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IAPA rewarded the work of media and journalists of Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, United States and Venezuela.
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MIAMI, Florida (August 18, 2017)—The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) rewarded the work of media and journalists of Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, United States and Venezuela in announcing the winners of the awards that it grants every year to encourage excellence in journalism and defense of freedom of expression throughout the Americas.

Luis Almagro Lemes, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), emerged winner of the IAPA Press Freedom Grand Prize. At the same time the IAPA decided to grant an honorable mention to the independent press of Venezuela which has stood out for keeping the people informed despite censorship and repression by the Chavista regime.

The Adjudication Panel selected the winners in 13 categories, whose awards will be presented within the framework of the IAPA's 73rd General Assembly that will be held October 27-30 at the Little America Hotel, Salt Lake City, Utah.

"Participation in the contest continues to grow and this year we went past 1,000 entries. But it is not a question of quantity but we have reasons to feel proud of the quality of our press, focused on the most urgent matters of our societies," Noble-Herrera said. The awards consist of $2,000 in cash as well as diplomas. Honorable mention award consists of diplomas.

There follow the categories and names of the contestants that obtained awards and honorable mentions.

AWARDS AND HONORABLE MENTIONS

1. Cartoon (Award sponsored by El Tiempo, Bogotá, Colombia)

Award: "Urgente zurcido invisible" (Urgent invisible mending), by Luis Carreño, El Universal, Mexico.

The cartoon has as its center the personality of Uncle Sam so as to highlight polarization in United States society with regard to the election of President Donald Trump. Intelligent humor, economy of resources and strokes in line with the purpose.

Honorable Mention: "Cervantes & Shakespeare", by Juan Francisco Pérez Gaudio, La Voz del Interior, Argentina.

The illustration manages to bring together, by force of ingenuity and precision in the strokes, the characterization of the leading works of two geniuses of literature – Shakespeare and Cervantes. It was the cover page of cultural supplement Ciudad X to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death of the two personalities.

2. News Coverage on the Internet (Award sponsored by TV Venezuela, Miami, Florida)

Award: "Vida de Guillermo Cano, el hombre que enfrentó a Pablo Escobar" (Life of Guillermo Cano, the man who confronted Pablo Escobar), by Jorge Cardona Alzte, Óscar Güesguán Serpa, David Leonardo Carranza, Javier Saiguero Velásquez, Fredy Vargas Rivera, Anderson Rodríguez, Willliam Ariza and Andrea Torres Perdomo, Catalina González Navarro of El Espectador, Colombia.

The special piece recalling Guillermo Cano Isaza, editor of El Espectador, Colombia's oldest newspaper – murdered in 1986 by a member of the Medellín Cartel – brilliantly reconstructs the life of the distinguished journalist. A valuable and beautiful homage to the fighter for press freedom, with anecdotes of his life, photographs and documentary.

Honorable Mention: "Los enfrentamientos de Nochixtlán" (The Nochixtlán clashes), a collective work of Animal Político, Mexico.

An impactful coverage of the clash between police and local residents that occurred in Nochixtlán, Oaxaca, on June 19, 2016, and its consequences. The reconstruction of the seven hours of the happening, which left nine dead and dozens injured, refuted the official version and exposed the flagrant violation of human rights. Written on the basis of witnesses' accounts, documents, unedited videographic material and infographics, the publication gave follow-up to the incident for days and weeks.

3. News Coverage (Award sponsored by O Estado de S. Paulo, Brazil)

Award: "Morir una, dos y tres veces de hambre" (To die once, twice and three times of hunger) by Andrea Tosta, Johanna Osorio, Johann Starchevich, Jefferson Díaz, Emily Avendaño, Julio Materano, Fabianny Crespo, Alexis Correia, Fabiola Ferrero, Cristian Hernández, Andrea Hernández, Dagne Cobo, Pedro Agranitis, Arnaldo Espinoza, Víctor Amaya and Manuel Sánchez of El Estímulo, Venezuela.

There is hunger in Venezuela. The series pictures, with a variety of of journalistic resources, the country's food crisis and its repercussion in the diferent levels of the population and social groups. A stark denunciation of the economic and social disaster maintained by the dictatorial power. Revealing testimonies, impactful photos.

Honorable Mention: "La corrupción en la Fiscalía General de República de El Salvador. El caso de la relación entre el ex fiscal Luis Antonio Martínez y el empresario Enrique Rais (Corruption in the El Salvador Attorney General's Office. The case of the relationship of former Attorney General Luis Antonio Martínez and businessman Enrique Rais) by Héctor Silva Ávalos, Bryan Avelar, Salvador Meléndez and César Castro Fagoaga of digital magazine Factum, El Salvador.

