The decapitated body of a Brazilian blogger known for denouncing corrupt politicians has been found in a rural zone in south-eastern Minas Gerais state, police said on Wednesday.

Evany José Metzker, 67, was reported missing five days before his body was found near the town of Padre Paraíso in one of Brazil’s poorest regions.

“His hands were tied behind his back and his body showed signs of torture,” a police press officer said, adding that the murder was apparently motivated by Metzker’s recent investigations into child prostitution and drug trafficking.

Metzker’s credit cards, a cheque book and his ID card were found near his body.

The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to be quoted by name. He said police were also looking into the possibility that the murder was a crime of passion. He would not elaborate.

“It was a barbaric crime that has shocked Minas Gerais and all of Brazil,” Kerison Lopes, president of the Minas Gerais Journalists Union said. “He was decapitated, scalped and tortured.”

“There is a climate of terror in the region that intimidates reporters from doing their job,” he said, adding that Metzker often received death threats.

Carlos Lauria, the senior Americas programme coordinator of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said that at least 14 Brazilian journalists have been killed since 2011 “in retaliation for their work, making Brazil a very dangerous country for journalists”.

“Lethal violence against the Brazilian press is on the rise, impeding journalists from reporting critically on what is going on,” he said. “The level of violence [against journalists] in Brazil is unacceptably high.”