New threats in Colombia highlight risk for journalists, analysts
Source: Reuters
New threats in Colombia highlight risk for journalists, analysts
BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia on Tuesday warned of a plot by an organized crime group to kill several high-profile journalists, just weeks after an assassination attempt on an investigative reporter boosted concerns over threats to a free press in the violence-plagued Andean nation.
Journalists and investigators have long been the target of attacks and threats in Colombia, allegedly carried out by corrupt politicians, drug lords, Marxist rebels, and right-wing paramilitary leaders to silence coverage that may damage their interests.
A hit man has entered the Colombian capital to kill columnist Leon Valencia, analyst Ariel Avila and reporter Gonzalo Guillen, according to Andres Villamizar, head of a government-run agency to protect high-profile targets.
"We won't allow these plans to be carried out," Villamizar said early Tuesday from his Twitter account, pledging to step up security.
Even though a U.S.-backed military offensive has improved security over the last decade, the threats throw a spotlight once more on the dangers for reporters covering corruption and criminal gangs in Colombia, just when the government is seeking a peace accord with the biggest rebel group, the FARC.
"No doubt we're afraid because the people involved are very powerful and have no limits," the former member of the National Liberation Army said. "We will continue investigating, nothing will stop us."
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Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/threats-colombia-highlight-risk-journalists-analysts-185628387.html
related story about journalist phone tapping problems in Colombia
Phone-tapping scandal hits Colombia 5/1/10
A phone-tapping scandal has turned Colombian President Alvaro Uribe’s last months in office into a nightmare. His government is being accused of spying on journalists, political opponents and the supreme court.
Members of the secret police, commonly known as the Department of Administrative Security (DAS), appeared in Contravia, a local TV show that revealed that Juan Manuel Santos, a former minister of defence and presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections, knew what was going on and was shown a “mega project” to infiltrate and investigate South America’s “left”.
http://blogs.aljazeera.com/blog/americas/phone-tapping-scandal-hits-colombia
