Journalist Eduardo Villatoro says he received telephoned death threats for his reports on mining and gas plants on the coasts of Guatemala, Cerigua reports via IFEX. Callers told the journalist he could be killed for being an enemy of progress and discouraging foreign investment.
According to Cerigua, the threats stem from two columns the reporter recently wrote for La Hora newspaper, which discussed corruption in the authorization process for mining projects and the failure to consider the environmental impact of a liquid gas plant in a conservation zone.
The Association of Guatemalan Journalists (APG) called on the authorities to identify those responsible for the threats and to protect the journalist, La Hora and Cerigua report.
Environmental journalists in Latin America are subject to constant threats and danger. A 2010 Reporters Without Borders report highlighted the numerous cases of violence, threats, and censorship faced by reporters who cover environmental issues in the region.
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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.