The investigation into an important network of corruption in El Salvador produced, throughout the year, several journalistic pieces characterized by deep rigor and a suitable combination of genres (journalists notes, in-depth reporting, interview, feature, article) its findings contributed to legal action being taken.

4. News Coverage on Mobiles Alejandro Miró Quesada Garland (Award sponsored by El Comercio, Lima, Peru)

Award: "Las elecciones presidenciales en EEUU" (The presidential elections in the USA), by Juan Marcos Bouthemy, Juan Pablo De Santis, Alejandra Pataro, Paula Lugones, Pablo De León, Santiago Radice, María Noel Scanarotti, Damián Taubaso, Pablo Blanco, Christian Cibelli and Darío Gallo of Clarín, Argentina.

The multi-focused mobile coverage (with Web, robot, apps, Facebook Live and Messenger) gave new access to reports on the elections in the United States through various journalistic genres: news, features and photo reports. In addition, interactions of entertainment, alerts on apps, social media and messaging. Clarin.com established a historic record: 2 million unique browsers and 5 million pages visited on mobiles in just one day.

5. Features (Award sponsored by El Comercio, Quito, Ecuador, and McClatchy Newspapers, Sacramento, California)

Award: "My Venezuela Nightmare: a 30-day hunt for food in a starving land" by Fabiola Zerpa, Bloomberg News, USA.

As concise comments for a newspaper the author describes in detail, in a direct style, the panorama of shortages in Caracas, Venezuela. There are no opinions, just cold description of her unpleasant wandering, during 30 days, in search of food and medicines. An invitation to the reader to share the nightmare. Without reciting it the shortages are the symbol of the bankruptcy of the socialism of the 21st century.

Honorable Mention: El escuadrón cazapandilleros (The gangster-hunting squadron) by Bryan Avelar, Revista Factum, El Salvador.

The writer describes the landscape, the environment, the personalities and the timeframe in which are produced the violent acts which he goes on to describe with journalistic courage and literary skill: the operation of a Special Forces Commando against gangsters who had killed a Salvadoran soldier.

6. Human Rights and Community Service (Award sponsored by Panamá-América, Panama City, Panama; El Comercio, Lima, Peru; Organización Publicitaria, S.A., San Pedro Sula, Honduras; La Nación, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Award: "Un nombre menos en la lista de los muertos que nadie reclama" (One name less in the list of the dead that nobody claims) by Jhon Jairo Torres, Sair Buitrago Medina, Milena Sarralde Duque, Valentina Obando Jaramillo, Angy Alvarado Rodriguez, Marcela Han, Wendy Fajardo Zabala, Cristian Peña and Tatiana Romero of El Tiempo, Colombia.

The most unique thing about the series of reports on the disappearance of people in Colombia – the number suprasses 78,000 – is that in its digital version it was accompanied by a tool that enables one to know immediately if the family name was on the list of identifed people of the Legal Medicine Institute. Few times does a matter of such human content, addressed with various journaistic resources and platforms, come together with an instrument of community service.

Honorable Mention: To the series of reports "Recusas da FAB impedem transplante de 153 órgãos" ("Refusals of the FAB impede transplant of 153 organs"), by Vinicius Carneiro Sassine, Jornal O Globo, Brazil.

The denunciation of the system of transplants in the country, which signifies the loss of more than 100 organs, had such an impact that it gave rise to not only an immediate federal investigation but the drafting of a new law that changed the procedures in force. As a result of this the life of an eight-year-old child could be saved and those of many other people henceforth.

7. Photography (Award sponsored by ABC Color, Asunción, Paraguay, and La Prensa Gráfica, San Salvador, El Salvador)

Award: "Zika outbreak in Rio" by Felipe Dana, Associated Press, Brazil.

A heart-rending testimony the series presents, with stark realism, the negative effects of the Zika outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in particular among children and families in poor communities. It is thus a denunciation of abandonment and poverty that tends to mark the outcasts.

Honorable Mention: To "29 días en La Victoria" (29 days in La Victoria), by Jorge Manuel Cruz Díaz, Listín Diario, Dominican Republic.

A real descent into hell, the photographic report describes, in an effective way, the terrible conditions in which thousands of convicts live in the country's main jail, La Victoria. In addition, it points an accusing finger at the authorities, those responsible for an inhuman and corrupt system.

8. Infographics (Award sponsored by Clarín, Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Award: "Expandiendo el Canal de Panamá" (Widening the Panama Canal), Ernesto Jaén, Mi Diario, Panama.

