The headquarters of the Brazilian newspaper ‘Rondoniaovivo’ in the city of Porto Velho, Rondonia state, has been attacked by an individual who fired at least ten shots at the building, with no reports of injuries. The newspaper reports that it has received threats from the extreme right.
Security cameras have recorded the moment when the attacker arrives with a gun in his hand, looks everywhere and opens fire on the premises, after which he leaves, according to the Brazilian television network Globo.
The newspaper itself has published a note of condemnation in which it emphasizes that it has received several threats for gathering information on the activities of coup and anti-democratic groups of the extreme right that do not accept the victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the elections of October 30.
«Rondoniaovivo has positioned itself in the last few days against a group of the Rondonian society that defends a coup d’état in Brazil and does not accept the last presidential elections,» the media outlet said.
«They are the same who defend freedom, but prevent the right of citizens to come and go. They say that a dictatorship is the solution to all the ills afflicting our country. A contradiction,» he added.
They also assure that the name of the media has appeared on a list of companies to boycott «for being considered leftist». «It is the extreme right with its Nazi-fascist methods acting in Rondônia. History always repeats itself», he warned.
Military police visited the newspaper’s headquarters on Sunday morning and at least ten shell casings were collected from the site, according to the attacked newspaper. The case is now in the hands of the Civil Police.
The section for Rondônia of the Brazilian Bar Association has condemned the attack. «Happily none of the professionals has been physically injured, but the stress and psychological pressure it causes is regrettable,» warned the organization, which recalls that «free communication is one of the pillars for a solid democracy in our country and it is necessary to respect opinions.»
For ‘Rondoniaovivo’ «the shots left on the facade have hit more than just walls». «Worst of all, they have hit democracy», lamented the media outlet. «‘Rondoniaovivo’ will not be intimidated and will continue with the mission to inform well the Rondonians and the world about what is happening in our state,» he reiterated.
