The Committee to Protect Journalists interviewed three dozen journalists around the country. Here is a sample of topics they said they’d investigate if not for fear of reprisals.

“In Sucre, many people have disappeared in recent years, not only at the hands of paramilitary groups but also guerrilla groups. To start investigating would be very delicate as far as security goes.”
Jorge Velásquez Crespo
Caracol Radio
Sincelejo, Sucre

“One topic to investigate would be corruption of, for example, the [oil] royalties that were robbed in Arauca for years. Another would be all the province’s unexplained deaths. We’d look into all the facts if it didn’t mean getting killed.”
Javier Sepúlveda Ramírez
Kapital Radio
Arauca, Arauca

“I would be investigating the links from politicians to the paramilitaries and guerrillas, and the money laundering by certain individuals and these same groups.”
Jorge Eliécer Quintero Cuéllar
Diario de Huila
Florencia, Caquetá

“One thing you don’t want to touch is drug trafficking. Even more risky is corruption. The drug traffickers at least work, but a handful of people inside the government don’t.”
Alfredo Martín Rodríguez
La Jota Estéreo
Tuluá, Valle del Cauca

“There are a lot of misgivings about investigating the big corporations. I don’t think they’re bullies, but they can hurt you professionally.”
Carlos Eduardo Huertas
Semana
Bogotá

“I’d like to report on the topic of hostages held by the guerrillas and the impossibility of a humanitarian exchange [for guerrillas held by the government] or some sort of negotiation so these people, for God’s sake, could return to their homes. I’d like to know what’s the blindness of both the government and the guerrillas that could eternalize suffering of such magnitude.”
Jorge Otero Martínez
Cuarta Opinión
Montería, Córdoba