The discourse on the limits of freedom of expression through social networks on the presidential elections of Peru in 2021

Abstract

Freedom of expression is a fundamental right that allows a person to convey their thoughts on various aspects of their lives, including politics. The practice of this fundamental right lays the foundations of a democratic society that allows the participation of all. In this context, States are obliged to protect this right. However, in many cases this right is abused through the dissemination of information that is not real or objective. This problem has become evident in the Peruvian context in which many opponents of the government of former President Pedro Castillo denounced that he had won with fraud. In this context, the main objective of the study is to analyze the overflow of the limits of freedom of expression within the framework of the results of the 2021 Peruvian presidential elections, in which it has been indicated that the former president won through fraud, a matter that did not really occur because the respective tests have not been evidenced. Likewise, the excesses of freedom of expression of some media, politicians and lawyers who were against the candidacy of former President Castillo are analyzed. A qualitative methodology based on discourse analysis (of politicians, lawyers and the candidate who had lost the elections) has been used, which has been disseminated in various media (television or newspapers), Facebook or Twitter, as well as videos. where they express that there has been fraud in the presidential elections. It is concluded that politicians, lawyers and the presidential candidate have abused the limits of freedom of expression by denouncing that in the 2021 presidential elections the winning candidate and the electoral authorities had committed fraud, a matter that has not been proven.