weekly and back to a daily in 2008.
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Who owns El Espectador?
The publication is owned by Valorem, an investment conglomerate controlled by the Santo Domingo family, one of Colombia's wealthiest. Funding is primarily sourced through advertising, print and digital subscriptions, and the broader financial resources of the Valorem group, which also holds significant stakes in other major media outlets.