Journalists Killed in 2004 - Motive Confirmed: Martín La Rotta
- Document source:
-
Date:
January 2005
La Palma Estéreo
February 7, 2004, in San Alberto, Colombia
La Rotta, radio host and owner of local radio station La Palma Estéreo in the small town of San Alberto in northeastern Cesar province, was stabbed to death in his living room while watching television. According to CPJ research, friends rushed La Rotta to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
La Rotta, 51, founded La Palma Estéreo, a station that generally played popular music, in 1999. His family told CPJ that he also hosted the morning news program "El Amanecer del Campo" (The Awakening of the Countryside), on which he reported national news.
According to regional press reports, La Rotta constantly questioned paramilitary presence in San Alberto, and said citizens were being forced to pay illegal taxes. A family member who asked not to be identified told CPJ that armed men often intimidated the station's staff and demanded La Rotta stop his commentary.
La Rotta's family told CPJ that on the day of the murder, the radio host was planning to flee San Alberto fearing for his life.
On May 16, 2007, Juan Francisco Prada Márquez Prada, also known as Juancho Prada, a demobilized leader of the Héctor Julio Peinado Front, an arm of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) in the Cesar province, confessed to La Rotta's killing during a private hearing with prosecutors in the port city of Barranquilla, according to Colombian press reports. Jaime Maldonado, a local lawyer assigned to the case, told CPJ that Prada said he ordered the murder because he was tired of La Rotta's comments on the radio.
| Medium: | Radio |
| Job: | Columnist / Commentator, Publisher / Owner |
| Beats Covered: | Politics |
| Gender: | Male |
| Local or Foreign: | Local |
| Freelance: | No |
| Type of Death: | Murder |
| Suspected Source of Fire: | Local Residents |
| Impunity: | Yes |
| Taken Captive: | No |
| Tortured: | No |
| Threatened: | No |
Disclaimer: © Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.