José Oquendo Reyes had not received any death threats but had been critical of the provincial mayor on his programme.
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 14 September 2011, José Oquendo Reyes, director and presenter of the BTV Channel 45 program “Sin Fronteras”, was murdered when an unknown assailant shot him point-blank near his home in Pueblo Nuevo, in the province of Chincha, Ica region, of southern Peru.
Oquendo Reyes was taking a break in the afternoon when three individuals ambushed him on a motorbike, one of whom shot him five times. The journalist was helped by his son, who drove him to a local hospital where he died before receiving any treatment.
According to colleagues interviewed by IPYS, the journalist had been critical of the provincial mayor of Chincha, Lucio Juárez Ochoa, on his program, accusing him of failing to carry out certain public works projects and of alleged mismanagement of his administration.
Oquendo Reyes’ widow, Marina Juárez, told IPYS that her husband, who was also a civil engineering works supervisor and had been a policeman until he was discharged in 1994, had not received any death threats.
Chincha Police Chief José Taysaco de la Cruz said that an investigation has been opened and a suspect has been detained.
IPYS condemns Oquendo Reyes’ murder and demands that the authorities bring the people responsible to justice. Oquendo Reyes is the third journalist to have been murdered this year.
