The freedom of expression movement in Guatemala is once again in mourning due to the brutal murder of radio journalist Alvaro Alfredo Aceituno Lopez. Aceituno Lopez, age 64, was shot in the city of Coatepeque in southeastern Guatemala at 4pm on June 25, 2016. The shooting took place at the Callejon de la Radio, located in the San Antonio Colony, zone 1 of Coatepeque, Quetzaltenango, beside the Alvaro Arzu avenue. Estuardo Ruiz, a member of the Red Cross of Guatemala, stated that Aceituno Lopez died late Saturday night in the hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
Aceituno Lopez was a journalist and director of the local radio station, Radio Ilusión. As director of the radio station, he led a news program called Acontecer Coatepecano. The slogan of this broadcast he directed was labeled: If you do not say it, who will? The broadcast promoted community rights, and focused primarily on significant issues in the surrounding Coatepeque community such as health, education, public safety, and the role of public administration.
The National Police has not revealed any names of suspects or the attacker's motive, however according to eyewitness testimonies, it is clear that this was a direct and calculated attack against Alvaro Alfredo Aceituno Lopez. This is the second attack directed towards journalists in this region of Coatepeque in the last three months. On April 17, 2016, William Omar Monterroso Cabrera, a local reporter, was the victim of an armed attack and suffered severe injuries on his left hand. Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has condemned the murder of Aceituno Lopez and has issued a statement urging the government to conduct thorough investigations of the killing. Bokova has stated that “violent crimes must not be allowed to limit media workers’ freedom to carry out their work, which is important for society as a whole.”
Counting Aceituno Lopez, five radio journalists have been murdered during the first six months of 2016 in Guatemala. To date, no actions have been made to seek justice for their deaths.
“Cultural Survival denounces this kind of violence against the personal security of radio journalists, against the freedom of expression and against the practice of community media, which are ongoing problems in Guatemala. We demand that the authorities begin timely investigations to determine the whereabouts of those responsible for this heinous criminal act,” said Mark Camp, Cultural Survival deputy executive director.
Radio Journalists Murdered in 2016
- Mario Roberto Salazar Jutiapa, March 17, Director of the Estereo Azucar Radio 2016.
- Winston Leonardo Cano Tunchez, Escuintla, April 8, Commentator of the La Jefa Radio 2016.
- Diego Salomon Esteban Gaspar, Quiche, April 30, Commentator of the Sembrador Radio 2016.
- Victor Hugo Valdez Cardona, Chiquimula, June 7, Host of Chiquimula Vision 2016.
- Alvaro Alfredo Aceituno Lopez, Quetzaltenango, June 25, Director of Estereo Ilusion 2016
