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Alert

Attack on "Vanguardia" magazine office, manager robbed

(IPYS/IFEX) - On 3 July 2009, the headquarters of the magazine "Vanguardia", located north of Quito, was broken into by four armed and hooded individuals who stole important journalistic material. It is still unknown if the theft was related to the media outlet’s journalistic work.

The event took place at night, when a pizza delivery man arrived at the magazine. Four unidentified men entered behind him, bound the journalists' and other employees' hands and threatened to kill them.

The burglars stole hard disks belonging to the magazine's editor-in-chief and to those journalists who handle important information, as well as personal documents related to their journalistic work. Some of their personal belongings were also taken.

The magazine's directors and journalists filed a complaint with the appropriate authorities.

On 8 July, José Luis Estrada, commercial manager of "Vanguardia", was robbed by two armed and hooded men as he was leaving the magazine's facilities. The thieves took his personal computer.

FUNDAMEDIOS and IPYS believe that the fact that Estrada was robbed is an unusual coincidence and demand that the authorities clarify these incidents as soon as possible.