Reply #1: The original text in Spanish indicates this was about an interview with Castaño for Spain's El Mundo

[gbscar]

The above can be confirmed by reading the quotes and information here (in Spanish):

http://twitpic.com/6ktz6a/full

So that "order" is not referring to something published by El Tiempo, where the Spanish-born Hernandez-Mora works as a columnist as opposed to journalist. Colombia Reports doesn't really care to make any of that clear, but the Un Pasquin article does.

The ethical question remains, no doubt, but ultimately becomes somewhat different.

Should you interview a paramilitary and, if so, do you maintain cordial or friendly communications with him?

If Castaño asks you to clarify or alter one of the answers he gave during the interview, should that be done?

On purely personal grounds, I wouldn't do any of the above myself. I'd find it repugnant. However, there are journalists who think differently, not just when they interview murderous right-wing paramilitaries but also drug traffickers, rebels and other criminals around the world. Under those circumstances, I understand that there is another valid point of view.

Of course, it would be quite cynical to say this without addressing the other issue discussed in the Un Pasquin article, which is definitely far more serious. Using illegally obtained information from the DAS in order to criticize Supreme Court magistrates does make Hernandez-Mora look like a tool of the extreme right in their slander campaign against Colombian justice or, at best, morally indifferent to the point of not caring about letting her interests coincide with those of criminals.

In the end, the truth is none of these details make Hernandez-Mora look the least bit respectable in my view.