The media in Mexico finds itself choosing to either report the facts and die or succumb to silence.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide, Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. In a special report, CPJ highlighted several cases where journalists were kidnapped and murdered with impunity in Mexico. Journalists who criticize officials face serious threats of violence and death.
In the case of one Veracruz journalist, his critical reporting of Medellin mayor Omar Cruz Reyes put him in the crosshairs. Cruz was accused of ordering a hit on the journalist but was never charged with the kidnapping and murder due to delays in removing his immunity. Those delays allowed him to escape.
In another case, a former police chief was convicted of murdering a journalist who often faced death threats while carrying out his reporting. Another journalist was murdered in Veracruz—an area plagued with gang warfare—and his tongue was cut out to send a message of warning to other reporters.
The government of Mexico has been criticized for not doing enough to protect the media. The most alarming aspect is that these murders are often orchestrated by government officials, police commanders, and drug traffickers alike.
Journalists in Mexico operate under dangerous conditions. Headquarters for newspapers have even been destroyed in attempts to silence the media. News outlets are voluntarily shutting down due to the lack of protection they receive from the Mexican government.
There is no guarantee that the justice system in Mexico will pursue charges against those who murder journalists in cold blood. It’s impossible to have faith in a system where so often the perpetrators are the very officials sworn to enforce the law of the land. It’s also no secret that law enforcement and government officials are often in bed with drug cartels. This makes investigative reporting within Mexico incredibly difficult.
The media finds itself choosing to either report the facts and die or succumb to silence. In a world where cartels have successfully censored the media, Mexican citizens are prevented from receiving critical news. Many aren’t even aware that freedom of expression within Mexico has become so dire.
It’s frightening to know this crisis exists just across the border from the United States. While Americans enjoy the freedom to not only criticize but insult leaders and sitting presidents, our neighbors live in fear of practicing responsible journalism at its most basic level. They have a bleak outlook and understand that printing the truth might lead to kidnapping, torture, and death. Mexican journalists find themselves walking on eggshells around their local cartels.
The United States continues to face problems with illegal immigration. Activists and protestors who turn out by the thousands to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies live a very sheltered existence. Cartels thrive in Mexico and carry great power and influence, illustrating that a wall between our countries might be more necessary than most think.
