Mexico

Mexico has replaced Colombia as the most dangerous country in Latin America to be a journalist.
Roberto Javier Mora, was stabbed to death, Francisco Ortiz was gunned down, Francisco Arratia Saldierna was found dead and had been tortured. Leodegario Aguilera was kidnapped, his body later found dumped in a ditch.

In solidarity with their fallen comrades hundreds of Mexican journalists took to the streets October 11, 2006, in 10 of Mexico's 23 states, to protest the killing of four of their colleagues and demand that the killers be brought to justice. The killings that sparked the protest were all linked to investigative work carried out by the reporters. In all four cases they were threatened prior to their deaths.

In response to the protest, the government has created a working group to study the protesters' demands.

Threats to the safety of journalists and curbs on freedom of the press in Mexico are a particular problem in the northern states adjacent to the United States border. In this region, drug traffickers wield enormous power and influence. Many journalists working there exercise self-censorship as a matter of survival.

Amando Ramirez, a reporter for Acapulco's Televisa television network, refused to be censored or give in to the drug traffickers. For that Ramirez was gunned down on April 6, 2007. He had received death threats prior to the attack and had produced a show for the network linking the death of local police officers to the drug trade.

His death has renewed calls by the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) for action to protect Mexican journalists. IAPA has reported a surge in the number of journalists slain in Mexico, on orders from drug gangs.

IAPA has called for steps to be taken to combat violence and impunity, among them the federalization of crimes against journalists, that these crimes not be subject to any statutes of limitation, and that stiffer punishment of the guilty be imposed.

At an IAPA meeting held August 30, 2005, reporters and editors drafted the Declaration of Hermosillo. The declaration outlined five key demands that must be addressed to ensure the safety of Mexican journalists.

By David Sharpe

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Related links:

Read the entire Declaration of Hermosillo.
To Read CJFE's Letter to the Mexican President with 5 Key Recommendations to end the violence against journalists, click here.
Get involved: Send a letter to Mexico's ambassador to Canada to condemn violence against journalists in that country.