Association of Journalists of Peru (ANP) condemned on Friday the statements made by Congresswoman Kira Alcarraz, of the right-wing party Podemos Perú, who scolded and threatened a reporter after she asked about an alleged favor granted to one of the legislator’s relatives.

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“If I were upset, rest assured I’d slam you against the wall. But since I’m not upset, that’s why you’re still alive,” Alcarraz told Marycielo Del Castillo, a journalist from TV channel Willax, as she left Congress.

Del Castillo pressed the legislator over accusations that she had appointed her son’s partner as coordinator of her congressional office, a claim first raised in an investigative report aired by Willax.

Alcarraz, visibly irritated, shot back: “You haven’t seen me upset, my dear. The day you do, rest assured not even your mother will want to be by your side.”

The journalist later took to X, calling the remarks “an unacceptable disrespect.” She argued that the congresswoman’s hostility was not aimed solely at her but at citizens as a whole. “All authorities are subject to scrutiny, and our role as journalists is to ask questions on behalf of the people,” Del Castillo wrote.

The Willax investigation says that Alcarraz had appointed Diana Alani De la Cruz—her son’s romantic partner—as coordinator of her congressional office. According to the report, De la Cruz lacked both the academic credentials and professional background required for the post.

Defending the decision, Alcarraz insisted that congressional hiring follows established procedures. “I make the proposal, Human Resources reviews it, and if it passes, the person stays. It’s a position of trust,” she explained.

The controversy erupted just as Peru marked National Journalist Day. The National Association of Journalists (ANP) lamented that there was “nothing to celebrate,” pointing to ongoing hostility against the press—from police crackdowns on youth-led anti-government protests to verbal assaults by government officials and local authorities.

The ANP also reminded the public that in 2025 alone, two reporters have already been killed: Gastón Medina in Ica and Raúl Célis in Iquitos, deep in the Amazon.

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