Barceló Pérez, 53, was accused of using a false visa issued in Havana.
Miami, United States. – The Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) He urged Bolivia’s government Not to deport Cuban journalist Orlidia Barceló Pérez, arrested on August 8 at the “Viru Viru” International Airport, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, along with 16 other people.
Barceló Pérez, 53, directs the digital media The spirit. After arriving in Bolivia, she was accused of using a false visa issued in Havana. If deported, “it runs the risk of being imprisoned under the repressive media laws of Cuba,” the CPJ said.
According to the CPJBarceló Pérez herself informed the organization that the Bolivian authorities accuse her of having obtained a false visa and confiscated all her documents, claiming that she does not meet the requirements to obtain political asylum.
“Orlidia Barceló told CPJ that the Bolivian authorities accuse her of obtaining a false visa and confiscated all her documents, claiming that she does not meet the requirements to obtain political asylum.”
The Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and Press (ICLEP) He publicly thanked The support of the CPJ and reiterated the call to which Bolivia protects the director of the community media The spirit.
The South Voces Network He also joined the alert And he said that Barceló Pérez “is deprived of liberty in an administrative manner” at the Viru Viru International Airport, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, “with imminent risk of being deported to Cuba.”
According to that network, the journalist traveled with a tourism visa issued by the Bolivian consul in Cuba, but upon his arrival she was accused of carrying a false document and this was retained.
Likewise, “according to ICLEP, during the journalist’s arrest, the Cuban consul in Bolivia said she did not qualify for political asylum, refusing to provide any type of assistance and making it clear that she would allow deportation to continue her course.”
South Voces and ICLEP warn that forced return would imply “a real and immediate risk” of imprisonment, harassment and reprisals for their work, remembering that Barceló has been subject to surveillance, threats and arbitrary arrests at his home by Cuban authorities.
Given the “severity and urgency” of the case, the South Voces Net Exercise public pressure.
The pronouncement, dated August 12, was signed by the Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA), the National Association of the Press of Bolivia (ANP), the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji), as well as by Fundamedios (Ecuador), Article 19 Mexico and Central America, Press and Society Institute (IPYS, Peru) and a dozen more of regional organizations.
