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Petro Blames FARC Dissidents for Journalist's Murder
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Crime & Justice

Petro Blames FARC Dissidents for Journalist's Murder

From ABC Color · (1h ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Colombian President Gustavo Petro attributed the assassination of journalist Mateo Pérez Rueda to a dissident faction of the FARC.
  • Petro identified the perpetrator as Jhon Edison Chalá Torrejano, part of a splinter group involved in illegal gold mining.
  • Pérez Rueda, director of the digital magazine El Confidente, was investigating corruption and security issues in the Briceño municipality.

President Gustavo Petro has directly implicated a dissident FARC group, specifically naming Jhon Edison Chalá Torrejano and his faction, in the brutal assassination of journalist Mateo Pérez Rueda. This direct attribution by the head of state underscores the gravity of the situation and the ongoing challenges posed by armed groups operating outside the peace process.

Pérez Rueda, a young journalist and political science student, was a vital voice for his community in Briceño, Antioquia. His work exposing corruption, public order issues, and the influence of armed actors in the region made him a target. The Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP) has highlighted that Pérez faced legal pressures due to his investigations into illicit economies tied to these armed groups.

Fue asesinado por Jhon Edison Chalá Torrejano del frente Darío Gutiérrez, que es un grupo dividido del Frente 36, hoy completamente fragmentado en diversos grupos delincuenciales

— Gustavo PetroPresident Petro identified the alleged killer and the dissident FARC faction responsible for the journalist's murder.

The assassination is a stark reminder of the perilous environment journalists operate in within Colombia, particularly in regions contested by criminal organizations and dissident groups. FLIP's call for the government to move beyond indifference and implement concrete protection measures for journalists is more urgent than ever. With eight journalists killed during Petro's administration and 170 since 1977, the state's responsibility to safeguard press freedom and hold perpetrators accountable is paramount. Antioquia, where Pérez was killed, remains one of the deadliest departments for journalists in the country.

Con esta banda de Edison Chalá no existe negociación alguna con el gobierno. La banda de Edison se dedica al control de la minería ilegal del oro

— Gustavo PetroPresident Petro clarified that the group involved in the assassination is not part of any peace negotiations and is involved in illegal mining.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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