This Day in History: 1925-08-12

Guillermo Cano Isaza, editor of Colombia’s daily El Espectador newspaper,  is born on this day in 1925. While working as the editor of the paper, Cano  was murdered in front of the paper’s offices by two drug cartel hitmen in reprisal for a campaign he  launched in the paper denouncing the influence of drug traffickers in the country’s politics.  The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize was established to honor people or institutions doing outstanding work in defending the freedom of the press. He was also named one of International Press Institute‘s 50 World Press Freedom Heroes of the 20th century.