{"id":222278,"date":"2026-05-07T19:28:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T19:28:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/paloma-valencia-criticizes-the-petro-governments-total-peace-after-the-murder-of-journalist-mateo-perez-she-points-out-dissidents-linked-to-alias-calarca\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T19:28:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T19:28:56","slug":"paloma-valencia-criticizes-the-petro-governments-total-peace-after-the-murder-of-journalist-mateo-perez-she-points-out-dissidents-linked-to-alias-calarca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/paloma-valencia-criticizes-the-petro-governments-total-peace-after-the-murder-of-journalist-mateo-perez-she-points-out-dissidents-linked-to-alias-calarca\/","title":{"rendered":"Paloma Valencia Criticizes the Petro Government&#8217;s Total Peace After the Murder of Journalist Mateo P\u00e9rez: She Points Out Dissidents Linked to Alias Calarc\u00e1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div>\n<div class=\"visual__image image-initial-width\">\n    <picture><source  media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\"\/><source  media=\"(min-width: 768px)\"\/><source  media=\"(min-width: 580px)\"\/><source  media=\"(min-width: 350px)\"\/><source  media=\"(min-width: 80px)\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"article-figcaption-img\">The murder of journalist Mateo P\u00e9rez in Brice\u00f1o, Antioquia, attributed to FARC dissidents, generated national commotion and revived the debate on security in conflict zones and freedom of the press in Colombia &#8211; credit Colprensa and Government of Antioquia<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<h2>The Impact of Mateo P\u00e9rez&#8217;s Murder on Press Freedom<\/h2>\n<p>The tragic death of journalist Mateo P\u00e9rez, director of the magazine The Confidant, has sparked national outrage and highlighted the ongoing vulnerabilities faced by reporters in Colombia. P\u00e9rez&#8217;s disappearance, which occurred while he was investigating the humanitarian crisis linked to illegal armed groups in Brice\u00f1o, Antioquia, has shed light on the increasing jeopardy for journalists in conflict-affected regions.<\/p>\n<h3>Political Reactions to the Incident<\/h3>\n<p>Among the most notable responses was that from Senator Paloma Valencia, who expressed her sorrow over the incident and criticized the Colombian government&#8217;s &#8220;Total Peace&#8221; initiative. Valencia remarked, &#8220;I am deeply saddened by the murder of journalist Mateo P\u00e9rez, at the hands of the dissidents alias Calarc\u00e1.&#8221; Her comments directly link the government\u2019s dialogue efforts with illegal armed groups to a rise in violence against vulnerable populations, including journalists.<\/p>\n<h3>Evaluating the Government&#8217;s Peace Policies<\/h3>\n<p>Valencia\u2019s remarks reflect a growing consensus that the current peace policies, spearheaded by Iv\u00e1n Cepeda, may not adequately address the threats posed by dissident factions like the FARC. She pointed out that even individuals like Calarc\u00e1, recently captured yet released due to being labeled a &#8220;peace manager,&#8221; may pose a threat to public safety. This raises questions about whether the policies are effective in curtailing violence or if they inadvertently empower criminal elements.<\/p>\n<h2>Investigating the Circumstances Surrounding the Murder<\/h2>\n<p>As investigations unfold, authorities have yet to confirm the exact circumstances of P\u00e9rez&#8217;s death. Initial findings suggest a connection to the 36th Front of FARC dissidents, a group blamed for escalating violence in the region. This development has reignited concerns about the safety of reporters covering sensitive issues in perilous areas.<\/p>\n<h2>Current Measures and Future Implications<\/h2>\n<p>The Office of the Ombudsman and press freedom organizations have both sounded alarms regarding the perilous environment for journalists in Antioquia. Following P\u00e9rez\u2019s disappearance, early warnings were issued, highlighting the significant risks in the area marked by ongoing violent confrontations between FARC splinter groups and the Gulf Clan.<\/p>\n<h3>Community and Government Responses<\/h3>\n<p>Antioquia&#8217;s governor, Andr\u00e9s Juli\u00e1n Rend\u00f3n, has attributed P\u00e9rez&#8217;s alleged murder to alias Chal\u00e1 from the 36th Front and has offered a significant reward for information leading to his capture. Various humanitarian organizations are involved in recovery efforts to locate P\u00e9rez&#8217;s body, while his family demands expedient action from authorities on investigations.<\/p>\n<p>P\u00e9rez\u2019s father remarked that he had advised his son against entering the dangerous area merely a day before the disappearance, underscoring the inherent risks faced by journalists dedicated to bringing crucial stories to light.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>The murder of Mateo P\u00e9rez amplifies a distressing trend regarding journalist safety in Colombia. As press organizations report deteriorating conditions for reporters operating in conflict zones, the call for more robust protective measures and accountability for violent acts against the media has never been more urgent. Balancing the need for peace with the protection of fundamental rights, including freedom of the press, remains a critical challenge for the Colombian government.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/category\/general\/\" rel=\"dofollow\">General News &#8211; 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The murder of journalist Mateo P\u00e9rez in Brice\u00f1o, Antioquia, attributed to FARC dissidents, generated national commotion and revived the debate on security in conflict zones and freedom of the press in Colombia &#8211; credit Colprensa and Government of Antioquia The Impact of Mateo P\u00e9rez&#8217;s Murder on Press Freedom The tragic death of journalist Mateo P\u00e9rez, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":222279,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[36948,40922,2544,22722,1618,1575,6373,31247,892,40669,480,29239,2713,4219,3590,20237],"class_list":["post-222278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mazagine","tag-alias","tag-calarca","tag-criticizes","tag-dissidents","tag-governments","tag-journalist","tag-linked","tag-mateo","tag-murder","tag-paloma","tag-peace","tag-perez","tag-petro","tag-points","tag-total","tag-valencia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=222278"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222278\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":222280,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222278\/revisions\/222280"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/222279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=222278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=222278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=222278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}