Journalist Cesar Obando Flores, who works for the local broadcaster Libre Estereo, in Santa Rosa de Aguán, Colón, reported that he has received direct threats related to his coverage of the 24 November 2013 election.
Journalist Cesar Obando Flores, who works for the local broadcaster Libre Estereo, in Santa Rosa de Aguán, Colón, reported to the Bajo Aguán Human Rights Observatory and the Comité por la Libre Expresión (C-Libre) that he has received direct threats related to his coverage of the 24 November 2013 election.
Flores told C-Libre that he received text messages and phone calls in which he was warned that if he did any coverage on election day, 24 November, he would suffer consequences.
“They warned me that they were going to hit me and take my equipment. This is worrying because I know the threats come from activists supporting the Santa Rosa de Aguan mayor, Pablo Castro González, who is with the ruling party and who does not like it when people criticise his work,” said Flores.
According to the journalist, the threats started after he reported on issues linked to González’s municipal administration. González was seeking re-election in Tocoa.
Flores said that he was planning to work on election day and that he would hold González responsible for anything that may happen to him.
In the week before the election, people and leaders in rural communities had reported strong political tensions in the Aguán region related to the election.
