Ramón Sandoval Rodríguez, the editor of "El Sabanero", thinks the death threats are related to the newspaper's recent investigation of corruption in the municipal government.
(FLIP/IFEX) – Ramón Sandoval Rodríguez, the editor of the “El Sabanero” newspaper in Sabana de Torres, Santander, reported receiving several threatening phone calls to his cell phone in which an unidentified caller threatened him with death. The incident took place on 2 December 2010.
Sandoval told FLIP that in one case, an unidentified caller told him, “Keep quiet and get out of Sabana de Torres, or risk the consequences. It’s not the first time we’ve killed someone in this town.”
Sandoval believes the threats are related to a series of articles published in his newspaper that looked at corruption in the municipal government.
The police chief of Sabana de Torres, Captain Óscar Rubiel Vargas, said that the police were not aware of the threat but confirmed that the police were willing to provide Sandoval with protection.
FLIP was unable to contact the mayor, Uriel Valandia Gutiérrez. Sandoval has reported the threats to the attorney general’s office.
FLIP condemns the threats against the journalist and expresses its concern with the turn of events. FLIP calls on the local authorities to protect Sandoval and to thoroughly investigate the threats and find the people who are responsible.
