Two shooters on a motorcycle opened fire on Raúl Celis, a radio host for independent radio station Hora Cero (Zero Hour), as he arrived on a moto taxi at the Radio Karibeña news station around 5:20 a.m. on May 7, 2025, according to the independent radio station and the National Association of Journalists of Peru (ANP). Célis’ driver told reporters the shooters fired three times, striking the journalist in the head once.
Celis, 70, had been the target of “constant threats” due to his morning news program’s aggressive reporting on government corruption, organized crime, and security problems in and around Iquitos, located on the Amazon River, according to the ANP.
Celis’ son, Ramiro, said in a Facebook post addressing his death that his father was “never afraid to say what he thought.”
The office of Peru’s human rights ombudsman denounced the lack of security guarantees for journalists in Peru and also noted that the Celis’ killing occurred less than four months after TV journalist Gastón Medina was shot dead.
In a statement, Peru’s Interior Ministry said it was investigating the Celis killing, had launched an operation to capture those responsible, and vowed that it would “not permit impunity for this crime.”