(IPYS/IFEX) – On 15 June 2004, Fernando Valverde Lavado, a journalist for the “El Equipo de la Noticia” programme, received an anonymous threatening telephone call. The incident occurred in Pomabamba, Ancash region, northwestern Peru. The caller warned the journalist that he had two days to leave the city or he would be killed, similarly to […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 15 June 2004, Fernando Valverde Lavado, a journalist for the “El Equipo de la Noticia” programme, received an anonymous threatening telephone call. The incident occurred in Pomabamba, Ancash region, northwestern Peru. The caller warned the journalist that he had two days to leave the city or he would be killed, similarly to journalist Antonio De la Torre, who was murdered in February (see IFEX alerts of 9 April, 31 and 26 March, 23 and 18 February 2004). Following the call, Valverde fled to Lima.
Valverde told IPYS that the caller reportedly said, “you are messing things up, you have two days to get out of here or else you will face the same fate as your colleague from Yungay,” referring to De la Torre, who was killed in a city close to Pomabamba.
According to Valverde, the threat may be connected to two cases he has been investigating. The first involves Pomabamba Mayor Teodoro Vega Chávez, who has been accused of nepotism and abuse of authority. Valverde began looking into the mayor’s conduct after the city’s inhabitants called for an investigation so that they could demand the mayor’s resignation. The second case involves a Pomabamba education system official who has accused local journalists of being “blackmailers”. Valverde was investigating the official’s claims and his professional conduct, but had to leave this work unfinished when he fled Pomabamba.
The journalist arrived in Lima on 16 June. He has asked the Lima Prefecture to provide him with protection so that he can return to Pomabamba where he left his family. He is unemployed and still fears returning to Pomabamba without protection from the authorities.
