Mexico's Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Urged by US Lawmakers to Protect Mexican Journalists

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is being called out by U.S. lawmakers to address the ongoing violence against journalists in his country.

Among the U.S. lawmakers who clamor for better safeguards for Mexican journalists are Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez and chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere Tim Kaine.

Eight other Democratic Senate colleagues also supported the resolution filed for better safeguards for media in Mexico. It was introduced as Lopez Obrador met with President Joe Biden in Washington on Tuesday, according to Voice of America News.

In a statement, Kaine said Lopez Obrador's visit to Washington was important, discussing trade, migration, security, and other issues. But he noted that it was equally important to act in "strengthening protections" for journalists in Mexico.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Urged to Protect Journalists in Mexico

In the text of the resolution, the U.S. senators said the president of Mexico "has sometimes demonstrated hostility towards the free press," Court House News reported.

They also said that Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador enabled an "unsafe working environment for independent journalists" by intimidating and disparaging those who were critical of his administration.

Mexican journalists who investigated corruption related to the associates of Lopez Obrador's cabinet were also condemned.

The resolution introduced by the lawmakers also cited Lopez Obrador withdrawing funding for Mexico's Federal Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists.

They claimed that the decision to withdraw the budget undermines the agency's ability to conduct its targeted function. Journalists in Mexico agreed with the reasoning of the resolution.

However, they do not expect it to bring a significant change in the Mexican president's behavior or policies. Luis Eduardo Velázquez, editor-in-chief of the news website Capital CDMX, said the wave of violence against Mexican journalists represents the country's instability.

The European Parliament released the same resolution in March.

Journalists Killed in Mexico

Last month, another Mexican reporter was shot dead, making him the 12th journalist to be killed in Mexico. Mexico is now one of the world's most dangerous places for media workers.

The Guardian reported that the slain journalist was 47-year-old Antonio de la Cruz, who was leaving his house in Ciudad Victoria with his 23-year-old daughter when he was killed. His daughter was seriously injured.

The Mexican journalists cover all kinds of news in the city, which includes security issues and rural and social topics such as water shortages.

Miguel Domínguez, director of the newspaper Expreso, said De la Cruz was "very aware of the reality of Tamaulipas," adding that he was "very brave."

Violence against the Mexican press has increased by 85% in the three years since Lopez Obrador became the country's leader in December 2018. In 2021, seven journalists were killed compared with this year's 12.

The killed media workers worked for small and independent outlets, leaving them without any institutional support or physical protection.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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