The infographic, devoted to explaining the new design of the locks of the Widened Canal, is a good combination of information, power of mixture and didacticism. The key of its attractiveness lies in the relevance of the subject together with the cleanness in the drawing's strokes, selection of data and the simple navigation.

Honorable Mention: To "Teleférico Santiago" (Santiago Cable Car) by Roberto Ortega, Julan Pablo Bravo, Manuel Valencia and René Olivares, El Mercurio, Chile.

The infographic explains in detail the characteristics of the new cable car of the city of Santiago. It stands out for its complexity and suitable combination of historical and technical information with data of general interest. Diversity of resources: print and multimedia digital version infographic (diagrams, analysis, animations, videos and photo galleries).

9. Opinion (Award sponsored by El Mercurio, Santiago, Chile)

Award: "Nisman" by Héctor Gambini, Clarín, Argentina.

Through a series of analysis notes the writer takes a close look at the ins and outs, the contradictions, the certainties, doubts and mysteries that still surround the Nisman Case. An in-depth expert of the topic he presents in a clear and concise manner the political and legal aspects both of the criminal complaint and of the failed investigation into his death and puts forward his conclusions.

Honorable Mention: To "Escribo por Cuba" (I write for Cuba) by Miguel Molina Díaz, La República, Ecuador.

The writer deals with the issue of the diaspora of human beings. Basing himself on his experience as a witness in a habeas corpus hearing of Cuban deportees the writer deploys his sharp comments and relates the human drama along with the solidarity of the Ecuadorans. A convincing denunciation of the authoritarian profile of the government of Rafael Correa and of its links to Castroism.

10. Data Journalism (Award sponsored by El Diario de Hoy, San Salvador, El Salvador)

Award: "Clima em transformação" (Climate change) by Giovana Girardi, Marco Carvalho, Marcos Muller, William Mariotto, Carlos Marin, Renan Kikuche, Vinicius Sueiro, Caroline Rozendo and Tiago Henrique, O Estado de S. Paulo, Brazil.

An exemplary example of data journalism, the work devoted to climate change and global warming brings together several merits: importance of the topic, synthesis, attractiveness, amenity; all this is achieved with a brilliant combination of information, design, interactive graphics, photos, videos. Without stridency, alert to the danger of not dealing opportunely and adequately with the signs of a potential ecological catastrophe.

Honorable Mention: To "Cali: 15 años de violencia" (Cali: 15 years of violence) by Hugo Mario Cárdenas López, Ana María Saavedra, Lina Alejandra Uribe, Ossiel Villada, Germán González Barco, Bernardo Peña, Álvaro Pío Fernández, Carlos Hernán Castillo and Jose Jair Reyes of El País, Colombia.

The work deals with the terrible problem of violence in the city of Cali, where there were murdered 26,687 people between 2001 and 2015. Combining statistical data, graphics, maps, photographs and stories of human content it shows the causes and consequences of the phenomemon, as well as its social restrictions, among them the sale of arms. In the digital version in additon to employing the mentioned resources it incorporates video and summarizes the information through an appropriate design.

11. In-Depth Journalism (Award sponsored by La República, Lima, Peru)

Award: "The Panama Papers". Politicians, Criminals and the Rogue Industry that Hides Their Cash by International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, USA.

The Panama Papers multinational investigation already occupies a deserved place in the history of journalism for the strength and global significance, in all ways, of its results. As it dominated, propelled other national and local investigations and caused legal, political and social decisions. Dozens of Latin American journalists participated in the exceptional project, headed by The Center for Public Integrity's International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, to expose the extraterritorial possessions and the obscure financial transactions of political leaders and world personalities in murky union with criminals.

Honorable Mention: To "Las últimas prisioneras de los nazis en América Latina" (The last prisoners of the nazis in Latin America) by Raúl Olmos, Valeria Durán, Ewald Sharfenberg, Cristian Ascencio, Camila Molina, Laila Abu Shihab and Carlos Eduardo Huertas of AM (Mexico), El Mercurio (Antofagasta, Chile), O Estado (Brazil), Armando Info (Venezuela) and CONNECTAS.

Hundreds of thousands of works of art changed hands under the expansion of Nazism before and during World War II. In this investigative work it is revealed how Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela were some of the countries used to move the stolen works of art. In addition, it tells the stories of descendants of the victims of the Nazism established in Latin America who are fighting to recuperate these works.

