The journalist and director of Morena FM radio station based in the municipality of Taraza was killed when two unidentified gunmen stopped the car he was travelling in and shot him nine times in the head. He died on the spot.

Reports said that Cervantes had received death threats since 2010, some of them reportedly related to his denunciations of criminal organisations, dealing in drugs. He was given protection (a car and two bodyguards) until July 2014, when the authorities withdrew the protection, claiming that the level of threat to his life was ordinary.His wife complained that his protection withdraw was not gradually phased out as provided in law and left him vulnerable.

The same month, following the publication in ‘Buenos Dias Tarazá ‘ magazine which he also edited of an article about a former Mayor of Taraza who was jailed for corruption and links with paramilitary groups, a man called at Cervantes’ home, requesting that the journalist publish information about criminal gangs. When he refused, the caller threatened him, saying that “ We are tired of seeing you in Taraza.” The journalist said that he received the following day a text message giving him two hours to leave the city.

Source: Fecolper