Miami (October 16, 2026) – This afternoon, Villavicencio Children’s Park, in the department of Meta, Colombia, will host the unveiling of a commemorative plaque honoring poet and journalist Julio Daniel Chaparro Hurtado, who was murdered along with photographer Jorge Torres Navas on April 24, 1991.
The ceremony is part of the measures outlined in the Amicable Settlement Agreement reached in 2025 with the Colombian state by the families, with the support of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) and the Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP). The event will also feature a discussion titled “Me quedará su piel: Poetry, Journalism, and Resistance in the Llanos”.
Martha Ramos, chair of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information and director of Organización Editorial Mexicana (OEM), shared the following reflection on the unveiling of the commemorative plaque:
“Today, we gather in the name of remembrance and justice to honor the life and legacy of Julio Daniel Chaparro Hurtado, a poet and journalist who was murdered in 1991 while carrying out his reporting duties. His death was an irreparable loss for his family, his colleagues, and Colombian journalism, but it could not extinguish the power of his words or erase his mark.
This tribute calls on us to reclaim his memory and affirm, with deep conviction, that no crime against a journalist should ever be forgotten and that no act of violence can deprive society of its right to remember, know the truth, and defend freedom of expression.
For the IAPA, this tribute holds special significance. Remembering Julio Daniel means honoring a journalist who made words a tool for telling the story of reality, connecting with communities, and giving a voice to those who deserve to be heard. His work embodied journalism’s commitment to truth, human dignity, and society’s right to be informed.
Julio Daniel also holds a place of particular importance in Colombian poetry for his ability to bring together a poet’s sensitivity and a journalist’s perspective. His poetry and journalistic work shared the same calling: to observe, listen, and give meaning to human experiences through words.
His murder, along with that of his colleague, photographer Jorge Torres Navas, while they were carrying out their journalistic work in Colombia, was an irreparable loss for their families, colleagues, and society. It also became a painful reminder of the risks faced by those who practice journalism and of the debt that remains when violence seeks to silence a voice and limit everyone’s right to know the truth.
That is why this plaque is much more than a tribute. It is an act of remembrance and an affirmation of principles. It reminds us that journalists must not be persecuted or murdered for doing their jobs, and that violence against them cannot erase their stories or diminish the value of freedom of expression.
May this park give future generations the opportunity to learn about Julio Daniel’s story, discover his poetry, and understand the value of free expression and journalism. May his memory inspire those who knew him and those who are discovering his legacy today, and may it bring us together in our continued efforts to ensure that no journalist has to pay with their life for reporting the news.
On behalf of IAPA, I would like to express our gratitude to Julio Daniel’s family, FLIP, the National Center for Historical Memory, and all the individuals and institutions that made this tribute possible. Preserving the memory of those who were silenced is also a way to defend journalism and reaffirm our commitment to a society in which the truth can be told without fear.
Julio Daniel Chaparro remains present in his words, his poetry, and the memory of those who defend freedom of expression and freedom of the press.”
The IAPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to defending and promoting freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. It comprises more than 1,300 publications from the western hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida, United States.