12. Roberto Eisenmann Jr. Environmental Journalism (Award sponsored by La Prensa, Panama)

Award: "La carretera que corta el corazón de la Amazonía" (The highway that cuts through the heart of Amazonia) by Fabiola Torres López, David Hidalgo Vega, Audrey Cordova and Ricardo León, Ojo Público (ojo-publico.com), Peru.

A denouncing investigation it reveals the links between corruption and irreparable environmental damages to Peru's Amazonia region, where an illegal highway separates two of the most bio-dverse zones in the world – the Manu National Park and the Amarakaen Communical Reserve. It stands out for the rigor of the arguments and the adequate combination of texts, photos, videos and displays.

Honorable Mention: To "À espera de Francisco: A peleja da água (Awaiting Francisco: The water fight) by Arlen Medina Néri, Ana Naddaf, Erick Guimarães, Fátima Sudário, Érico Firmo, Cláudio Ribeiro, Michel Victor Queiroz, Juliana Matos Brito, Gil Dicelli, Iana Soares, Luciana Pimenta, Pedro Turano, Maryllene Freitas, Sílvia Bessa, Thadeu Braga, Émerson Maranhão, Fábio Lima, Renato Ferreira, Farias Júnior, Maisa Vasconcelos, José Maria Rodrigues, Robson Pires, Glenna Cherice, Chico Driessen and Natércia Melo, Jornal O Povo, Brazil.

A follow-up to the hydrological crisis dealt with by the newspaper in 2013, this special piece describes the urgent needs of the work of transposition of the San Francisco river to Ceará state, which should benefit millions of people. The O Povo team went through hundreds of kilometers to gather testimomies and expectations about the future life, once the water reaches its destination. It stands out for the profusion of data and the pleasantness of the writing, to which are added an attractive design, impressive images and testimonies of strong human content.

13. Pedro Joaquín Chamorro University Journalism (Award sponsored by La Prensa, Managua, Nicaragua)

Award: "La WWE de los hermanos Urzúa", (The WWE of the Urzúa brothers) by Juan Manuel Ojeda Güemes, Kilómetro Cero, Communications School of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Chile Pontifical Catholic University), Chile.

It tells the story of the Urzúa brothers, wrestlers. What stands out is the authenticity of the story, the result of sharing during months the daily life of the protagonists. A talent of a feature writer in the making.

First Honorable Mention: "Al Tun Tun de Sexy Betancourt" by Mateo Uribe Sáenz, Ciudad Crónica, Colombia.

It skillfully reconstructs a day in the life of Nelson Ortega, a live wire of Cali who earns a living dancing salsa with a natural-sized doll, which has turned him into a popular attraction. An easy read, entertaining, not without humor or irony.

Second Honorable Mention:" Los olvidados de La Concepción" (The La Concepción forgotten ones) by Andrea Carolina Torres López, Periódico El Punto, Social Communication Program, Universidad del Norte university, Colombia.

A valiant denunciation of the deplorable living conditions in La Concepción, a Barranquilla community enclosed within a rubbish dump. The writer contrasts its inhabitants' happiness of living with the proliferation of illnesses and society's indifference.

Chair: Marcela Noble Herrera, Grupo Clarín, Argentina.

Vice-Chairman: Carlos Salinas, El Diario de Coahuila, Saltillo, Mexico.

Members:

Manuel Aguilera, Hispano Post, Miami, Florida

Isabel Amorin, Editora Abril, Sao Paulo, Brasil

Rolando Archila, Contrapoder, Guatemala, Guatemala

David Aponte, El Universal, México, D.F., México

Marco Araúz, Grupo El Comercio, Quito, Ecuador

Marcelo Baldovino, Saeta canal 10, Montevideo, Uruguay

Armando Castilla, Vanguardia, Saltillo, México

Rafael Bonnelly, clicLogix Americas, Miami, Florida

Idania Chirinos, NTN24, Bogotá, Colombia

Leonor de Etchevehere, El Diario, Paraná, Argentina

Virginia Fetter, Diario Popular, Pelotas, Brasil

Carlos García, CB24 Noticias, San José, Costa Rica

Iary Gómez Quesada, Diario Extra, San José, Costa Rica

Katherine Haine, Citymedia.press, London, Canada

Paola Hernández C., Diario Extra, San José, Costa Rica

Carlos Jornet, La Voz del Interior, Córdoba, Argentina

Claudia Martínez, Bloomberg, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Daniel McCosh, Grupo Salinas, Ciudad de México, México

Silvia Miró Quesada, El Comercio, Lima, Perú

Leonor Mulero, GRF Media, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Rosanna Rivera, Listín Magazine, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana

Jaime Ruiz, Novedades de Campeche, Campeche, México

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