El Salvador
Photojournalist murderedPosted Sep 23 2009
Photojournalist and documentary-maker Christian Poveda, 53, was shot and killed Sept. 4. Poveda was shot several times on his way back from filming in La Campanera, a poorer suburb rife with gang activity.
For several years, Poveda documented the lives of brutal Salvadorian street gangs — most notably, the gang Mara 18, in his newest documentary La Vida Loca. Police have arrested one Mara 18 member on suspicion of involvement in the murder.
On the day he was killed, Poveda was attempting to arrange interviews between female gang members and a French fashion magazine, the Associate Press reported. Poveda was reportedly worried about the escalating violence among gang members and said, “Government authorities have no idea of the monster facing them,” one day before his death.
President Mauricio Funes ordered an investigation into the murder, and said he was shocked by Poveda's killing.
IPI Director David Dadge said, “We are deeply saddened to hear of the murder of Poveda, a brave journalist and film maker. We hope El Salvador's authorities will stay true to their word, and bring all those responsible for this brutal killing to justice.”
Poveda went to El Salvador in the early 1980s to cover its brutal 12-year civil war. Poveda has worked for Paris Match, Newsweek, and Time magazine and has covered wars in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and other countries.