Working conditions for journalists in Catatumbo have seriously deteriorated amid nearly two months of anti-government protests pitting thousands of angry peasant farmers against soldiers and riot police.
The following is a CPJ Blog post by John Otis, CPJ Andes Correspondent.
Reporting from Catatumbo, a region in northern Colombia dominated by guerrillas and drug traffickers, has always been challenging. But working conditions for journalists have seriously deteriorated amid nearly two months of anti-government protests pitting thousands of angry peasant farmers against soldiers and riot police.
The farmers are upset about a government campaign to eradicate coca leaves, the raw material for cocaine that many of them grow. Their initial protests drew other farmers and peasant organizations angry about the lack of government assistance to the region, which is home to some of Colombia’s poorest municipalities. For the past six weeks, they have blocked roads, burned buildings and vehicles, and clashed with government forces.
Read the full story on CPJ’s website.
