As a consequence of complaints made to the Journalists Association of La Paz by a former commander of the National Police of Bolivia, a Bolivian journalist denied being guilty of extortion and said that he was threatened, reported the newspaper La Razón.
The former commander, Gen. Jorge Santiesteban, accused journalist Marcelo Tedesqui, publisher of the newspaper Página Siete, of trying to extort him to avoid publishing reports about the irregular admittance of 54 cadets into the National Police Academy, reported the digital newspaper Oxígeno.
Meanwhile, according to the news outlet Eju TV, Tedesqui said that he was very concerned, since he received phone calls that not only threatened the journalist, but also his family members.
Tedesqui said that the National Court of Journalistic Ethics will probably start a proceeding against the former commander “for alleged defamation against the journalist,” reported the radio station FM Bolivia.
Página Siete expressed its support for the journalist, who was chosen “journalist of the month” by the Foundation for Journalism for his investigation on this case. Many irregularities motivated Tedesqui to start investigating the former commander's actions, which caused Santiesteban to be removed from office on Monday, May 21, reported Página Siete.
