The body of Prada, publisher of the monthly Horizonte del Magdalena Medio in the Santander Department in northeastern Colombia, was found riddled with gunshots not far from his home. A source told CPJ that Prada, 44, had been abducted from his house in the municipality of Sabana de Torres at 11 p.m. on July 11. The source said that it was not clear who killed Prada or why.
Prada had apparently received no threats. He had run the monthly Horizonte Sabanero for several years before changing its name to Horizonte del Magdalena Medio in June. The publication, which covered social and cultural issues, was not considered controversial.
But according to the daily Vanguardia Liberal, based in the city of Bucaramanga, the capital of Santander Department, Prada had written an editorial in Horizonte del Magdalena Medio‘s June issue criticizing the municipal government. Vanguardia Liberal also quoted a town representative as saying that Prada had held office in the local council at a time when the left-wing Patriotic Union (UP) ruled Sabana de Torres. Right-wing paramilitaries have killed thousands of UP members.