In Colombia, Uribe’s accusations raise alarm

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists

In Colombia, Uribe’s accusations raise alarm

New York, October 3, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about comments made Tuesday by President Álvaro Uribe Vélez that could endanger Colombian journalist Gonzalo Guillén.

Uribe called national Caracol Radio and RCN Radio to deny recent allegations that he had close to ties to the deceased drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. The accusations were made by Escobar’s lover, Virginia Vallejo, in her new book Amando a Pablo, odiando a Escobar (Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar). Uribe said he believed Guillén, correspondent for the Miami-based daily El Nuevo Herald, collaborated with Vallejo in the writing of the book, which was published in September.

During his interview with Caracol, Uribe also accused Guillén of “being a person who has persisted in trying to harm me, and when he can’t do it in this country, he does it abroad.”
(snip)

“We are concerned that the president’s comments could endanger our colleague Gonzalo Guillén,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “We call on President Uribe to abstain from making such accusations.”
(snip/...)




Read more: http://www.cpj.org/news/2007/americas/colombia03oct07na.html

[Ken Burch]

1. Wouldn't be the first journalist Uribe's had whacked

Won't be the last.

The Republican Party's favorite "elected" Latin American leader.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Republicans see Colombia as their home away from home, if you recall David Dreier's

triumphal visit to the Colombian Congress. He parked his butt where normal speakers rest their notes during their speeches. Made a BIG impression!

[Ken Burch]

3. ...well, this kind of thing probably explains where the term "Ugly American" came from.

n/t.

[formercia]

4. Uribe puts out the contract.

Now, any reich-wing gunslinger sees Guillen as fair game.

[Judi Lynn]

5. COLOMBIA;RIGHTS GROUP CONDEMNS GOVERNMENT/PARAMILITARY LINK

FLIP FINDS VALLE DEL CAUCA ONE OF WORST AREAS FOR JOURNALISTS IN COLOMBIA; RIGHTS GROUP CONDEMNS GOVERNMENT/PARAMILITARY LINK

~snip~
In the port city of Buenaventura, armed groups vying for control over the drug trade tried to assassinate more than 100 people in 2006. Journalists who are supposed to be protected under a special government programme complain that precautionary measures, such as police patrols around journalists' homes and places of work, are no longer being taken.

FLIP says the cases it has documented do not represent all of the press freedom violations in the region. Journalists are often afraid to report them, or do not trust the authorities. The police, district attorneys, local administration and office of Vice President Francisco Santos told FLIP that they receive few complaints of threats against journalists. But journalists in the department say that the official bodies often have links with illegal, armed groups active in the area.

Meanwhile, in the capital, a Colombian human rights group is demanding an inquiry into accusations that illustrate the close ties between President Álvaro Uribe Vélez's government and the paramilitary.

Salvatore Mancuso, chief of the paramilitary umbrella group Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), recently testified before a special tribunal that Vice President Santos had urged AUC leaders to set up a paramilitary group in the capital, Bogotá. Such a presence was later established.

More:
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/86707/

[Judi Lynn]

6. Uribe's criticism of El Nuevo Herald reporter criticized

Uribe's criticism of El Nuevo Herald reporter criticized
A journalists' rights group warned Colombian President Alvaro Uribe that his public accusations against an El Nuevo Herald reporter could endanger the journalist's life.
Posted on Thu, Oct. 04, 2007
El Nuevo Herald Staff

~snip~
Uribe attacked Guillén on Tuesday saying the journalist was ''behind'' a book written by a former lover of the late druglord Pablo Escobar alleging that Uribe had been friendly with Escobar. Uribe has denied the accusation.

''Behind that book was a journalist named Gonzalo Guillén, whose work has been to slander me,'' Uribe said. Uribe also called Guillén ``a professional slanderer.''

Guillén flatly denied any connection with the book.

''I have not even read it,'' he said in a letter to Uribe in which he demanded the president recant his allegations. ``I have never said anything about you that I haven't first duly confirmed.''

El Nuevo Executive Editor Humberto Castelló called Uribe's comments irresponsible. ``I regret the flippancy, injustice and irresponsibility of the comments made by the person with the highest standing in a country where we have seen the president's armed defenders -- outside the law -- correct journalists not with letters but with bullets.''

Castelló expressed puzzlement over Uribe's statement.

''We have never received a single complaint or the slightest request for a correction from the president in regard to the articles by our correspondent,'' Castelló said.

Guillén has been under the protection of two bodyguards from the Administrative Security Department, Colombia's version of the FBI, for the past three months, ever since El Nuevo Herald received an anonymous warning of a plan to assassinate him.
(snip/)http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/259673.html



Oh, oh! El Nuevo Herald MUST be steamed! They
published an UNFLATTERING photo of _Bush's buddy.