A news correspondent for a public Antioquia television station security has requested security and an investigation from local authorities into repeated threats against his life.
Journalist Luis Carlos Cervantes reported receiving five phone calls and nine text messages forewarning his own death. Cervantes is a correspondent for Teleantioquia in Taraza in the Colombian department of Antioquia.
The correspondent informed the Journalism Association of Antioquia, which in turn alerted the civil and judicial police about the intimidations.
The most recent occurrence happened Saturday, when Cervantes claims he received a phone call from a man who threatened to kill him if he issued any information pertaining to the municipal government of Taraza.
According to the journalist, the caller identified himself as a member of the drug gang “Los Urabeños.”
The group “Los Urabeños” was founded by mid-level leaders of the AUC who chose not to demobilize with the paramilitary group. Its power bases are in the Antioquia, Choco and Cordoba departments.
The Journalism Association urged authorities to increase the security measures in place to protect Cervantes’ life.
Threats to journalists are not uncommon in Colombia. Another Antioquian journalist, Eduardo Gomez, was assassinated Thursday.
Colombia ranks fifth among countries with the highest violence rate against the press.