TV cameraman gunned down in Santiago

Reporters Without Borders is outraged by yesterday's murder of Normando García, a cameraman and producer with local TV station Teleunión, in the northern city of Santiago. He and a friend were shot many times at close range by men who fled in a car. García died on the spot while the friend died a few hours later in hospital. García had worked for several years as the cameraman of “Detrás de las Noticias,” a current affairs programme on Santiago-based Teleunión. He was also co-producer of “Pachanguiando,” an open forum programme on Teleunión. García's car was set on fire in an apparent arson attack a few weeks ago and he had for the past few months been getting anonymous threats from people who objected to allegations made in some of his programmes. Reporters Without Borders is very worried by the climate of violence in Santiago and calls on the city's authorities to protect journalists, who are often threatened in connection with their work. The press freedom organisation also calls for a thorough investigation into García's murder to ensure that it does not go unpunished.