During this period, the killing of four journalists highlighted the serious increase in violence against the exercise of press freedom. Threats and acts of intimidation were also reported, particularly in the regions and against those reporting on corruption, public security, crime, and the presence of illegal armed groups.
In May, Mateo Pérez Rueda, director of the digital outlet El Confidente, based in Yarumal, Antioquia, was murdered. The journalist disappeared while carrying out journalistic work in an area disputed by the Clan del Golfo and the 36th Front of the FARC dissidents. Pérez Rueda covered issues related to corruption and criminal gangs.
Cristian Herrera, known for his investigations into organized crime and corruption, was the victim of an armed attack by hitmen in June in Cúcuta, Norte de Santander. Since 2019, he had served as a correspondent for the Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP) in that department and, since 2025, had been a member of its Board of Directors. A few days later, three alleged perpetrators were arrested and brought before prosecutors.
In July and October, two community journalists were also murdered. In July, Jader Durango, a radio host, social leader, and promoter of youth initiatives, was found dead on a highway in Tierralta, Córdoba, a region where criminal groups are fighting for control of illicit economies. On October 2, Julián Hincapié, a community leader and journalist from Anorí, Antioquia, was found dead. He had been reported missing three weeks earlier. In both cases, the motives remain unknown.
Threats against journalists also continue to be frequent and are particularly concentrated in the regions. In Apartadó, Antioquia, four journalists were threatened by individuals who identified themselves as members of the Clan del Golfo and demanded that they stop publishing reports about alleged irregularities in procedures carried out by the municipality's Mobility Secretariat. Between January and August 1, 2026, FLIP recorded 45 cases of attacks against journalists in Antioquia, making it the department with the highest number of cases during that period.
In Maicao, La Guajira, journalist Claudia Sierra Torres, of Avance Estéreo radio station, received death threats allegedly from individuals who identified themselves as members of the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada. The assailants sought to have the station broadcast messages reaffirming the group's territorial control and, when the journalist refused, they intimidated her in retaliation.
Laura Sofía Mejía and Víctor Galeano, co-founders and directors of Baudó Agencia Pública, were also threatened. In Puerto López, Meta, journalists José Reyes and Apolinar Beltrán were declared military targets and ordered to leave the municipality.
These incidents were compounded by threats against employees and contributors of the Public Media System. Inravisión reported digital attacks, threats, and a disinformation campaign targeting the institution and its employees.
These cases demonstrate the persistence of violence as a means of intimidating and silencing the press, particularly in the regions.
Regarding protection, concerns remain about the state's ability to respond to threats against journalists. FLIP reported delays by the National Protection Unit in implementing measures ordered in favor of journalist Daniel Silva. In addition, following the murder of Cristian Herrera, FLIP questioned the possibility of withdrawing the security detail assigned to his family.
These concerns are compounded by the difficulties in obtaining truth and justice in cases involving journalists murdered in previous years.
In this regard, on May 5, the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia issued Resolution No. 0-0119, seeking to prioritize cases in which journalists and media workers are victims of crimes related to their journalistic work. The measure was adopted as a result of the Friendly Settlement Agreement signed on April 23, 2025, before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), concerning the murders of El Espectador journalists Julio Daniel Chaparro Hurtado and Jorge Enrique Torres Navas, a case that the IAPA and FLIP are supporting before the Commission on behalf of the victims' families.
The resolution establishes mandatory guidelines requiring prosecutors nationwide to investigate crimes committed against journalists, communicators, and media workers. It also requires authorities to examine the facts from two perspectives simultaneously: the direct attack against the journalist — homicide, threats, or injuries — and the events or investigations the victim was pursuing in the course of their journalistic work. It also seeks to determine whether the attack served as a means of silencing, retaliation, censorship, or protecting illicit interests, thus preventing crimes from being investigated in isolation.
The 2026 electoral process, in which members of Congress and the president were elected, was also marked by a significant increase in attacks against the press. Between January 1 and June 23, FLIP recorded 79 attacks related to coverage of electoral issues, compared with 46 documented throughout the 2022 electoral process.
During the elections, journalists faced threats, attacks, and obstruction of their work, as well as acts of stigmatization that affected the conditions under which they could carry out their work without fear of retaliation.
At the end of Gustavo Petro's presidency, a communication strategy on social media to discredit the press that exposed alleged corruption sduring his administration became increasingly prominent. This strategy, supported by several of his officials and members of his legislative caucus, was accompanied by an antagonistic discourse against the media and repeated instances of stigmatization of journalists during his administration.
Following the change in the presidency on August 7, FLIP, together with a group of organizations, including the IAPA, called on the new government of President Abelardo de la Espriella to prevent the problems accumulated in previous years from continuing and to ensure the conditions necessary for the exercise of journalism by adopting measures to strengthen journalists' safety, the free practice of the profession, editorial independence, and access to information.
At the same time, serious allegations of workplace sexual harassment by women journalists against prominent reporters, media executives, and presenters came to light. These cases led to formal investigations by prosecutors, the departure of some of those accused from their positions, and reviews of internal newsroom protocols to address deficiencies, improve mechanisms for hearing victims, and ensure that such conduct is investigated and, when appropriate, sanctioned without delay.
In addition, the “No Time to Be Silent” Fund (No es Hora de Callar) was launched to strengthen prevention, protection, and assistance measures for women journalists who are victims of gender-based violence. Its launch represents progress in fulfilling the state's obligations to protect women journalists and in implementing measures addressing the specific risks they face in the exercise of their profession.
A judicial ruling concerning the stigmatization of journalists by President Gustavo Petro was also particularly significant. The Constitutional Court determined that the president had violated the fundamental rights of several women journalists by referring to them as “mafia dolls” and ordered him to retract the statements, issue a public apology, and refrain from making discriminatory statements against them. The ruling establishes a significant precedent by warning of the risks that stigmatizing discourse from the highest authorities of the State can pose to journalism and the exercise of press freedom.
In regulatory matters, the Communications Regulatory Commission continues to consider the adoption of regulations on media pluralism, which are expected to be issued this year. As noted in the previous report, the initiative raises concerns about the potential establishment of regulatory standards regarding impartiality and pluralism in news content.
In the legislative arena, initiatives that could have significant consequences for the exercise of press freedom are also moving forward. Two bills are currently under consideration that would amend the criminal provisions governing defamation and libel. One proposal would impose financial penalties even when a retraction is issued, while the other would eliminate retraction as a defense against criminal liability and introduce new obligations concerning the dissemination of accusatory content in digital environments.
If adopted as currently proposed, these reforms could increase the legal risks associated with investigating and disseminating information on matters of public interest and have a chilling effect on journalists and media outlets. Tougher consequences for defamation and libel, as well as new responsibilities related to the publication of news content, could encourage indirect censorship and discourage investigations, reporting, and journalistic coverage of matters of clear public importance.
