(CERIGUA/IFEX) – Aroldo Marroquín, a correspondent for the daily “Prensa Libre”, was threatened by Isaías López López, a former National Civil Police (Policía Nacional Civil, PNC) officer, while he was reporting on the latter’s arrest. López has been accused of organising an attempt to lynch two young men. Marroquín is based in San Marcos department, […]
(CERIGUA/IFEX) – Aroldo Marroquín, a correspondent for the daily “Prensa Libre”, was threatened by Isaías López López, a former National Civil Police (Policía Nacional Civil, PNC) officer, while he was reporting on the latter’s arrest. López has been accused of organising an attempt to lynch two young men. Marroquín is based in San Marcos department, approximately 160 km from the capital.
López, 45, was arrested on allegations that he led a group of people who tried to kill 27-year-old Roberto Fuentes and 26-year-old Ludvin Gonzáles, in the Yerba Buena canton, San Pedro Sacatepéquez jurisdiction. He is facing charges of attempted homicide for his alleged involvement in the attempt to lynch the two young men on the night of 6 November 2004. When López was brought to the San Marcos public jail, he threatened Marroquín using vulgar language and warned him that he would have to “face the consequences,” according to information published in “Prensa Libre”.
Miguel González, the newspaper’s San Marcos department editor and Marroquín’s boss, attributed the threat against the journalist to his extensive coverage of the case.
Marroquín said he will file a complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Human Rights Prosecutor’s Auxiliary Office. He also said he will hold López responsible should anything happen to him or his family.
In 2004, journalists have seen their ability to carry out their work restricted in Guatemala, especially by some members of the security forces and former PNC officers. This is a restriction on the right to press freedom guaranteed by the country’s constitution.
