(FLIP/IFEX) – On 21 January 2005, Enrique Herrera Araujo, a columnist for “Vanguardia Liberal” newspaper in Cesar, was threatened. Three days later, the journalist wrote in his column, “I have been threatened in connection with my role as a writer for ‘Vanguardia Liberal’. I received the latest threat on Friday, when I was told that […]
(FLIP/IFEX) – On 21 January 2005, Enrique Herrera Araujo, a columnist for “Vanguardia Liberal” newspaper in Cesar, was threatened. Three days later, the journalist wrote in his column, “I have been threatened in connection with my role as a writer for ‘Vanguardia Liberal’. I received the latest threat on Friday, when I was told that I would be ‘buried’ if I continued to write ‘crap’. . . It pains me to have to say that I am will stop writing editorials as I fear the assassins may not be patient.”
Herrera noted that he will continue to write his opinion column, but will only comment on “literary, social, national and international issues. [I will not write about] local matters or events in Valledupar.”
For the last two and a half years, Herrera has been writing three editorials a week for “Vanguardia Liberal”. Among other issues, he has written about the lack of clarity surrounding the election of a university rector and an increase in homicides in Valledupar.
Herrera told FLIP that he was first threatened in July 2004, when he was warned to stop writing for the paper. Subsequently, the same threat was repeated in a telephone call to his home in September. Finally, on 21 January, a caller left him a message, telling him to “stop writing such crap.” The caller threatened to kill the journalist and indicated that Herrera was being followed, mentioning the journalist’s licence plate and the neighbourhood where he lives, and giving a description of his son.
According to Herrera, it is possible that since the threats are apparently linked to his editorials, they may be directed towards the newspaper in general. The newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Sebastián Hiller, told FLIP that Herrera may have been singled out as a target in retaliation for all the editorials that are published in the paper, many of which are actually written by Hiller himself. He said he would clarify in an announcement that the editorials reflect the newspaper’s position and as such are the responsibility of the paper’s management.
Herrera is currently working on his next column for the paper. He has not filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and is not receiving any protection.
FLIP condemns the threats against Herrera and urges the Interior Ministry to provide him with protection. The organisation notes that by silencing Herrera, the assailants are violating the Valledupar community’s right to receive information.
