In Colombia, a provincial radio journalist is murdered

[Judi Lynn]

In Colombia, a provincial radio journalist is murdered



New York, August 11, 2006—Colombian radio host Milton Fabián Sánchez was gunned down on Wednesday night outside his home in Yumbo, in the southwestern Valle del Cauca province. The Committee to Protect Journalists is investigating whether there is a connection between the murder and Sánchez’ work.

A masked assailant shot Sánchez three times in the face at 9:45 p.m., the journalist’s colleague, Leonardo Orozco, told CPJ. Witnesses said the assailant had been waiting in bushes behind Sánchez’ home, he said. Sánchez was taken to a local hospital and then to Valle University Hospital in the provincial capital, Cali, before dying at around midnight, Orozco said.

Sánchez was host of three weekly programs on local radio station Yumbo Estéreo. Two, “Notas de Gestión” and “La Personería,” were civic education programs funded by the local government. The third, “Mesa Redonda,” was a community-based opinion program, Orozco told CPJ.

During “Mesa Redonda” broadcasts, Orozco said, Sánchez sometimes criticized the performance of the local government. Sánchez had once been spokesman for the local mayor, according to the mayor’s press office. Orozco said that Sánchez had not mentioned getting threats.
(snip/...)

http://www.cpj.org/news/2006/americas/colombia11aug06na.html

[w4rma]

1. This used to happen in Venezuela before Chavez was elected. (nt)

[Judi Lynn]

2. You know, I've read that before. Looks like something a person

should know a lot more about, considering how attached the _Bush administration is to the opposition, which was in control of everything then.

Thanks for the info. It'll remind me to look for more about this. Very glad you mentioned it.