He journalist Mitzar Castillejos He died this December 26 after spending 14 days fighting for his life, after being the victim of a attempt armed perpetrated by hitmen in the Ucayali region. The communicator was attacked when he left his home to host his radio program.
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After the attack, the press man was initially treated at a medical facility in Aguaytía. Due to the complexity of his condition, he was transferred to the Tingo María hospital and later to the María Auxiliadora hospital in Lima, where he remained hospitalized until his death was confirmed.
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The death of Mitzar Castillejos It occurs in a context of growing violence against the regional press. His case joins other murders recorded in 2025, a year that union organizations describe as one of the most serious for the practice of journalism in Peru.
ANP demands exemplary sanction for the murder of Mitzar Castillejos
The National Association of Journalists of Peru (ANP) issued a public statement condemning the murder of Mitzar Castillejos and demands exemplary punishment for those materially and intellectually responsible for the crime. The union stressed that the case cannot go unpunished.
In its statement, the ANP urged the Human Rights Prosecutor’s Office and the National Police of Peru to carry out a rapid and exhaustive investigation, underlining the State’s obligation to guarantee justice in cases of violence against journalists.
The journalistic union warned that Castillejos’ informative work should be considered a priority line of investigation. According to information collected in the area, the journalist He made public complaints about alleged irregularities in the municipal management of Padre Abad, which reinforces the hypothesis of a crime linked to his informative work.
Zuliana Lainez warns of pattern of violence against journalists in regions
Zuliana Lainez, president of the National Association of Journalists (ANP), maintained that the murder of Mitzar Castillejos It adds to a chain of crimes that reveals a critical scenario for the press in the country. With this case, there are already four journalists murdered in 2025, all in regions and linked to investigations into local authorities, which – he warned – shows a pattern that cannot be minimized.
“This crime cannot go unpunished. We need immediate results in the investigation and we demand that the professional track be prioritized, because Mitzar Castillejos was a practicing journalist, very critical of the mayor of the province of Padre Abad,” he said.
The union leader stressed that this context makes 2025 one of the most dangerous years for the practice of journalism in Peru. He pointed out that violence against communicators is not an isolated event, but rather a systematic response against those who control power outside Lima, where the conditions of security and state protection are more precarious.
“With Mitzar there are already four journalists murdered so far this year. We are facing a disastrous year for the practice of journalism, especially in the regions, where communicators who investigate local power are being attacked by hitmen,” he commented.
At another time, Lainez reported that the ANP has requested the Comprehensive Health Insurance (SIS) to guarantee the immediate transfer of the body of Mitzar Castillejos to Aguaytia. He stated that the communicator died in Lima accompanied by his mother and sister, who remained by his side since he was transferred to the capital due to the severity of his injuries.
The president of the ANP He demanded from the Human Rights Prosecutor’s Office and the National Police of Peru concrete and quick results in the investigation. He stressed that the professional track must be prioritized, remembering that Castillejos maintained a critical line towards the municipal management of Padre Abad. He assured that the journalistic union will permanently monitor the case to prevent it from remaining unpunished.
From Aguaytía to Lima: the crime that extinguished the voice of journalist Mitzar Castillejos
He attempt against Mitzar Castillejos It occurred on December 12, when two armed individuals shot him at point-blank range as he left his home. The communicator was heading to his workplace to host his radio program, one of the most listened to news programs in the town.
Seriously injured, he was rushed to a health center in Aguaytía. Given the lack of resolution capacity, the doctors ordered his transfer to the Tingo María hospital, where he remained under observation while his clinical evolution was evaluated.
Days later, due to the complexity of the injuries and the need for specialized care, his referral to Lima was authorized. Castillejos was admitted to the María Auxiliadora hospital, where he remained in critical condition for almost two weeks.
Unfortunately, this December 26, the death of the journalistbecoming the second murder of a communicator in the month and the fourth so far in 2025. All the cases correspond to journalists from regions who were investigating local or regional authorities, which reveals a pattern of systematic risk for the press outside Lima.
