In a letter to Ecuadorian Interior Minister Francisco Huerta, RSF expressed its “great concern over the attack against Rafael Cuesta, of the Telecentro Television channel, and the threats directed at Andrés Carrion and Gonzálo Ortiz Crespo, of the Telesistema and Gamavision channels.” The organisation asked the minister “to initiate an investigation into the attack against […]
In a letter to Ecuadorian Interior Minister Francisco Huerta, RSF expressed its “great concern over the attack against Rafael Cuesta, of the Telecentro Television channel, and the threats directed at Andrés Carrion and Gonzálo Ortiz Crespo, of the Telesistema and Gamavision channels.” The organisation asked the minister “to initiate an investigation into the attack against Rafael Cuesta and the threats received by Andrés Carrion and Gonzálo Ortiz Crespo”. RSF also recommended that “all necessary measures be taken to ensure that the safety of threatened journalists is guaranteed”.
On 16 February 2000, Cuesta, director of the Telecentro Television news programme, was injured by a letter bomb sent to his office. A manila envelope, which also contained a video cassette, exploded when the journalist tried to open it. The letter was mailed from Cuenca (capital of Azuay province), yet thus far its sender has not been identified. Cuesta suffered superficial wounds to his face and hands.
Since the attempted coup on 21 January, Carrion and Ortiz Crespo have allegedly been receiving threatening letters, said to have been sent by a previously unknown group named the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberacion Nacional, ELN). On 17 February, messages attacking journalists and signed by the ELN appeared on Quito walls.
