Alexander Álvarez, a journalist from Radio Urundey FM in Paraguay, was killed this week, while driving his car in the border town of Pedro Juan Caballero. He was attacked by two people on a motorcycle at a traffic light stop. This is the second journalist killed in the same region in the past year, as Humberto Coronel had been killed in the same city in September 2022.
The Union of Journalists of Paraguay and the International Federation of Journalists have both condemned the attack and have called for an in-depth investigation and for the implementation of protection mechanisms for journalists and human rights defenders. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights had previously ruled against the state of Paraguay for lack of justice for the murder of Santiago Leguizamón, another journalist killed in the same area.
The Paraguayan Journalists Union has also urged the state to pass the Law for the Protection of Journalists and Human Rights Defenders, in order to guarantee the safety of their colleagues. José Portillo, chief commissioner of Order and Security of the city of Pedro Juan Caballero, stated that the investigation revolves around the images from security cameras that captured the subjects on the motorcycle.
2022 was a deadly year for the Latin American press, with 42 homicides against journalists, with Mexico in the lead. To stay informed on the latest news, subscribe to the Voice of America YouTube channel and activate notifications, or follow us on social networks: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.