Jose Luis Cabezas was killed because exposed one face of power that was intended to be invisible: that of businessman Alfredo Yabrán. “Not even the intelligence services have a photo of me,” boasted the owner of a million-dollar emporium built with mafia practices and that maintained controversial ties with the Government.
Until José Luis appeared burned in a cellar in Madariaga, a year after having exposed Yabrán on the cover of NOTICIAS, no one considered, in the Argentina of recovered democracy, that die for practicing the journalistic profession It was a possibility.
In these 27 years since his crime, Cabezas became symbol of freedom of expressionhis face became a banner and he joined the endless list of colleagues who are murdered every year around the world to silence their work.
He wanted to be a good photographer, not a hero; but martyrdom earned him that bronze and the paradox of being claimed, even by many who always found the incisive gaze of the press annoying. Would you value him if he were alive today, bringing out of the shadows what resists being revealed?
The rulers of consolidated democracy were not always consistent with the respect for the profession, which opponents of a management also deserve. In the strongest moments of Kirchnerism, the city was papered with posters accusing journalists of having blood on his hands for the mere fact of working at Grupo Clarín. And “public spittoons” were set up where they could take the kids to spit out photos of those labeled as public enemies. Now, a President who stands at the opposite end of that one, escalates in aversion to the office, when it is not exercised by his fans.
For Mileithere are two types of journalists among those who disagree with his proposals or ask him uncomfortable questions: they are the enveloped or those who “don’t see it”. In more effusive moments he calls them ignorant, stupid and brutes, whom he is going to “de-sanrate.”
Already in the campaign he had given indications of his anti-press story: he kicked out colleagues who were covering events shouting “This is for the people, not for you.”. And in the hallways of a TV channel she warned a driver: “If I am President, prepare to run.”
The latest in his crusade was to call three journalists liars in ten days: Luisa Corradini, Silvia Mercado and María O’Donnell, with the consequent activation of a defamation mechanism on social networks. A minimal error; Whether or not his dogs are installed in Olivos, or whether he traveled by car or helicopter (corrected even before the President had time to disqualify the colleague), he is enough to be accused of mounting an “operation.” He would be laughable, if the seriousness of the presidential attack did not make it dangerous.
Disparate entities such as FOPEA, ADEPA, the Academy of Journalism and Reporters Without Borders have already warned about the official disregard for international standards on the right to information. A new institutional era has just begun and there is time to prevent verbal violence from turning into something worse.
