Wife of Argentina reporter who denounced drug trafficking is raped
Argentine radio journalist Sergio Hurtado, who reported on drug trafficking. According to Hurtado and local news reports, two men armed with knives and one handgun stormed into Hurtado’s house around 4:30 a.m. and demanded money. They ordered Hurtado to hand over 27,000 pesos (US$2,520), although it was not clear why they believed he had this sum at home, FM Luna said.Then the two men each raped Cristina Hurtado, according to news reports confirmed by Sergio Hurtado to CPJ.
The reporter’s wife told the daily La Nación that the couple’s two children were asleep in a nearby bedroom when the assailants entered the house. The oldest son, who is 15, woke up to screams and saw his parents being threatened with weapons, La Nación said. He returned to his bedroom and pretended to be asleep.
Before fleeing, the men stole money, cell phones, and other electronics, reports said. Hurtado said that the assailants issued him a warning: “Stop talking about drugs on the radio. We had orders to kill you.” Hurtado’s wife also said that the intruders claimed that they were hitmen and that her husband must stop talking about drug trafficking, La Nación reported.
