23 August 2006
Jesús Flores Rojas
Shooting
Jesús Flores Rojas, co-director of the daily paper Región, in the northwestern province of Anzoátegui, was stopped in his car by a gunman in El Tigre on 23 August and was prepared to hand over the car to him, but the gunman refused the offer and shot him in the head eight times before escaping in a waiting vehicle.
The journalist’s daughter, who was not harmed, said her father had often criticised the region’s politicians in print. He had not had any death threats, but since nothing was stolen in the attack, officials speculated it was an act of revenge. Provincial governor Tarek William Saab paid tribute to Flores, who was widely respected, and ordered an investigation. Nine agents were assigned to the police enquiry.
