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Journalists from three television channels in Ecuador they received envelopes with flash drives loaded with explosives on Monday, and one exploded in front of a reporter without causing serious injuries, police and affected media reported.
the private chain ecuavisa alerted that his journalist Lenin Artieda received an envelope with a flash drive and that when inserted into a computer “this one exploded”.
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Artieda, who works in Guayaquil (southwest), “apparently he has some kind of discomfort in his hand and a very slight affectation on his face, but it is not a complex situation”, told the press the national head of Police Criminalistics, Xavier Chango.
Guayaquil, one of the main ports for exporting cocaine to Europeis the epicenter of violent disputes between drug gangs.
journalists from TC Television in Guayaquil and Teleamazon in Quito they also received an envelope with flash drives containing explosives.
The prosecution reportedthe existence of (a) over bomb” on the state-owned TC Televisión, while the private channel Teleamazonas reported that it received “a USB with the same characteristics” than that of Ecuavisa.
The NGO fundamedioswhich promotes press freedom, noted that “the same modus operandi was used in the attacks”.
“Envelopes with letterheads arrived with the names of journalists Lenin Artieda, from Ecuavisa, Mauricio Ayorafrom TC Television, Milton Perez, from Teleamazonas. Inside the envelopes was a flash drive.”, Fundamedios detailed in a statement.
The police chief commented that the charge used in the device that exploded in Ecuavisa could be “RDX”, “a military-type explosive”.
Police reported a possible room containing explosives but have not confirmed it.
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After the attacks, the prosecutor’s office opened an investigation for the crime of terrorism, punishable by up to 13 years in prison.
“Worrying” and “unacceptable”
According to Fundamedios, the envelope addressed to Artieda contained a threat against the journalist.
The one addressed to Teleamazonas contained a note that read: “This information will unmask correísmo. If you think it’s useful, we can come to an agreement and I’ll send you the second part. I communicate with you”, he added.
The NGO assured that what happened is “worrisome, unacceptable”, which violates freedom of expression and “requires immediate state intervention”.
“The national government categorically rejects all kinds of violent acts perpetrated against journalists and the media”, pointed out the General Secretary of Communication (Segcom) in a bulletin.
branded as “reprehensible” attempts by “intimidate” to journalism.
Last year the RTS channel was attacked with shots and in 2020 an explosive device exploded at the facilities of the Teleamazonas television station.
He Standing Committee for the Defense of Human Rights de Guayaquil (CDH) expressed concern about the “attacks on journalists” in the context of growing insecurity in the country.
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Ecuador is currently facing a strong wave of violence that has grown alongside drug seizures.
The rate of violent deaths in Ecuador went from 14 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2021 to 25 per 100,000 in 2022.
Source: Elcomercio
I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.
