Journalist found dead in Colombia's conflict zone

"The body of 25-year-old Mateo Perez was found in an area where members of the guerrilla group, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and drug traffickers linked to the the Gulf Clan, operate. Perez had been missing since Tuesday, when he was working in a rural area of the mountainous Antioquia department, about five hours north of the regional capital, Medellin. President Petro blamed Perez's killing on guerrilla leader Jhon Edison Chala Torrejano in a post on X, accusing him of seeking control over illicit gold mining in the region."

""The humanitarian commission of the Red Cross and the ombudsman's office, with the support of the government, managed to enter the area and locate the body," Petro said in the post. "The National Police has had orders for several weeks to strengthen its presence in this zone and to count on the support of the army to eradicate the groups that remain there. The action of the public forces will be effective," he said."

"Perez ran an online news outlet, El Confidente de Yarumal, where his reporting focused mainly on crime, security, politics, and corruption. The Colombia-based Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP) said Perez had "faced legal pressures" over his "investigations into illicit economies linked to armed actors." In a statement, FLIP urged the government to "stop being indifferent to the attacks against the press" and to adopt "real protection measures" for journalists at risk. "The murder of Mateo Perez cannot go unpunished," the organization said."

"The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said Perez had been detained by FARC members at a roadblock on May 5, citing FLIP. "Colombian authorities must prom"

Mateo Perez, a 25-year-old journalist, was found dead in Colombia’s northwestern Antioquia region after going missing on Tuesday. His body was located in an area where FARC members and drug traffickers linked to the Gulf Clan operate, alongside illegal gold mining. President Gustavo Petro attributed the killing to guerrilla leader Jhon Edison Chala Torrejano, alleging a bid for control of illicit mining. Petro said the Red Cross and the ombudsman, with government support, entered the area to locate the body and that police and the army would strengthen efforts to eradicate remaining armed groups. Press freedom organizations reported legal pressures and urged real protection measures for journalists, noting prior detention by FARC at a roadblock on May 5.

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