Caracol Television faces sexual‑harassment scandal and launches dedicated response office

Four journalists at Colombia’s leading broadcaster, Caracol Television, filed sexual‑harassment complaints that led to the departure of two on‑air presenters. The network commissioned an independent special commission, chaired by constitutional lawyer Catalina Botero, which surveyed more than 1,200 employees and held focus groups. The commission reported that harassment can become normalized when perpetrators hold power and confirmed that formal complaints were processed through existing mechanisms.

In response, Caracol announced the creation of a specialized office to handle gender‑based violence cases and pledged cultural reforms. President Gonzalo Córdoba wrote, “We assumed a commitment beyond reviewing procedures… to listen, learn with humility and act responsibly.”

Separately, former news anchor Jorge Alfredo Vargas, accused by prosecutors of sexual misconduct, has retained the Riveros Bazzani law firm to defend his presumption of innocence. The firm, led by former deputy attorney general Paulina Riveros Dueñas and lawyer Juan David Bazzani, is known for handling high‑profile national cases.