Colombia: RSF demands authorities conduct a swift, thorough investigation into the brutal murder of journalist Steven Andrés Fajardo
Steven Andrés Fajardo, presenter and director of a local radio station in northwest Colombia, was brutally murdered in the street by a hired gunman. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) strongly condemns this murder and calls on the Colombian authorities to consider Steven Andrés Fajardo’s journalism as a possible motive for this heinous crime, whose perpetrators must be brought to justice.
Steven Andrés Fajardo, director and presenter of the local radio station Triunfadora Stéréo was shot at close range on 21 November 2024 as he entered a garage to repair his motorbike in the centre of Puerto Triunfo, a town in the Antioquia region in northwestern Colombia. The 39-year-old journalist, who had already been the victim of a murder attempt in 2018, died instantly.
“The Colombian authorities must do everything in their power to solve the latest crime committed against a journalist in their country. The investigation must prioritise Steven Andrés Fajardo’s journalistic work as a potential motive for his murder. It must also be exhaustive in order to identify the perpetrators of this targeted murder as quickly as possible. Colombian President Gustavo Petro — who made a commitment to RSF last August that his cabinet would be directly involved in providing a rapid response to the most serious cases of violence against journalists — must take up this case to bring justice to the family and friends of Steven Andrés Fajardo.
Steven Andrés Fajardo is the third journalist to be murdered in Colombia since the beginning of the year. His murder is a cruel reminder of the dangers facing the country’s journalists. Despite President Gustavo Petro's pledge to tackle this serious problem, RSF has noted an increase in threats against Colombia’s investigative journalists since September.
Colombia is ranked 119th out of 180 countries and territories in RSF's 2024 World Press Freedom Index.
