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The Colombian “Saviano” and other journalists threatened in Latin America. Sad news on freedom of press
In many countries across Latin America, press freedom is more a utopia than a practical reality. Testimonies of courageous journalists presented at the International Journalism Festival. Sad news about threats, secrets and journalists, who sometimes just disappear.
By Alfonso Carlos Cobo Espejo
Hollman Morris, a Colombian freelance journalist, Guido Piccoli, special correspondent for the Italian daily Il Manifesto, and Cecilia Rinaldini, journalist at RAI Radio News discussed about their experiences as correspondents reporting from Latin America and about the current situation of press freedom.
Cecilia Rinaldini opened the panel discussion. “There are many changes right now in Latin America thanks to the fight of social groups and thanks to the journalists that gave them a voice to express their ideas”, Rinaldini stated. “However, this work brings problems to journalists. Today the most difficult and dangerous country to work as journalist is undoubtedly Mexico. Journalists have been killed. Some just disappeared. Their death often remains unpunished.” Rinaldini explained how some Latin American governments tend to attack the press: “It happens in Argentina, Bolivia or during the first mandate of Lula da Silva in Brazil. It continues to be uncomfortable for some politicians to have a free and independent press.”
# The power of drug trafficking
Guido Piccoli asked himself: “Who are the murderers and why do they kill? One of the answers is drug trafficking. It moves a lot of money and it involves everybody: criminals, the police and also some corrupt politicians. Some banks seem to pass the economic crisis without problems thanks to the money of drug trafficking. And most of the time Paramilitaries are the real drug dealers.”
In that sense it was interesting to follow the the testimony of the Colombian journalist Hollman Morris. He is considered to be the “Colombian Saviano” since he has to live under permanent security escort just for saying what he thinks.
Morris pointed out that the lack of press freedom has diverse reasons. “In Colombia the Guerrilla, the paramilitaries and some politicians are build a network, there is also a responsibility of the government”, Morris explained. The Colombian journalist has received around fifty death menaces on his e-mail account and his telephone has been tapped many times. He has even been spied. “Independent press and rather small media have no guarantee to practice journalism in Colombia”, Hollman Morris concluded.
# Brazil: Hopeful view ahead
Fortunately there are some countries where the situation of journalists currently improves. This is the case of Brazil. The Brazilian journalist Ricardo Ferreira explained: “Twenty years ago journalists died in prison in Brazil. Today this is impossible, the situation has changed – it is not anymore the government controlling the press, it is the responsibility of the press to control the government.”
Posted in | 03.04.09
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