That was stated by communications experts from Colombia and Spain, during a discussion board at the Casa de América in Madrid. “The Constitution and the judicial system defend journalism, and in the last years the Government has worked to reduce attacks against journalists”, Jaime Abello Banfi, Director of the Nuevo Periodismo Iberoamericano Foundation said.

Bogotá, July 16 (SP).  Colombia is no longer a dangerous country for journalism; on the contrary, the Government has worked to reduce attacks against journalists. That was the conclusion of several Colombian and Spanish experts in communications during a discussion board held this Thursday at the Casa de América in Madrid.

According to press agencies, the experts agreed in highlighting that Colombia is a country where journalists have freedom of speech, because there is an institutional system that supports it, and the danger or threats against journalism are related to illegal armed groups.

As said by Jaime Abello Banfi, Director of the Nuevo Periodismo Iberoamericano Foundation, the Constitution and the judicial system of Colombia protect journalism and in the last years “the Government has worked to reduce attacks against journalists”
“An actual fact is that last year there was not any homicide of journalists, and this year there has been just one homicide, and it is still not confirmed that it was related to the practice of journalism”, Abello declared. 

During the discussion board at the Casa de América, experts analyzed ‘The role of journalism in the consolidation of democracy and pluralism in Colombia’. The Colombian historian Jorge Orlando Melo said that “nowadays in Colombia is impossible to censure a journalist, even if you can penalize him a posteriori”.
In addition, all experts concurred to highlight the role of the press in the fight against drug trafficking.

As for the Director of Semana Magazine, Alejandro Santos, said that press in Colombia has been “an important bastion for resistance”, back in the 80’s when drug trafficking declared war to the State and society, and during that time that “criminal machine” killed more than a hundred and twenty journalists.