Guillermo Cano – Status: Solved

On December 17, 1986, journalist Guillermo Cano Isaza was assassinated outside El Espectador’s office in Bogotá, Colombia. Hitmen linked to drug cartels shot him in retaliation for his reporting on their political influence. Cano, 61, died shortly after the attack. His murder marked escalating cartel violence, including a later bombing of El Espectador’s office and attacks on his family. In 1995, four conspirators were convicted, though most were acquitted on appeal. Cano’s legacy endures as a symbol of journalistic courage.

Journalist Information:

Name: Guillermo Cano

Age: 61

Gender: Male

DOB: 12/08/1925

Nationality: Colombian

Last company worked for: El Espectador

Family: Guillermo left behind his children, his wife, as well as his parents.

Incident Information:

Date of incident – 17 December 1986

Location of incident – Bogota, Colombia

Offense victim of: Assassination

Weapons included – Firearm

Guillermo Cano was leaving the offices of El Espectador in his Subaru Leone when one of two hitmen on a motorcycle across the street at a stoplight opened fire at Cano with a Uzi, shooting Cano 4 times in the chest and causing him to lose control of the car and crash into a light pole.

Suspect(s) Information:

Perpetrator Identified: Yes

Name: Pablo Escobar

Proof of Targeting the Journalist: Cano was killed on 17 December 1986 in Bogota by the Medellin cartel, which was led by Pablo Escobar. Cano was in favor of the extradition of Colombian drug traffickers to the United States, which is believed to be the reason why Escobar ordered his death. Following Cano’s death, the Medellín cartel launched a series of attacks against the “El Espectador” newspaper; between 1986 & 1991, more than 18 journalists were killed in cities across the country, and two bombs were detonated at the newspaper’s headquarters in Bogota.

Reason for Killing: Cano, the courageous director of El Espectador, was killed because he denounced drug traffickers and their accomplices by name.

Progress of the Case: The hitmen who were suspected of having killed Cano, Alvaro Garcia Saldarriago, and Luis Eduardo Osorio, were themselves murdered, in a supposed effort to erase any traces of the crime. Now, only Molina remains in jail in connection with the murder, after the Supreme Court ruled that the original judicial authorities allowed themselves to get carried away with the need to demonstrate good results in the high-profile case, and convinced Zamora, despite a lack of evidence.

Success Factor in Guillermo’s: The success factor in Guillermo Cano’s case was global outrage and advocacy that turned his killing into a symbol of press freedom, leading to international recognition through the UNESCO prize and ongoing pressure against impunity.

Read More: https://rfkhumanrights.org/our-voices/lawyer-in-the-guillermo-cano-case/