Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has ordered tighter security measures for the country’s media, Bloomberg reports.
The decision was taken on the basis of intelligence indicating possible attacks by a major guerrilla group on broadcasting facilities.
“Freedom of the press is sacred and must be respected. No narco-terror group will be able to silence the media through threats, intimidation or violence,” De la Espriella wrote on social media.
Security forces will be deployed to protect broadcasters RCN and Caracol. Protection will also be stepped up for Semana magazine. The president said that “all state resources” would be “mobilised to protect these media outlets, their journalists, staff and their families”.
De la Espriella, who came to power this year, is a hardliner and is waging a determined campaign against illegal armed formations, including the National Liberation Army (ELN).
This strategy involves cooperation with the administration of US President Donald Trump and differs radically from the approach of his left-leaning predecessor, who sought to disarm guerrillas involved in the cocaine trade through negotiations.
It is worth noting that, amid clashes between government forces and armed groups, violence in the country is rising.
It has emerged that on Saturday, three service personnel were killed in a drone strike on a military base in northern Colombia. The region is a hub of illegal gold mining. Control of it is contested by the ELN, the “Gulf Clan” (Gulf Clan) and other guerrilla groups.
- In October, thousands of Colombians protested against Abelardo de la Espriella’s policies. Critics accused the president of jeopardising the country’s fragile peace process, encroaching on minority rights and showing authoritarian tendencies.