Dear Friends, 

Around 50 Mexican journalists demonstrated on 27 April in protest against the murder of Roberto Carlos Figueroa Bustos, a colleague whose body had been found the day before in the central state of Morelos. 

Tragically, this journalist’s death is not exceptional in Mexico. Under outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexico has continued to be the country with the highest murder rate of journalists. In the almost six years that he has been president, at least 37 journalists have been murdered and five have disappeared. Despite his pledge made during his inauguration speech on 1 December 2018 that, “There will be no more journalists murdered.”

Aside from the appalling death toll, no reform of the system for protecting journalists has been implemented despite the recommendations in this area from organisations such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Worse still, the president has continued to express hostility towards the work of the media on many occasions, in stark contrast to his promises.

In the run-up to Mexico’s general elections on 2 June, RSF is urging all of the candidates to finally commit to concrete measures to protect journalists and combat impunity for crimes of violence against them.

In Mexico, as in all countries, politicians have a key role to play in creating the conditions that allow journalists to do their job with complete freedom and in full safety. This is why we constantly raise this issue with authorities, and with candidates in elections. It is due to your support that we are able to do this. We thank you for your help.