Press freedom association protests journalist death threats in Nicaragua

Death threats made against a journalist with the Nicaraguan newspaper El Nuevo Diario were condemned Tuesday by the Inter American Press Association (IAPA).

According to IAPA, Luis Galeano received a death threat on his mobile phone on Saturday (February 19) warning him “you only have 72 hours to live.” The threat apparently came in response to investigative reporting about alleged fraud in the Supreme Electoral Council. A letter addressed to Galeano also was sent to the paper, telling Galeano to stop publishing information about the fraud.

The newspaper’s editor, Francisco Chamorro, told the IAPA that this was the third threat that Galeano has received this year. Chamorro, who is the vice chairman for Nicaragua of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, said that last month Galeano was “warned” of danger to his physical well-being for reporting on alleged corruption in the Revenue Directorate General and the Finance Ministry.

The paper has asked police to investigate the matter.