Four local journalists in Colombia have been threatened by the country’s largest illegal drug-trafficking organization, raising renewed concerns about the safety of journalists reporting on corruption and misconduct at the local level.
On July 31, members of the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, also known as the Gulf Clan, reportedly threatened four journalists in the northern city of Apartadó. According to the Bogotá-based Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP), the threats followed the journalists’ reporting on alleged misconduct involving Apartadó’s transportation department chief, Óscar Angulo.
Two of the journalists, Cristian Salas, from the independent news outlet Noticias El Boom, and Yeison Rojas, who works for TeleAntioquia Noticias and Darien TV, have publicly confirmed receiving threats. Rojas told the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) that two additional journalists working for the Facebook-based outlet Voces de Urabá also received threats but chose not to have their identities disclosed for security reasons.
The journalists were reportedly contacted by members of the armed group and ordered to stop publishing reports concerning Angulo. They were warned that failure to comply could result in unspecified consequences, creating an immediate threat to their safety and their ability to continue reporting.
The situation is particularly concerning given the broader pattern of violence against journalists in Colombia. According to CPJ, two journalists, Cristian Herrera and Mateo Pérez Rueda, have already been killed in the country this year. CPJ has warned that the threats against four additional local journalists demonstrate the continuing inability of authorities to adequately protect media workers from armed groups.
Rojas has also previously faced threats from the same organization. Four months before the latest incident, he was allegedly threatened with death alongside members of his family because he reported on alleged misconduct by municipal officials. The threats forced him to temporarily leave Apartadó for his own safety.
The risks facing journalists in the region are particularly severe. Apartadó is in Antioquia, which FLIP identifies as Colombia’s most dangerous department for journalists. Between January 1 and August 1, 2026, FLIP recorded 45 cases of threats against journalists in the department.
Authorities have confirmed that the latest threats are being investigated. Alejandro Galarza, a spokesperson for Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office in Bogotá, told CPJ that the threats are currently under investigation. However, there was no immediate response from Óscar Angulo to CPJ’s requests for comment.
At Free Press Alliance, we strongly condemn the threats against these four Colombian journalists and the intimidation of media workers by armed groups. Journalists must be able to investigate and report on matters of public interest without being forced into silence through threats, violence, or coercion. We urge Colombian authorities to conduct a swift and credible investigation, identify those responsible, and provide effective protection to the journalists and their families. Ensuring the safety of local reporters is essential to preserving press freedom and allowing communities to remain informed about issues that directly affect them.