Latin American Governments see journalists as enemies

The NGO campaign emblem press (PEC, acronym in English) reported today in Geneva the abuses that the press in Latin America, where many Governments try "to instrumentalize the independent journalism to present it as their new enemy within" is a victim.

The PEC indicated in a report on the situation of the press in 2011 both State security forces and illegal armed groups to put violence against journalists, especially in Latin America.

This region concentrated 33 per cent of the murders of journalists last year, with 35 deaths from a total of 107.

In many Latin American countries "more and more media are going at the hands of the State", which is is introduced "a structure media that Governments are not accountable", regrets the NGO.

The assassination of journalists by country, "at least" twelve in Mexico, six have been recorded in u000aHonduras and Brazil, three Peru and one in Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, Panama, Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Venezuela.

In Mexico it has been reported since 2003 the disappearance of eighteen journalists, but only four bodies have been recovered and in 2011 there were four kidnappings that were not asked money but the dissemination of videos.

The report demonstrated that violence against journalists in Mexico "has aspect of war", especially in recent years, the occurrence of attacks against offices of media, even with fragmentation grenades

In the case of Honduras there is the "irrefutable evidence" of at least twenty-eight cases of attacks on the press last year, in the midst of a "scandalous impunity", denounced the PEC.

In the past twenty months, 17 journalists were killed and "no case has been investigated", adds.

Brazil is another one of those States that u000aconcentrated cases of attacks on journalists, with six killed, two attempted murders, two arrests, eight assaults and three of censorship judicial.

Venezuela, were registered last year 113 direct attacks on the press, authorities voluntarily 34 radio stations and three journalists were declared "military objective" by a group considered by the IAPA Press (SIP) "akin to the Government".

Attacks on journalists in Peru focused on cases of harassment and judicial "for comment on corruption" grievances, while in Haiti were dismissed five informants of the TNH Haiti allegedly "for his political stance against the President".

Also in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala practiced some form of violence against journalists and media of communication.

According to the PEC, in the first country advertising was awarded on a discriminatory basis and "was awarded a 44 per cent to a docile means to the" u000a"Government", while Ecuador and Colombia were opened legal proceedings against numerous communicators.

The PEC is a civilian organization which calls for the establishment of a badge to identify and protect journalists in conflict situations, following the model used by the Red Cross.

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