Journalists held a vigil in Ecuador's capital Quito Tuesday night to demand the freeing of three colleagues who were kidnapped Monday in the town of Mataje, in the country's northern border with Colombia, as local and international press organizations demanded their release.
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On Tuesday, after government officials confirmed three reporters of the local newspaper El Comercio had been kidnapped, journalists issued a call through social media using the hashtag #NosFaltan3 (#WeAreMissing3) to gather in a solidarity vigil in Quito's Independence Plaza.
At least 100 journalists chanted “We want them back alive!", and protested what they considered a “lack of guarantees” to exercise their profession in the border area, where at least three attacks against state security forces have taken place this year.
“We are outraged because we don’t want what is happening in Mexico, where journalists are reported missing frequently, to happen here,” journalist Javier Perez told EFE.
Ecuador’s Defense Minister Patricio Zambrano and Vice President Alejandra Vicuña joined the vigil in the Independence Palace, in front of the presidential palace, to show their solidarity and support.
Vicuña told the protesters “We are a country of peace and we will work tirelessly to guarantee we retain that condition. Here the government is present, and it does not abandon its citizens.”
The National Journalists Union, the Foreign Press Association in Ecuador, and Reporters Without Borders have issued statements condemning the attacks and urging the government to give the case a high priority.
State security forces confirmed Tuesday the three missing journalists were kidnapped by what they call Residual Organized Armed Groups (GAOR), which according to military intelligence, are criminal gangs formed by former guerrillas who have military training and engage in international drug trafficking.
They were kidnapped while covering the violent attacks in the area of San Lorenzo, in the province of Esmeraldas.
Local Journalists will hold a second vigil for their kidnapped colleagues Wednesday March 28.