Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06QUITO553
2006-03-08 13:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Quito
Cable title:
TWO ECUADORIAN JOURNALISTS KILLED
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHQT #0553 0671339 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 081339Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY QUITO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3800 INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 5418 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1624 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR 9711 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 0401 RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 0057 RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
UNCLAS QUITO 000553
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EC
SUBJECT: TWO ECUADORIAN JOURNALISTS KILLED
UNCLAS QUITO 000553
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EC
SUBJECT: TWO ECUADORIAN JOURNALISTS KILLED
1. Summary: Press reported the murders of two journalists
on February 13 and February 14 in and around the Guayaquil
area. In both cases, no items were reported stolen and there
have been no arrests. In one case, the reporter had
previously spoken out about youth gangs during his radio
reports, and may have been murdered as a reprisal. End
Summary.
2. Jose Luis Leon Desiderio, 43, was found dead as a result
of three gunshot wounds late on February 13, after leaving
his home to meet his wife at the bus stop. Desiderio began
his career began his journalism career 22 years ago working
for the El Telegrafo newspaper. Recently, he had also worked
for various radio stations, including Radio Minutera, where
he had given editorials against youth gangs. On February 14,
freelance photographer Raul Suarez Sandoval, was shot dead in
Duran, southwest of Guayaquil. Suarez, who contributed to
the La Hora Durandena and La Prensa de Duran newspapers,
received four gunshot wounds reportedly after leaving a
telephone booth.
3. On March 7 PolOff spoke with Hector Espin, president of
the National Union of Journalists; Juan Centurion, president
of the National Union of Journalists- Guayas chapter, and
Cesar Duque, lawyer for human rights organization CEDHU,
about the cases. Espin and Centurion believe the Desiderio
murder could have been related to his commentaries about
youth gangs and said Desiderio had received threatening phone
calls. Both thought, however, that the Suarez case was only
a case of attempted robbery. Duque thought it unlikely that
the Desiderio murder was in response to his statements
against youth gangs, as gang leaders would not likely be
concerned with these comments.
Comment
--------------
4. Both murders occurred in high crime areas where these
kinds of violent incidents are not uncommon. In the
Desiderio case, we cannot rule out the possibility that he
was murdered as a reprisal for his public commentary against
youth gangs.
JEWELL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EC
SUBJECT: TWO ECUADORIAN JOURNALISTS KILLED
1. Summary: Press reported the murders of two journalists
on February 13 and February 14 in and around the Guayaquil
area. In both cases, no items were reported stolen and there
have been no arrests. In one case, the reporter had
previously spoken out about youth gangs during his radio
reports, and may have been murdered as a reprisal. End
Summary.
2. Jose Luis Leon Desiderio, 43, was found dead as a result
of three gunshot wounds late on February 13, after leaving
his home to meet his wife at the bus stop. Desiderio began
his career began his journalism career 22 years ago working
for the El Telegrafo newspaper. Recently, he had also worked
for various radio stations, including Radio Minutera, where
he had given editorials against youth gangs. On February 14,
freelance photographer Raul Suarez Sandoval, was shot dead in
Duran, southwest of Guayaquil. Suarez, who contributed to
the La Hora Durandena and La Prensa de Duran newspapers,
received four gunshot wounds reportedly after leaving a
telephone booth.
3. On March 7 PolOff spoke with Hector Espin, president of
the National Union of Journalists; Juan Centurion, president
of the National Union of Journalists- Guayas chapter, and
Cesar Duque, lawyer for human rights organization CEDHU,
about the cases. Espin and Centurion believe the Desiderio
murder could have been related to his commentaries about
youth gangs and said Desiderio had received threatening phone
calls. Both thought, however, that the Suarez case was only
a case of attempted robbery. Duque thought it unlikely that
the Desiderio murder was in response to his statements
against youth gangs, as gang leaders would not likely be
concerned with these comments.
Comment
--------------
4. Both murders occurred in high crime areas where these
kinds of violent incidents are not uncommon. In the
Desiderio case, we cannot rule out the possibility that he
was murdered as a reprisal for his public commentary against
youth gangs.
JEWELL