Directed by Kees Schaap • Documentary • 2016 • 42 minutes

In this episode Fidan visits Henry Ramirez, a local journalist in the port city of Buenaventura. Its harbor attracts powerful criminals and drug smugglers , making it one of the most violent cities in Colombia. Henry has disclosed the existence of “casas de pique” slaughterhouses where paramilitary gang members chopped people up alive. His story was picked up internationally and caused the army to enter Buenaventura to enforce public order. But Buenaventura is still being controlled by criminal gangs, and Henry is one of the few journalists courageous enough to cover the sensitive issue of crime.

Colombia is a weak state. In some regions, criminals are almost in complete control of the government. Journalists are virtually the only people to uncover the corruption and crime. In doing so they become the target of criminal gangs. The central government is not able to tot put up an effective fight against these criminals. They merely provide journalists under threat with bodyguards and bulletproof vests.

Fidan also visits Gonzalo Guillen, an highly acclaimed investigative journalist who lives alone at a secret address, together with 9 bodyguards, and Ginna Morelo who fled to Colombia’s capital city of Bogota after the entire family of one of her sources was murdered.

Series Description:

A daughter of Turkish immigrants in The Netherlands, Fidan Ekiz studied journalism. She was a news correspondent in Turkey for some years. Upon her return to the The Netherlands, Fidan started making documentaries and became a television celebrity.