Mexican Journalists Form “Mexican Journalists in Exile” Group

Recent threats to press freedom in Mexico have led two men to form Mexican Journalists in Exile, a solidarity group for fellow journalists fleeing death threats, as they have done.

Gutierrez Soto, 45, was threatened after writing a newspaper series quoting witnesses who said Mexican soldiers were caught “robbing people at gunpoint.”

“You’ve published three articles; don’t publish another one,” Gutierrez said a Mexican colonel and general told him. “If you do publish another one, we’ll kill you.”

Gutierrez stopped writing about alleged military abuses and filed a complaint with the national human rights commission. Three years later he received another death threat, though the Mexican military denies it. Gutierrez is looking for asylum in the U.S.—although it is rarely granted to journalists—and show that he has “a well-founded fear of persecution.”

Luis Aguirre, editor of a Mexican news website, may also request asylum. Aguirre received a death threat after writing columns that criticized the state attorney general’s office.

“Lots of people are threatened, and they don’t have alternatives,” said Aguirre.

Threats to press freedom seem to be occurring more and more frequently in Mexico, and I think it is noble of these men—who were threatened themselves—to create a group that could help colleagues in future, life-threatening instances.

Amy Eichenlaub (Mexico)