New information has emerged regarding the murder of Mateo Pérez Rueda, a journalist killed by a group known as "front 36" within the dissident faction formerly led by alias Calarcá. The victim's father has spoken out.

News: On May 8th, a human rights commission received the body of the reporter. What is known about the perpetrator of the crime. The journalist, Mateo Pérez, was murdered in a rural area of Briceño. Photo: Provided. JOURNALIST May 11, 2026, 4:36 PM. Updated: May 11, 2026, 4:38 PM. The murder of Mateo Pérez Rueda, a young journalist, has caused great distress in Colombia. He was killed by dissidents of the alias Calarcá after visiting the municipality of Briceño, in Antioquia, while investigating human rights violations and clashes between armed groups operating in the region. According to the Secretary of Security of Antioquia, Luis Martínez, Pérez arrived in Briceño on the afternoon of May 4th, and his goal was to access the Palmichal area, where, just hours before, there had been intense clashes between the National Army and Farc dissidents. The 25-year-old even requested official accompaniment, but authorities tried to persuade him to avoid the high-risk area. Pérez, who directed the independent magazine El Confidente, continued his tour of the area while conducting journalistic investigations, and on May 5th, he was reported missing. Finally, on May 8th, after several days of uncertainty, a human rights commission composed of the Red Cross and the Public Defender's Office received the body of the young reporter. The journalist, Mateo Pérez. Photo: X @FLIP_org. Mateo Pérez's father spoke after the murder of the young journalist. Information provided to authorities indicates that the young man was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered. Camila Carvajal, a journalist from Blu Radio and close to the reporter's family, stated in a recent article that the perpetrators tortured Mateo Pérez and then shot him. According to the journalist's information, the dissidents "thought that (Mateo) was an infiltrator and did not believe that he was a journalist whose only weapon was El Confidente (the media outlet he directed)." Although this information has not been officially mentioned by authorities. In a conversation with Caracol Radio, the Secretary of Security of Antioquia, Luis Martínez, said that "Mateo's sole purpose was to learn firsthand about the public order situation that the municipality has been experiencing for a long time." "What he wanted, through the interviews he had in the municipality, through the different contacts he made, was to reach the territory and perhaps have access or an interview with those who are generating all this violence in that part of the department," he said. Search for journalist Mateo Pérez, missing in Briceño. Photo: Private archive. According to the secretary, Mateo entered the territory, and that is where the criminals intercepted him and ended his life. Carlos Pérez, the father of the murdered journalist, revealed that they had planned to move him to a safer location. The Public Defender spoke with El Tiempo. Photo: NEWS DESK. Stay informed about all the news from Colombia on Facebook and Twitter, or in our weekly newsletter. NEWSLETTERS EL TIEMPO. Register for our newsletters and receive news in your email according to your interests. Stay informed with what really matters to you. EL TIEMPO GOOGLE NEWS. Follow us on GOOGLE NEWS. Stay always updated with the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on Google News. EL TIEMPO WHATSAPP. Join the El Tiempo channel on WhatsApp to stay up-to-date with the most relevant news at the moment. EL TIEMPO APP. Stay informed with the EL TIEMPO app. Receive the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on your device. SUBSCRIBE TO THE DIGITAL EDITION. Reliable information for you. Subscribe to EL TIEMPO and access our journalistic content without limits.