In recent years, journalism in Peru has been marked by a series of Attacks against journalistscriminal acts that have been linked to their research and denunciation of acts of corruption and abuse of power by authorities. According to the National association of Journalists (ANP), at least 64 journalists have been killed since 1980, with A high percentage of impunity.
The recent one Raúl Celis López murderKaribeña radio journalist, which occurred on May 7 in Iquitosgenerates concerns about the growing insecurity that affects communicators and about a press freedom that seems to bother the governments on duty.
Celis, known for his courage when addressing social problems and political corruption In your program Zero hourwas killed this morning by hitmen while heading to his workplace in Mototaxi. The crime is not related to an armed assault, but presents all the characteristics of a adjustment: the criminals had studied the regular route of the communicator. This modus operandi resonates with other similar crimes that occurred in the country.
Another case that shook the country this year is Gastón Medinajournalist South chain In Ica, who was shot dead on January 20 in front of his home. Medina, known for her complaints about corruption in the last two efforts of the Regional government of Ica (currently chaired by Jorge Carlos Hurtado Herrera), as well as the public transport system, was a victim of previous threats.
The journalist, only hours before his death, confessed to a close friend the threats he received on his cell phone. “You believe you alive, you’re going to fall,” they said. This statement coincides with what the widow of Medina pointed out: “My husband denounced all acts of corruption with evidence. The only way to shut him up was killing him”, He said.
Not only death threats, but a series of harassment acts They show the intimidation against journalistic work of Gastón Medina. In October 2020, after accusations of the couple of Governor Javier Gallegos, the South Chain premises were raided and teams were confiscated. In February 2022, Medina received a threat of death through a floral arrangement, and in September of that same year, an explosive was released on the channel. In addition, they threw red paint simulating blood and left a dead dog on the facilities.
As it was known, two years ago, Medina began to question the management of Governor Jorge Hurtado, known as ‘Uncle Rocky’. It is in this period that, after receiving a warning from a hitman that a senior Gore officials put a price on his life, changed his routine, transferring his work to a small television study in his home instead of going to the channel.
A few days ago, the journalist Cristhian Urbinareporter of a digital medium of AyacuchoHe was assaulted while doing his informative work. The attack occurred by alleged leaders of the La Victoria Association, denounced for irregular appropriation of lots and other crimes.
Urbina said that she was pushed, beaten and stripped of her cell phone in front of agents of the serenazgo and the police, who did not intervene. It was the population itself, involved in the conflict with the association, who defended it.
The statement had come to the place after being summoned by residents who wanted the complaint about the leaders to be covered, who refuse to leave the position despite having lost the internal elections in January.
On July 6, 2022, the journalist Eduardo Quispe and the Cameraographer Elmer Valdiviezoboth of the program Fourth Power From America television, they were held by a group of approximately 40 to 50 rondes in the community of Las Palmas, district of Chadín, province of Chota, in Cajamarca.
The journalistic team was making a report on Yenifer Paredes, sister -in -law of then President Pedro Castillowho had been summoned by the Prosecutor’s Office. After being identified as members of Fourth Powerthe Ronderos forced them to read a live statement, issued by them, in which they apologized for an alleged false imputation and expressed support to the central government.
The journalist Quispe said that this incident was a consequence of the speech of then President Pedro Castillo against the press, which, according to him, encouraged acts such as the one. The Public Ministry opened an ex officio investigation against the rondes, but there were no effective sanctions.
Luis Choy, newspaper’s photographer The tradehe was killed on February 23, 2013 in front of his house in Pueblo Libre. The hitman Lindomar Hernández Jiménez, aka “Puerto Rico”, confessed to having received 20 thousand soles for the crime, which was planned from the Sarita Colonia prison. According to his story, he was contacted by Edgar Lucano, aka “Lucan Journalist had put for sale.
Subsequent investigations suggest that the mobile of the murder could have been related to an investigation that Choy conducted on links between a politician and drug trafficking. Carlos Timaná, an inmate who was in prison with the material authors, said that they confessed that the crime was motivated by Choy’s journalistic work and not for personal matters.
The case is still completely clarified, since the intellectual author of the murder has not been identified. Carlos Aldabe Ugarte, aka “Fortachón”, was sentenced in 2019 to 28 years in prison for having hired the hitmen, but it is unknown who commissioned the crime.
The journalist has been the subject of multiple attacks throughout his career due to his investigations on corruption and abuse of power. One of the most notorious incidents occurred on April 5, 1992, during the state autogolpe of Alberto Fujimori. That day, Gorriti was kidnapped by agents of the National Intelligence Service (SIN) and transferred to the headquarters of the Army of Peru. His wife quickly alerted journalists and non -governmental organizations, which generated international pressure and led to his release three days later.
