That afternoon of Monday, August 20, 1951, a new newspaper took to the streets of the Guatemalan capital, with an emblematic motto: “For independent, honest and dignified journalism,” with the vision of serving Guatemala and Guatemalans by offering truthful and impartial information, with total equidistance of positions, without restrictions or animosity, to promote national development.
Yes, Prensa Libre began as an evening newspaper, in a house on 3rd floor. avenue and 5th. street, zone 1. A short time later it became a morning newspaper, precisely out of the desire to better meet the news expectations of its readers. The first editions were made at the Iberia Printing Office, which produced up to five thousand copies a day.
That first issue and the thousands of editions that have followed, including digital platforms and social networks, have had as permanent inspiration the ideal of our five founders: Pedro Julio García, Salvador Girón Collier, Mario Sandoval Figueroa, Álvaro Contreras Vélez and Isidoro Zarco Alfasa, through multiple generations of journalists, photographers, designers, columnists and advertisers.
Free expression
Pedro Julio García was director of the newspaper Nuestro Diario, founded by Federico Hernández de León, who was forced to sell it for financial reasons.
This medium was acquired in June 1951 by sympathizers of the current government, who began to pressure to change the critical line and impose one similar to the ruling party, which Pedro Julio García rejected, for which he was fired.
Out of dignity and in solidarity with him, Salvador Girón Collier, Mario Sandoval Figueroa, Álvaro Contreras Vélez and Isidoro Zarco Alfasa, who was a columnist, also resigned. Determined to continue providing a quality information service to Guatemala, they joined forces and each contributed the sum of Q1,500 to begin assembling a first journalistic and administrative team.
The first draft
The editorial staff in 1951 was made up of: Pedro Julio García, director; Álvaro Contreras Vélez, deputy director; Isidoro Zarco, administrator; Mario Sandoval Figueroa was, at first, parliamentary chronicler, and later, Editor-in-Chief. The manager was Alfonso Rodríguez. The first reporters were Óscar Ronaldo Cruz Morris, Julio Mansilla Gutiérrez and Haroldo López Valdizón.
Trudy Singer was a social chronicler, Salvador Girón Collier and Carlos Larrañaga were in charge of the sports section from the first issue. In 1953, Prensa Libre moved to its current headquarters, 13 street and 9 avenue, zone 1.
