Susy Ysabel Aponte Polo, 43, a journalist and candidate for regional governor of Ancash, was shot dead while campaigning in Caraz; video captured the attack and five supporters were wounded. Authorities detained a 32-year-old suspect at the scene and later arrested another man in Lima as they probe whether the killing was financed or ordered. Prosecutors reclassified the case as a contract killing and are investigating threats she received and her corruption reporting as possible motives.
Peruvian Journalist-Candidate Shot Dead on Camera While Campaigning in Ancash
Susy Ysabel Aponte Polo
Susy Ysabel Aponte Polo, a 43-year-old journalist and candidate for regional governor of Ancash, was shot dead Saturday while campaigning near a market in Caraz. Local outlets say a video recorded the moment of the attack, which left five of her supporters wounded. Aponte later died at Hospital San Juan de Dios in Caraz.
Details Of The Attack
According to reports, the shooting occurred at about 12:40 p.m. on Avenida Ramón Castilla as Aponte—known publicly as "La China Polo"—spoke with a local journalist. Witness video circulated by La República shows the instant gunfire erupted and the chaos that followed.
Suspects And Investigation
Her bodyguards subdued the suspect, identified by authorities as 32-year-old Venezuelan national Luis Iván Obispo Díaz. Police recovered a 9mm pistol they say belonged to a police officer and was reported stolen in 2023. A second Venezuelan national, 29-year-old Ronald José Toro Artila, was arrested later in Lima; prosecutors are investigating whether he financed the attack or served as a getaway driver.
Prosecutors have revised the case classification from feminicide to contract killing and are exploring multiple potential motives, including threats Aponte had reported receiving and her investigative reporting. Local outlets cite Infobae, Trome and La República for details of the probe.
Background
Aponte hosted a YouTube program called "China Polo Dominical," focused on corruption, organized crime and illegal mining. In the days before the shooting she posted a video saying she had received threatening calls originating from three prisons. She also publicly accused a police general of persecuting her in retaliation for her corruption investigations; that official has not been charged.
Reactions And Context
Peru's electoral authority condemned the killing and urged authorities to fully prosecute those responsible. The regional human rights body asked investigators to consider her journalistic work as a possible motive. Relatives held a vigil Saturday night while Aponte's campaign sought to identify who ordered the attack.
Officials say the murder does not appear connected to the Sendero Luminoso insurgency. Observers note it underscores a broader rise in extortion and contract killings in Peru, and raises concerns about the safety of journalists and political candidates nationwide.
Sources: Local media reports and statements from Peruvian authorities.
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