For the Ecuadorian newspaper, see El Mercurio .

El Mercurio is a conservative Chilean newspaper with editions in Valparaíso and Santiago. Its Santiago edition 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, "joint stock news company"), which operates a network of 19 regional dailies and 32 radio stations across the country. (See List of newspapers in Chile.)

History

The Valparaíso edition of El Mercurio was founded by Pedro Félix Vicuña (Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna's father) on September 12 1827, and was later acquired by Agustín Edwards Ross in 1880. The Santiago edition was founded by Agustín Edwards Mac Clure, 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.

Criticism

El Mercurio has been criticized for having received funds from the CIA 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", a fact the newspaper has always denied in spite of declassified documents which detail US interventions.

References

• Peter Kornbluh (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

External links

• El Mercurio de Santiago (printed editions from October 27 2007 to present): Image version, Flash version, Text version
• El Mercurio en Internet (up-to-the-minute online edition)
• El Mercurio de Valparaíso