Journalists walked out of a press conference in central Colombia, protesting the perceived favoritism vice presidential candidate German Vargas showed one reporter, reported a national radio network.
Vargas, who called the press conference in the first place and is running alongside current President Juan Manuel Santos in May’s presidential contest, gave a CM& television correspondent a pre-recorded interview in Manizales, the city where the conference was being held.
This did not please many of the other journalists in attendance, who took umbrage at the preferential treatment and left the room just after the candidate entered, saying things such as, ”We’re journalists,too,” “We want respect,” and, ”We’re leaving.”
MORE: German Vargas
Some of the journalists in question took to Twitter to decry the would-be vice president’s handling of media relations, declaring the episode a victory for the “dignity” of Manizales, located in the mountainous state of Caldas.
Vargas Lleras is a career politician with among the highest favorability ratings in the country and a generally strong relationship with the press. His camp has yet to respond to the incident.
Sources
- “Preferencia” de Vargas Lleras armó alboroto en rueda de prensa (Radio Santa Fe)