Listín Diario
Encyclopedia
Listín Diario is one of the leading newspapers in the Dominican Republic
, and the oldest still being published. It is currently owned by Juan Bautista Vicini Lluberes, Héctor José Rizek, Samir Rizek, Mícalo Bermúdez and José Luis Corripio.
and Julian Atiles, two successful merchants who endeavored to inform the general public of the arrival and departure of merchant ships into Dominican ports. Soon after, the one page Listín Diario Marítimo became a broadsheet newspaper, printed out of the Pellerano & Atiles offices in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo
.
Pellerano Alfau served as editor and publisher of the newspaper until his death in the early 1930s. During his tenure, Listín Diario championed some of the era's more significant regional issues, such as: Cuban Independence, from 1894 to 1898, during which time it regularly published letters from Dominican General Máximo Gómez
, who fought on the Cuban side; during the US intervention of 1916-24, Listín maintained a serene opposition to the intervention, regularly publishing articles and editorial columns written by the Dominican patriots.
Listín's biggest battle of the first half of the twentieth century was against General Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
, whom it opposed during the first ten years of his mandate, and as a consequence, was financially strangled by the dictator, having to shut down operations for all of 21 years.
Even before Trujillo was assassinated in May 1961, Mr. Pellerano's descendants started to plan the paper's revival, and on August 1, 1963, led by Carlos Alberto Ricart Vidal (married to Nelly Pellerano López-Penha, daughter of Arturo Pellerano Alfau), together with Moisés Pellerano Lopez-Penha, Rogelio Pellerano Romano, Máximo Pellerano Romano and other close relatives, Listín Diario was edited again. Ricart Vidal was the publisher of Listín Diario from 1963 to 1984, when he retired and gave way to Rogelio Pellerano, who served on that post until his death in 1993.
The family tapped Rafael Herrera Cabral, then editor of El Caribe, another leading daily newspaper at the time, as the editor of Listín Diario. Herrera served from 1963 until his death in 1994, and is considered one of the most important editorialist of the Dominican Republic. Listín Diario´s current Editor is Miguel Franjul and the current publisher is Ramón Báez Figueroa
.
In the past few years, Listín Diario has been involved in several scandals. The paper was bought by Banco Intercontinental (Baninter) the first of the three banks that caused the banking debacle of 2003 in the Dominican Republic. It was seized by the Government of President Hipólito Mejía
and used as a political tool during the 2004 elections. Later, when Leonel Fernández
assumed the presidency, it was returned to the Báez family, but it remains in a legal quagmire.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, and the oldest still being published. It is currently owned by Juan Bautista Vicini Lluberes, Héctor José Rizek, Samir Rizek, Mícalo Bermúdez and José Luis Corripio.
Overview
Listín Diario, was founded on August 1, 1889 by Arturo Pellerano AlfauArturo Pellerano Alfau
Arturo Joaquín Pellerano Alfau was a Dominican merchant, publisher, and journalist. He, along with Julian Atiles, founded Listín Diario, the leading newspaper of the Dominican Republic, in 1889. He tried to maintain the independence of his newspaper through many troubled times...
and Julian Atiles, two successful merchants who endeavored to inform the general public of the arrival and departure of merchant ships into Dominican ports. Soon after, the one page Listín Diario Marítimo became a broadsheet newspaper, printed out of the Pellerano & Atiles offices in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
.
Pellerano Alfau served as editor and publisher of the newspaper until his death in the early 1930s. During his tenure, Listín Diario championed some of the era's more significant regional issues, such as: Cuban Independence, from 1894 to 1898, during which time it regularly published letters from Dominican General Máximo Gómez
Máximo Gómez
Máximo Gómez y Báez was a Major General in the Ten Years' War and Cuba's military commander in that country's War of Independence ....
, who fought on the Cuban side; during the US intervention of 1916-24, Listín maintained a serene opposition to the intervention, regularly publishing articles and editorial columns written by the Dominican patriots.
Listín's biggest battle of the first half of the twentieth century was against General Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina , nicknamed El Jefe , ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. He officially served as president from 1930 to 1938 and again from 1942 to 1952, otherwise ruling as an unelected military strongman...
, whom it opposed during the first ten years of his mandate, and as a consequence, was financially strangled by the dictator, having to shut down operations for all of 21 years.
Even before Trujillo was assassinated in May 1961, Mr. Pellerano's descendants started to plan the paper's revival, and on August 1, 1963, led by Carlos Alberto Ricart Vidal (married to Nelly Pellerano López-Penha, daughter of Arturo Pellerano Alfau), together with Moisés Pellerano Lopez-Penha, Rogelio Pellerano Romano, Máximo Pellerano Romano and other close relatives, Listín Diario was edited again. Ricart Vidal was the publisher of Listín Diario from 1963 to 1984, when he retired and gave way to Rogelio Pellerano, who served on that post until his death in 1993.
The family tapped Rafael Herrera Cabral, then editor of El Caribe, another leading daily newspaper at the time, as the editor of Listín Diario. Herrera served from 1963 until his death in 1994, and is considered one of the most important editorialist of the Dominican Republic. Listín Diario´s current Editor is Miguel Franjul and the current publisher is Ramón Báez Figueroa
Ramón Báez Figueroa
Ramón Báez Figueroa is the former president of Banco Intercontinental from the Dominican Republic, accused in 2003 of masterminding the country's most spectacular banking fraud scandal, amounting to more than USD$ 2.2 billion....
.
In the past few years, Listín Diario has been involved in several scandals. The paper was bought by Banco Intercontinental (Baninter) the first of the three banks that caused the banking debacle of 2003 in the Dominican Republic. It was seized by the Government of President Hipólito Mejía
Hipólito Mejía
Rafael Hipólito Mejía Domínguez is a Dominican politician and former President of the Dominican Republic...
and used as a political tool during the 2004 elections. Later, when Leonel Fernández
Leonel Fernández
Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna is a Dominican lawyer, academic, and the current President of the Dominican Republic since 2004. He held the same office from 1996 to 2000...
assumed the presidency, it was returned to the Báez family, but it remains in a legal quagmire.