The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) warned this Friday that The “stigmatization of the media” by the Colombian Government, “led by President Gustavo Petro”, is “a repeated practice” and said that the most serious episode was the murder of journalist Mardonio Mejía in the north of the country.
“The stigmatization against the media encouraged by the National Government and headed by President Gustavo Petro is a repeated practice. The president's messages against the media and reporters who investigate and question his management are increasingly greater and more forceful, policies and proposals,” the IAPA said in its semiannual report.
Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia
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This, the organization added, also happens in the regions, where journalists have also been victims of stigmatization.
“In some sectors of the national Congress, invitations to control the media and messages of stigmatization continue in response to information that they find uncomfortable,” the IAPA added.
The stigmatization against the media encouraged by the National Government and headed by President Gustavo Petro is a repeated practice. The president's messages against the media and reporters who investigate and question his management, policies and proposals are increasingly greater and more forceful.
“Several journalists received threats and intimidating messages. Among others, Oscar Mauricio Rodríguez, founder of the Megaphone of Lebanon (Tolima); Camilo Chará, from the city of Cali, who was asked to leave the country, and the newspaper Prensa Libre of Valledupar. suffered an attack that prevented its operation for several days,” the information added.
Last January Journalist Mardonio Mejía, director of the community radio station Sonora Estéreo, was murdered by hitmen in his home in the municipality of San Pedroin the Caribbean department of Sucre (north).
“Mejía was the director of the local station Sonora Estéreo and in his morning program he hosted complaints from citizens. With his death, the main channel that San Pedro had to access information about the area was closed,” said the IAPA.
Although the IAPA appreciated the arrest of the alleged perpetrator of the murder, it urged justice to clarify “the motives and intellectual authors” of the crime of Mejía, who “had reported being a victim of extortion” before being murdered.
EFE
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