texas-moody

Colombia

Slain Colombian journalist had investigated potential links between congressman and crime boss

Journalist Cristian Herrera, who was killed in the border city of Cúcuta in June, had been investigating alleged ties between a congressman and the head of a local criminal organization. The congressman, Luis Ariel Rodríguez of Norte de Santander, is cousins with two suspects in Herrera’s killing, according to Caracol Radio. The suspected crime boss, […]

Threats from armed group prompt calls to protect Colombian journalist Norbey Valle David

“Threats against journalist Norbey Valle David, a correspondent for Caracol Radio in Medellín [Colombia], prompted widespread condemnation from news organizations, press freedom groups and government agencies, all of which called for protecting his safety and ensuring the free and independent practice of journalism. The statements came after an illegal armed group released a statement accusing […]

Organizations warn of Colombian presidential frontrunner’s ‘pattern’ of attacks against the press

“A broad segment of Colombia’s press has raised concerns over the potential election of Abelardo de la Espriella as president. Ahead of the runoff vote, press freedom organizations and journalists have pointed to the attorney’s long history of using legal action against those who have criticized him or his clients, warning that his ‘pattern of […]

Arrest made in attempted killing of Colombian journalist

"Campo Elías Castañeda Valencia, alias ‘Morocho,’ was apprehended by Metropolitan Police officers in the Pompeya district of Villavicencio and handed over to the justice system as the mastermind behind the attack on journalist Gustavo Chicangana Álvarez—better known as Gustavo Chica, news director for Caracol Radio in San José del Guaviare—and his wife, Ana Milena Torres. […]

Monitor de Noticias LOGO ESP

Colombian senate passes Jineth Bedoya Law to train public servants on gender-based violence

"The Jineth Bedoya Law—crucial for preventing revictimization during justice and rights-restitution processes for women affected by gender-based violence—cleared its final congressional vote on Tuesday [June 16] and is now ready for the President of the Republic’s signature. The Senate adopted the same text previously approved by the House of Representatives, meaning no reconciliation between the […]

Authorities arrest suspect in disappearance and murder of Colombian journalist

"On Friday [June 12] night, authorities captured the individual known as 'Víctor Chala'—alleged leader of an armed unit within the 'Structure 36] of the EMBF (General Staff of Blocks and Front), part of the 'Calarcá' dissident faction—during an operation at the Flandes toll station in Tolima. Investigative agencies link this notorious criminal to events that […]

Colombian journalist Cristian Herrera killed in Cúcuta

“On the afternoon of Saturday [June 6], armed men fatally shot veteran journalist Cristian Herrera Nariño in a neighborhood in the city of Cúcuta, in Colombia’s Norte de Santander department. Herrera was a member of the board of directors of the Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP, by its Spanish acronym) and had been threatened for […]

Attacks on the press increased by 227% during Colombia's presidential elections, report says

"The Foundation for Freedom of the Press, or FLIP for its initials in Spanish, documented a 227% escalation in attacks against journalists related to election coverage, compared to the same period in 2022. On Sunday, May 31, during the first round of the presidential election, eight attacks were recorded against journalists covering the vote, most […]

Colombian broadcaster Red+ Noticias suspends news director following harassment claims

The claims against Giovanni Celis follow Labor Ministry inspections at several TV outlets after sexual harassment allegations prompted the departure of two high-profile journalists from top-rated broadcaster Noticias Caracol. Employees accused Mr. Celis of kissing them without consent, making obscene comments and forcing proximity in company vehicles. Read the full article in Spanish.

Colombia Attorney General announces measures to prevent impunity in crimes against journalists

"Amid concerns regarding the safety of journalists in various regions of [Colombia]—and the uncertainty (as well as conflicting accounts) surrounding the case of media professional Mateo Pérez in Briceño, Antioquia—the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation has announced a new directive aimed at strengthening investigations into attacks against the press. The entity issued […]

Young journalist killed in northwestern Colombia

"The Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP, for its initials in Spanish) reported this Wednesday [May 6] that Colombian journalist Mateo Pérez Rueda, director of the local magazine El Confidente, was killed while reporting in the town of Yarumal, in the department of Antioquia, in northwestern Colombia. 'Pérez Rueda, who had been missing since yesterday, was […]

260 testimonies of sexual and workplace harassment against women journalists filed with Colombia's Ministry of Labor

"Some cases of sexual harassment and abuse took place in the darkness of editing suites, in the solitude of stalled elevators, and in clandestine meetings proposed by men of power. Others, however, occurred right in the middle of the set—with all the lights shining and people speaking loudly—without anyone raising an objection. That was one […]