Newspaper director threatened with death by local mayor

According to Da Silva, the mayor’s reaction was prompted by the publication of two articles in El Zondino in March which said that the mayor, local councilmen and other municipal officials had granted themselves irregular salary increases.

At 8:30 a.m., Porra entered Da Silva’s home, insulted him, and grabbed him by the arm. The mayor threatened to kill Da Silva if his name was mentioned once more in El Zondino, the journalist told CPJ.

Minutes later, Porra pulled Da Silva outside the house where a newspaper employee prevented him from punching the journalist in the face. Da Silva said that he reported the threats to the state prosecutor’s office.