In an open letter addressed to the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, PEN International expressed its concern about the violence carried out against journalists, authors, artists and media workers.
The organization, which represents writers and artists in more than 90 countries, said that since 2000, at least 167 murders of journalists have been documented in Mexico, many of which appear to be linked to their investigative work.
90 percent, PEN International emphasizes, remain unresolved. Of these murders, 47 occurred during the Administration of the outgoing president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and a similar number under the presidency of his predecessor, Enrique Peña Nieto. The most recent murder reported was that of journalist Alejandro Alfredo Martínez Noguez, in Guanajuato, the organization states.
The journalist and founder of the media outlet El Hijo del Llanero Solititito was attacked when he was inside the police vehicle that was escorting him after covering an article. Martínez Noguez was under state protection since 2023, after suffering an assassination attempt.
“Globally, we call on the Mexican Government to guarantee the full exercise of freedom of expression, the basis of democracy, investigate crimes against journalists and allow communicators, artists, writers and cultural workers to carry out their work freely. and without fear of being persecuted or murdered for their ideas, creations, writings, investigations or public opinions,” the letter reads. The letter is available in English and Spanish on the agency’s website (www.pen-international.org).
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