Ecuador’s president confirms death of journalists who were allegedly abducted by rebel forces
Javier Ortega, Paul Rivas and their driver Efraín Segarra were kidnapped on March 26 along the Colombian border while on assignment.
Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno on Friday confirmed that two journalists and their driver, who were reportedly abducted along the Colombian border, have been killed, BBC reported. Farc, a disbanded rebel group, is believed to have abducted Javier Ortega, Paul Rivas and Efraín Segarra while they were on assignment.
“We have no proof of life and unfortunately we have information that confirms the murder of our countrymen,” Moreno said during a televised address, CNN reported.
Moreno immediately ordered resumption of military operations in the area along the border. He promised $100,000 (more than Rs 65 lakh) reward for information on the rebel group’s leader, also known as Gaucho, according to The Guardian.
The three men worked for the El Comercio newspaper, and were abducted on March 26 when they were covering a story on violence along the border. The security forces in Ecuador have been fighting against the Colombian rebels and drug trafficking groups.
On Thursday, the Ecuadorian president had said: “We cannot allow the criminals to impose their rules. We are going to fight them in the realm they have chosen and we are going to defeat them.”