(IPYS/IFEX) – On 18 April 2005, Raúl Vela Carhuas, a reporter with the daily “El Pregonero” in Huánuco, central Peru, claimed to have received death threats from José Antonio Muñoz Cárdenas, the regional head of a government works programme. The journalist said he believed the aggression was provoked by an investigative report published in the […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 18 April 2005, Raúl Vela Carhuas, a reporter with the daily “El Pregonero” in Huánuco, central Peru, claimed to have received death threats from José Antonio Muñoz Cárdenas, the regional head of a government works programme. The journalist said he believed the aggression was provoked by an investigative report published in the paper’s 28 March issue, which revealed administrative irregularities in the programme under the official’s management.
Vela claims he met Muñoz in the city’s main square, where the official complained that the report had damaged him politically. He then allegedly proceeded to threaten Vela and show him the gun he was carrying. The journalist went to the prefecture to ask for protection that same afternoon.
Vela told IPYS that a few days prior to the publication of the report he had interviewed Muñoz to get his version of the events, in particular with respect to alleged irregularities surrounding the evaluation of works in the city and the appearance of “phantom” employees on the payrolls. According to the journalist, the official’s only reply was that the case was being investigated by the Labour Ministry’s in-house counsel.
Muñoz, meanwhile, admitted to having seen the journalist but denied threatening him. The official told IPYS that he does own a gun, but did not have it with him at the time. He pointed out that Vela has political interests and claimed he tried to blackmail him, offering to hold off publishing of certain information in exchange for “publicity”.
IPYS considers it necessary to continue investigating the case in order to clearly establish the facts and determine responsibility.
