More recently, unknown assailants invaded his home on September 28. During this home invasion, a laptop containing his teaching and reporting materials was stolen.
In addition, Del Cid has fielded several threatening phone calls and might have been followed by suspiciuos automobiles.
Unfortunately, according to Del Cid, neither the Guatemalan authorities nor his colleagues in the media have been sympathetic to his plight. Now he is staying at a friend's house..
Del Cid did not say who he thought was responsible for the break-in, but he indicated that he has recently covered sensitive topics such as a call for tender for an arms deal by an unlicensed company, a corruption case at a government agency, and a report on the capture of a businessman with alleged connections to drug trafficking. All of the articles were signed by the newspaper's investigative team.Unfortunately, Del Cid's situation is typical in Guatemala. According to Freedom House,
Guatemalan journalists continued to work under difficult and dangerous conditions in 2009. Violence against the press by drug traffickers and other criminal organizations continued and was rarely prosecuted, encouraging self-censorship. A number of journalists also received death threats during the year.
