Mexico: Drug Traffickers Fire Grenade at Televisa Studio

The increasing drug trade in Mexico has led to an increase in journalist killings as journalists go behind the scenes to investigate and report on drug trafficking. Keirin’s article about Armando Rodríguez (killed after examining Mexican drug cartels) emphasizes this point.

A group of men opened fire and launched a grenade into Televisa studios, Mexico’s top television network. According to a Newswatch article, the gunmen left a note that said, “Stop reporting on us.” Clearly, the act was meant as a threat to journalists to keep out of the drug traffickers’ business, but I think the government must intervene and protect journalists from such violence.

Carlos Lauría, a senior program coordinator for CPJ, said “Drug traffickers are clearly using the media to spread a message of fear and terror and make clear to everyone that there will be consequences to reporting on their activities. The government cannot allow criminals to intimidate the media into silence.”

So what should Mexico’s government do? They must complete their pending law to make violence against the press a federal crime, as mentioned in Urja’s article on Calderon’s efforts.

CPJ research shows that Mexico is “one of the most dangerous places for journalists in Latin America.” I agree with Lauría and think that Mexico’s government needs to start cleaning up the drug trafficking if it wants to step away from this title and into a more journalist-friendly, “media free” environment.

-- Amy Eichenlaub (Mexico)