IAPA remembers nine journalists killed since October in America

The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) condemned the murder of nine journalists this last semester in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Paraguay, Colombia and Haiti, and the disappearance of a communicator in Peru.

In a resolution, the Miami-based organization recorded that since its General Assembly in October 2019 to date three journalists have been killed in Mexico, María Elena Ferral, Fidel Ávila Gómez and Álvaro Ruiz in Mexico, and two in Honduras, José Arita and Buenaventura Calderón in Honduras.

Javier Córdoba was assassinated in Colombia, Bryan Leonel Guerra in Guatemala, Néhémie Joseph in Haiti and Lourenço "Leo" Veras in Paraguay.

Peruvian journalist Daysi Mina Huamán has been missing since January 26.

All the deaths are related to the victims' practice of journalism, the IAPA said.

The organization, which groups more than 1,300 media in the American continent, also denounced impunity in Colombia, because seven murder cases prescribed and another five could prescribe before the end of the year.

The IAPA reiterated that the timely complaint is one of the main antidotes to counteract violence and impunity.

In the case of Mexico, the organization has recently requested the Government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador to guarantee that the protection mechanism for journalists has the necessary technical and human personnel, as well as the financial resources that allow them to fulfill their mission. in a timely and effective manner.

The IAPA is a non-profit entity dedicated to the defense and promotion of freedom of the press and of expression in the Americas.

As a consequence of COVID-19, the IAPA had to cancel the mid-year meeting that was to be held from March 26 to 29 in Saltillo (Mexico).