(FLIP/IFEX) – After publishing an investigative report on payments deposited into the personal bank account of a public official, journalist Gala Marcela Peña Álvarez, of the daily newspaper “La Opinión”, in Cúcuta, the capital of the northeastern department North Santander, has been “frozen out” by mayor Ramiro Suárez Corzo. At 6:00 a.m. (local time) on […]
(FLIP/IFEX) – After publishing an investigative report on payments deposited into the personal bank account of a public official, journalist Gala Marcela Peña Álvarez, of the daily newspaper “La Opinión”, in Cúcuta, the capital of the northeastern department North Santander, has been “frozen out” by mayor Ramiro Suárez Corzo.
At 6:00 a.m. (local time) on 27 October 2005, the day the article was published, the mayor called the journalist and insulted her. Later that day he referred to her in offensive terms on a local radio program. He then ordered his press office to not provide her with any information.
In the article, Peña had quoted various anonymous complaints about alleged irregular payments for public decorative street lighting for the Christmas season.
According to her article, payments by merchants on certain avenues were being deposited in the personal bank account of Rafael Segundo Ramírez, the director of Cucutá’s municipal planning department. When the journalist asked the director about the amount of the payments, he told her that “only the mayor” was to comment on the matter.
Peña informed FLIP about her concerns regarding this situation, adding that “La Opinión” readers’ right to information was being limited. Not only was the mayor refusing to give statements to her, but an official from a national supervisory body was also not commenting on the complaints made. The mayor’s words and his orders to various officials to refuse to speak with Peña have made her work more complicated and stressful.
FLIP has repeatedly tried to contact the mayor, without success. His press office curtly stated that the mayor had only complained to the journalist, but had in no way barred her.
