A journalist was shot to death by an unknown gunman in Honduras. He is the fourth to be slain this year, according to the InterAmerican Press Association. The group identified the victim as Pedro Arcangel Canelas. He was the owner of Radio Bambi. He hosted the show “Correo Informativo.”
In a similar fashion, independent journalist Luis Alonso Almendares was killed in September. According to the InterAmerican Press Association, 23 journalists have been killed in the Americas in total in 2020.
Another unresolved murder case of a Journalist is that of Buenaventura Calderón, which occurred on 1st November 2019. Unknown gunmen killed him and his wife Maribel Bolian in Puerto Lempira in the eastern part of the country. Audrey Azoulay, the DG of UNESCO, condemned the killing. He called on the authorities to bring the criminals to justice.
“I condemn the heartless killing of Buenaventura Calderón and Maribel Bolian,” said the Director-General. “It is important for the authorities to conduct an investigation and brink the culprits to book for their crimes.”
According to media reports, two unidentified assailants on a motorbike shot Buenaventura Calderón and his wife Maribel Bolian as the two were heading home. The journalist was shot to death. They also fatally injured Ms. Bolian, who died later in hospital.
Buenaventura Calderón was a newscaster and presenter at a broadcast station Ecos de Mosquitia on Catholic radio Kupia Kumi 94.9.
UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists by raising awareness globally. It also conducts capacity building within the framework of the Plan for Action on the Safety of Journalists.
Retaliatory Killings
Globally, there were more than 30 journalists killed in 2020. Out of this number, 21 were singled out to be killed because of their work. Others were caught in combat or crossfire.
Still, others were on another assignment that turned dangerous. Mexico is the most dangerous nation for journalists. There is a dangerous web of criminals, drug-trafficking gangs, and widespread corruption.
On assumption of office in December 2018, President of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez agreed to take deliberate steps to end violence against the press and ensure people responsible for journalist murders don’t go free.
However, this continues to be the case. Mexico is one of the countries where journalists are murdered, and the perpetrators go free.
Protection Mechanisms
At least two of the journalists shot to death in 2020 enrolled in a program designed to provide safety measures to journalists under threat. This program is called the Federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists.
The program has proved largely ineffective as criminals often killed the journalists with their assigned bodyguards. This led journalists to write an open letter to the authorities in Mexico in October. In the letter, they narrated their ordeals at the hand of criminals and unknown gunmen.
Global Impunity
The impunity and violence against the press globally come against a backdrop of the United States relinquishing global leadership on the defense of press freedom under President Donald Trump.
The Trump administration is rather opportunistic in its approach. It spoke out against Iran’s actions but failed to condemn Saudi Arabia for its role in the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
Journalists have therefore written a proposal to the incoming administration of Joe Biden about restoring United States leadership.
They are seeking press freedom, empowering journalists to speak out against violations around the world, and to rebuild State Department institutions that have supported press freedom. They also want the Joe Biden administration to send a directive to U.S. embassies that press freedom is a priority of foreign policy.
