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Brazilian journalist accuses TV Globo of not protecting threatened reporter Tim Lopes, who was killed by drug traffickers

Journalist Cristina Guimarães, who, along with Tim Lopes, won the Esso Journalism Prize for the series "Drug Fair," accused Brazil's TV Globo of not adequately protecting Lopes, who was killed in 2002 after receiving threats from drug traffickers in Río de Janeiro, reported the newspaper Jornal do Brasil.

Returning to Brazil after fleeing to the United States several years ago because of the threats, Guimarães said that the televsion station could have prevented Lopes' death, according to the site Fazendo Media.

The journalist also announced that she is releasing a book about the matter next year in the United States, as to avoid any possible interference from Globo, according to Terra.

Journalist Tim Lopes was tortured and killed by drug traffickers in June 2002 while investigating sexual exploitation of minors in the Vila Cruzeiro slum. One suspect in the journalist's murder was arrested during a police raid in November 2010.

Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.