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January 20, 2025 – Peru –
Gastón Medina Sotomayor, owner and editor of regional TV channel Cadena Sur TV, was gunned down in front of his home in Ica’s San Isidro district. Attackers on a motorcycle shot him multiple times as he prepared to leave for his morning broadcast. He died on arrival at the hospital, according to the National Association of Journalists (ANP).
Medina was known for investigative reporting on local public corruption, including procurement irregularities at Ica’s government and extortion schemes targeting transport workers, shopkeepers, and teachers. He received numerous threats, including a 2022 incident where perpetrators left a vehicle with animal carcasses, a funeral bouquet containing a bullet, and explosive devices outside his station.
His lawyer confirmed Medina had publicly reported threats linked to his investigations into the overpricing of hospital equipment, suggesting a direct connection between his journalism and the attack. The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the murder and demanded a transparent, comprehensive investigation, citing persistent impunity in Peru.
UNESCO’s Director-General Audrey Azoulay echoed the call for justice, asserting that impunity emboldens attackers and that swift legal action is vital. Peru ranks poorly on press freedom, recently slipping to 125th out of 180 in RSF’s 2024 index—a reflection of growing threats and violence against media workers.
As of April 2025, Medina’s daughter publicly decried the lack of progress in the investigation—over three months without arrests or clear leads—even after contacting prosecutors repeatedly.
This is the first journalist killing in Peru since 2017, and it occurred amid a wave of crime and extortion. In May, another veteran reporter, Raúl Celis López, was similarly murdered, highlighting the alarming climate for press safety
Reference –
https://www.barrons.com/news/peru-journalist-who-reported-on-extortion-shot-dead-4ad3b33b
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/peru-journalist-gaston-medina-killed-prosecutors-office-bombed/
