The U.S. State Department recently organized an webchat in Spanish on journalists’ safety and press freedom in the Americas.

Luis Botello, Senior Program Director of Special Projects at the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), answered questions from journalists and editors from Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala, Paraguay, among others.

During the session, Botello stated: “No story is worth the life of a journalist. Although that might be the only way to get to the truth.”

According to Botello, around 850 journalists were killed in the last 20 years. Colombia, Mexico and Brazil are among the 20 most dangerous countries to work as a journalist.

A few weeks ago the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) warned that 2011 was the most tragic year for the press in the last two decades for Latin America, with 19 journalists killed so far this year.

“Considering this scenario, to what extent are journalists and news media working in security protocols?” Said Botello.

“I don’t think I can name many media news strategies to analyze risk, training in coverage of conflict or security protocol standards,” he said.