International organizations as well as the United States ambassador in Mexico lamented the murder of Armando Linares, journalist and director of Monitor Michoacán, with whom eight communicators have been killed so far this year.
The president of the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), Jorge Canahuati, indicated that although Russia’s invasion of Ukraine focuses attention on issues of violence against journalists, what is happening in our country should not be forgotten.
“Journalists have been trapped and have been facing violent attacks for years, without even receiving due attention from their own government, which reacts defensively to every claim,” he said.
For his part, Carlos Jornet, president of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, stressed that the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has to take action on the matter and address the multiple claims at the “national and to create additional strategies for the safety of journalists”.
The IAPA recognized that in 74 days since the beginning of the year, 2022 is close to the total number of journalists killed in Mexico in 2021, when nine were counted. He estimated that if measures are not adopted to contain these acts of violence and the upward trend continues, the figure would reach 40.
For its part, Amnesty International Mexico joined the European Parliament’s call a few years ago in which it asked the national authorities to guarantee the protection of journalists and activists.
The human rights organization called on the authorities to refrain from publishing any communication that could “stigmatize” activists, journalists and media workers and “thus exacerbate the atmosphere against them or distort their lines of investigation.”
Likewise, he requested that the Protection Mechanism be strengthened and a comprehensive public protection policy be implemented.
Finally, the US ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, in addition to regretting the fact, pointed out that his government supports the authorities, who act quickly to investigate this case, find those responsible, and offer justice to Armando and his family.”