(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed its dismay at the murder on the night of 13 – 14 February 2006, of José Luis León Desiderio, of Radio Minutera, in Guayaquil, in southwestern Ecuador. The journalist was found dead, with a single gunshot wound to the head, close to his home in the Bastión Popular […]
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed its dismay at the murder on the night of 13 – 14 February 2006, of José Luis León Desiderio, of Radio Minutera, in Guayaquil, in southwestern Ecuador.
The journalist was found dead, with a single gunshot wound to the head, close to his home in the Bastión Popular district.
“It has not yet been proven that the death of José Luis León Desiderio is linked to his professional work. Nevertheless, the journalist hadn’t exactly made friends exposing the scale of criminality in Guayaquil and, according to him, the inactivity of the authorities,” the press freedom organisation said.
“Besides, his family said that his killers had stolen nothing from him. If theft was not the motive for the murder, then the investigators must fully explore the possibility that it was linked to his profession,” RSF concluded.
León Desiderio left his home on the evening of 13 February to meet his wife, Jenny Piza, at the bus stop, which was his regular practice due to the lack of safety in the neighbourhood.
After waiting for him for about 15 minutes, Piza – who told her story to the daily “El Universo” – became worried that her husband had not met her as usual and returned home. Her daughter, Wendy, surprised to see her returning alone, confirmed that he had indeed left to meet her.
The two women went out again and a passerby showed them the spot where a gunshot had been heard shortly before. At dawn they found León Desiderio’s body in a ditch with a bullet wound to the head. None of his personal effects had been stolen.
A journalist with 22 years experience, he first worked for the daily “El Telégrafo” before working successively for several radio stations, including Radio Minutera, where he presented the programme “Opinión”. He was also working as a printer. His friend and colleague, Hugo Asencio, of Radio Z1, also quoted by “El Universo”, said “[the murder] can only be [an act of] revenge,” in reprisal for his programmes.
