White march for the freedom of the team of journalists kidnapped in Mataje

Ecuadornews:

A banner with the drawing of a broken heart and the names of Paul Rivas, Javier Ortega and Efraín Segarra led the demonstration. “We have three left! Come back now! “, Shouted nearly 200 people, while riding on bicycles, on skates and on foot the 3 kilometers that separate the Plaza de los Presidentes, in La Mariscal, from the Cruz del Papa, in La Carolina Park, in the north of Quito.

From 09:00, relatives, friends, journalists and citizens requested the immediate release of the journalistic team of this newspaper, which was abducted on the northern border two weeks ago. “For Javier, nobody gets tired. For Paul, nobody gets tired. For Efraín, nobody gets tired! “Shouted Mariana Reyes, mother of journalist Javier Ortega. Beside her was the collaborator’s grandmother, who covered herself with a white handkerchief.

“We are still in the fight. We are pressing the authorities to achieve their soon return, “said Christian Segarra, son of the plagiarized driver. The demonstration, organized by journalists, was also a symbolic act.

The participants dressed in white and carried balloons of the same color tied to their bicycles or in their hands. With this they sought to send a message of peace for the country and hope for the families of the three captive Ecuadorians. According to Segarra, in recent days there has been no further information on the status of their loved ones. “The only thing we know is that negotiations are going ahead, that the authorities are working to free them,” he said.

From April 9th, 2018, the relatives will travel to Guayaquil, Santo Domingo and Cuenca, where they will spread the message #Nosfaltantres, a phrase that brings together all the acts of solidarity. For Ricardo Rivas, brother of the photographer, these acts allow to demonstrate that “we are united and we are not going to tire until we have them back”.

During the tour, the relatives received the support of the residents of the capital, who shouted phrases such as: “We are with you!” Or, simply, they played the car horns and raised their thumbs. Upon arriving in La Carolina, protesters gathered around the Pope’s Cross, then marched on the athletic track. In the same place was the mayor of Quito, Mauricio Rodas. “We must be in favor of peace and fight as a city for these three children, three parents and three brothers to return,” he said.

The Mayor took advantage of the presentation of a campaign to reduce harassment and sent this message. In this event balloons were delivered with the phrase “#Nosfaltantres “. After noon they were thrown into heaven. On April 8, 273 journalists from Latin America, who belong to the Balboa program, expressed their concern about the situation of the professionals. “Their lives and the tranquility of their families cannot be an element of negotiation,” they said.

In context 

The newspaper team of EL COMERCIO was kidnapped on March 26, after entering Mataje. The idea of this incursion was to raise information related to the violence that is lived after the attacks in San Lorenzo. (I)

Source: http://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/marcha-libertad-periodistas-secuestrados-mataje.html