Gerardo Caferino Servían Coronel , 44, was a prominent Paraguayan broadcast reporter who WAS gunned down in the Municipality of Ponta Porã, in Mato Grosso do Sul state (located on the side of Brazil-Paraguay border).
He worked for a local radio in Paraguay called «Ciudad Nueva Fm de Sanja Pytã», near the city of Pedro Juan Caballero. He had recently moved to the Brazilian city, because his daughter was enrolled in a school located there.
Sources affirm that Gerard was shot nine times BY unidentified gunmen who were travelling on a motorcycle, on 4 March 2015.
His brother «Kiko»Servían, also a journalist, claimed that the communicator hadn’t reported receiving any death threats, but that «in this area of the country it’s normal to silence journalists with gunshots«. In addition, he affirmed in another interview that «everything pointed toward a political question«, because Gerardo had criticized Marcelino Rolón, a member of the Colorado Party.
Furthermore, Sara Rafsky, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)’s Americas program research associate, from New York issued the statement:
«The Paraguayan-Brazilian border has become one of the most dangerous regions for journalists in the Western hemisphere,»(…)»Authorities from both countries must come together to fully investigate the murder of Gerardo Ceferino Servían Coronel and bring those responsible to justice to demonstrate that they will not allow the press to be terrorized.»
However, the committee also reported that «Brazilian police told them that they had established no motives for the murder and had no suspects».
UNESCO Director- General, Irina Bokova, condemned the murder.
“I condemn the murder of Gerardo Ceferino Servian Coronel” (…)“He becomes the latest victim on a long list of media professionals killed in this region. Journalists must be able to carry out their duties without fearing for their lives. Freedom of expression – one of the pillars of democratic society – depends on it. I urge the authorities to thoroughly investigate this crime and bring the perpetrators to justice.”