Bolivia: Journalist María Galindo and Producer Dragged and Beaten by Mine Workers

The reporters were recording a radio documentary on the manager of the mine withholding child support when they were attacked

Location: Bolivia, Loayza
Date: August 25, 2023

The Coalition For Women In Journalism has documented distressingly common assaults against the press in Bolivia, with the physical assault of journalist and feminist activist María Galindo and Sergio Escalera the latest in a string of violence. The journalists were attacked by workers while recording a radio documentary at a mine. The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with Galindo and Escalera. We urge the Prosecutor’s Office to conduct an immediate investigation.

On August 25, 2023, journalist María Galindo and producer Sergio Escalera were dragged, pulled, and beaten by workers and security personnel at Comibol Huanuni’s mine headquarters, Loayza. Both journalists sustained injuries as a result.

María Galindo Neder, an anarcha-feminist, author, and radio host, has recently been documenting cases of corruption and negligence in addressing violence against women in Bolivia while advocating for a feminist justice system.

The attack occurred when Galindo and Escalera were accompanying a mother demanding child support from her daughter's father, the manager of the Huanuni Company. The journalists were recording footage for a documentary to be aired on radio Deseo.

Video evidence shows employees of the state company surrounding Galindo as she confronts the manager about his neglectful behavior as a father. Amid the tension, a person is seen forcibly removing the journalist from an office.

"Bolivia is changing, and the hours of irresponsible sexists are going to end," exclaims Galindo as the video finishes.

Bolivian journalists' associations described the attack on Galindo as a blatant violation of freedom of expression. They also highlighted the alarming pattern of violent attacks against media workers in the country, which often go unpunished due to the authorities' lack of action.

CFWIJ has documented worryingly violent attacks on women journalists in Bolivia in 2023. In July, journalist Daniela Valdez of Radio Cepra was brutally attacked, strangled, and robbed by a violent mob while covering a protest in Sucre. Journalist Iris Toro of Radio Kollasuyo was attacked twice by violent protestors while reporting on demonstrations in April.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) — a regional framework of human rights protections — provides mechanisms focused on promoting and protecting the rights of journalists. It mandates that states must fulfill their obligation to investigate attacks against journalists and hold those responsible accountable. The system recognizes that violence and harassment against journalists, including women journalists, can have a chilling effect on freedom of expression.

The Coalition for Women in Journalism stands firmly in solidarity with María Galindo, Sergio Escalera, and all journalists who face violence and attacks while working.

We call on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) Special Rapporteurs for Freedom of Expression and the Rights of Women to ensure violations against women journalists in Bolivia are adequately investigated. Attacks against journalists in the country must not be able to continue with impunity. The Prosecutor's Office should take immediate action to ensure perpetrators of the assault against Galindo and Escalera are identified and that justice is served. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.