The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Friday expressed concern about the targeted shooting of an Ecuadorian journalist and called on authorities to continue investigating the matter.
The group reported two armed men shot Journalist José Vinces poked him in the stomach while following up on a tip that human remains were lying abandoned in his stomach Huaquillas Cemetery. Vinces was released from the hospital on Wednesday after receiving treatment. police confirmed that the tip was made up and that the attackers had probably prepared Vinces to target him.
Vinces, founder of news channel Vinces TV in El Oro province, told CPJ that the gunmen shot him 10 times. The socket, in a statement In response to the attack he said:
We call on the authorities to continue the investigation promptly, transparently and effectively until those responsible are identified and punished. Such acts cannot go unpunished. We also reiterate that Vinces TV will continue to work with the same conviction, determination and commitment to defending the community, its grievances and its right to be heard.
According to the CPJ, Vinces is a “frequent critic of the mayor of Huaquillas” and “frequently reports on crime and corruption in local government.” CPJ’s regional director for the Americas, Jose Zamora, called on authorities to “swiftly” investigate the attack and “determine whether the attack was related to his reporting and hold those responsible accountable.”
The Coordinating Committee for the Protection of Journalists (MAPP) has issued one opinion He strongly condemned the attack and called on state authorities to take “immediate action” to protect Vinces. MAPP said the “situation is particularly critical in provinces such as El Oro, where there are high levels of violence.”
MAPP also stressed that violence against journalists “exacerbates the level of self-censorship in Ecuadorian provinces, where reporting has become a high-risk activity.” In 2025, the Journalists Unchained Foundation will be founded reported 168 attacks against journalists and media workers in Ecuador.
Freedom of expression is protected Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
