[Latuff Cartoon] Plan Colombia
Source : Latuff
Dear brothers and sisters-in-arts,
Only yesterday I read on Web about the murder of Efra Varela in Colombia. He was a friend. Below are articles on his death in Spanish, Portuguese and English. I dedicate this cartoon to him.
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COLOMBIA: Sospechan de paramilitares en asesinato de propietario de radioemisora
Bogot? 1 de julio de 2002 --- El propietario de una radioemisora, quien recientemente alert?al p?lico acerca de la presencia de paramilitares en la regi?, fue asesinado a balazos al noreste de Colombia.
Efra? Varela Noriega, propietario de Radio Meridiano-70, conduc? de regreso a casa luego de un acto de graduaci? en una universidad del departamento del Arauca, la tarde del 28 de junio, cuando unos pistoleros lo bajaron de su auto y le dispararon a la cara y el pecho, seg? el coronel Jorge Caro, comandante interino de la polic? de Arauca.
Varela era presentador de dos pol?icos programas de noticias y opini? de la radioemisora en la ciudad de Arauca, y criticaba a todas las partes beligerantes del conflicto civil colombiano, que ya dura 38 a?s.
첖riticaba a todos? coment?Jos?Guti?rez, quien presentaba junto a Varela un programa vespertino llamado 첞ablemos de pol?ica? 첥adie se salvaba?
Guti?rez declar?que menos de una semana antes del asesinato, Varela les dijo a los oyentes durante su noticiero matutino que los paramilitares de las Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) hab?n llegado a Arauca y estaban patrullando las calles de la ciudad, localizada en la frontera con Venezuela.
La tensi? se ha venido acumulando en este departamento, rico en petr?eo, desde principios de junio cuando las izquierdistas Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) comenzaron a amenazar de muerte a los funcionarios p?licos de la regi? que se negaran a renunciar a sus cargos.
Los rebeldes se disputan con el ej?cito paramilitar el control sobre territorios lucrativos, no s?o en Arauca, sino tambi? en todo el pa?.
Hace tres a?s, el nombre de Varela figur?en una lista de personas a quienes el ej?cito paramilitar hab? declarado objetivo militar, precis?Caro, el comandante interino de la polic?, quien a?di?que las autoridades estaban investigando rumores de que las AUC hab?n sido responsables del asesinato. Caro, asiduo oyente de la radioemisora, se?l?que Varela parec? guardar las cr?icas m? fuertes para los paramilitares.
Los intentos por obtener declaraciones de parte de los funcionarios de la Fiscal? de Arauca encargados de investigar el caso el 1 de julio fueron infructuosos, por haber sido d? feriado en Colombia.
Varela, quien ten? alrededor de 50 a?s, tambi? era secretario y ex presidente de una comisi? de paz departamental, indic?Evelyn Varela, su hija de 28 a?s y gerente de la emisora.
En los ?timos meses, Varela hab? comenzado a advertirle a su hija ?ica que su vida pod? estar en riesgo. 첥os prepar?para lo peor? declar?su hija.
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Col?bia: Paramilitares acusados de morte de jornalista
BOGOT?- Um jornalista colombiano foi assassinado a tiros nesta sexta-feira no Nordeste do pa?, perto da fronteira com a Venezuela, depois de ter sido classificado por paramilitares de ultradireita como alvo militar.
Efra? Varela, de 55 anos, foi morto com v?ios tiros quando dirigia seu carro. Varela era jornalista e gerente da r?io Meridiano-70 na cidade de Arauca, a cerca de 460 quil?etros ao Noroeste de Bogot? Testemunhas disseam que o carro do jornalista foi inteceptado por outro, onde estavam v?ias pessoas vestidas como civis.
O nome do jornalista apareceu em uma lista de cem pessoas consideradas alvo militares pela mil?ia Autodefesas Unidas da Col?bia, de acordo com informa寤es da imprensa local.
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COLOMBIA: Paramilitaries suspected in killing of radio station owner
Bogot? July 1, 2002—The owner of a radio station, who recently had alerted the public to the presence of paramilitary fighters in the region, was shot and killed in northeastern Colombia.
Efra? Varela Noriega, owner of Radio Meridiano70, was driving home from a university graduation in Arauca Department on the afternoon of June 28 when gunmen yanked him from his car and shot him in the face and chest, said Col. Jorge Caro, acting commander of Arauca's police.
Varela hosted two polemical news and opinion programs for the station in the town of Arauca and criticized all sides fighting in Colombia's 38-year civil conflict.
"He criticized everyone," said Jos?Guti?rez, who co-hosted an afternoon program called "Let's Talk Politics" with Varela. "No one was spared."
Guti?rez said that less than a week before the killing, Varela told listeners during his morning news show that fighters from the paramilitary United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC, had arrived in Arauca and were patrolling the streets in the town, which is on the border with Venezuela.
Tension has been building in the oil-rich province since early June when the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, began threatening to kill civil servants in the region who refused to resign.
The rebels are battling the paramilitary army for control over lucrative territory not only in Arauca but throughout the country.
Three years ago, Varela's name appeared on a list of people that the paramilitary army had declared military targets, said Caro, the acting police commander, adding that authorities were investigating rumors that the AUC was responsible for the killing. A frequent listener of the station, Caro said Varela seemed to reserve his sharpest criticism for the paramilitaries.
Officials from Arauca's Prosecutor's Office investigating the case could not be reached for comment on July 1, which was a holiday in Colombia.
Varela, who was in his early 50s, was also the secretary of a provincial peace commission as well as its former president, said Evelyn Varela, his 28-year-old daughter, and the manager of the station.
In recent months, Varela had begun warning his only child that his life could be in danger. "He had us prepared for the worst," his daughter said.
2002 / -0 / 7-
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