Journalist escapes assassination attempt

A journalist dodged an assassination attempt in Brazil, reported the online news site MS Record on April 16.

Journalist Roberto Jorge Guimaro recounted his experience which was translated by the Knight Center for Journalism and the Americas.

In the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Guimaro said that he was walking to his office around 8:35 p.m. on March 5, when he saw a black car coming toward him. When he entered the electric gate to his office building, he noticed the passenger in the car had a gun in his hand. Guimaro said he heard gunshots, and then he quickly entered the building.

Guimaro works at the news site Maracaju Speed, located in the city of Maracaju in Mato Grosso do Sul.

Guimaro is outspoken about abuses of power among police and politicians and told the Knight Center that he receives anonymous threats regularly.

Brazil was named the second most dangerous country for journalists in the first quarter of 2012, according to the organization Press Emblem Campaign. Five journalists have been killed in Brazil this year. Syria was ranked the most dangerous with 11 journalists killed.

A recently released report titled “The Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity” ranked Brazil as fifth on a list of countries worldwide for journalism-related fatalities. That list includes Iraq at number 11.