Mexican Journalist, 3 Others Killed; Media Worker Killings in Mexico Reach 13 This Year

A Mexican journalist and three other people were killed inside a beer shop in Mexico. The Mexican journalist was identified as Ernesto Méndez, director of the news site Tu Voz, or Your Voice.

San Luis de la Paz Mayor Luis Sanchez identified the 13 Mexican journalists killed this year, according to an ABC News Go report.

Four other men were with the media worker, with the fifth person being seriously wounded and was taken to a hospital.

Guanajuato Gov. Diego Rodríguez Vallejo condemned the recent media worker killings on Tuesday. Sanchez noted that it was not known whether the attack was related to Mendez's journalistic work or his role as a representative of local businesses in the planning of an upcoming fair.

The Mexican journalist had also worked until three years ago at Zona Franca, another news site, according to the site's director Carmen Martinez.

It was not yet known if Mendez was also part of the federal government's protection program for four journalists and human rights defenders under threat.

Mexican Journalists Killed

In May, Mexican journalist Luis Enrique Ramirez has been found dead in Sinaloa state. He was a veteran journalist and columnist at El Debate, as reported by The Guardian two months ago.

Enrique was found dead on the side of the highway. He was discovered by security forces in a black bag and wrapped in plastic, according to his employer.

The veteran journalist had previously received aggression, according to Article 19's Juan Vasquez. In an interview with local media several years ago, Enrique said that he felt the "imminent danger that I am the one who follows." He added that there is a pattern of murders in which he fits.

In June, a Mexican reporter was killed. He was identified as Antonio de la Cruz, who was a journalist for the local newspaper Expreso. De la Cruz was shot and killed in his home in the Tamaulipas state. His daughter was also injured in the attack and was reported to be in critical condition.

Reuters reported that Expreso has also been the target of several attacks in the past, with a 2012 car bomb exploding in front of its office. In 2018, a severed head was left in a cooler outside the office.

Media Worker Killings in Mexico

Human Rights Watch noted that the rising violence against journalists in Mexico undermines press freedom. The organization then called Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to take urgent steps to promote the federal government protection mechanism.

HRW also called to stop official harassment of journalists who criticize the government. Tyler Mattiace, the Americas researcher at Human Rights Watch, said that Lopez Obrador has not only failed to address violence against the media but also used his daily morning conferences to harass and intimidate Mexican journalists.

Mexico is considered to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. Meanwhile, officials rarely, if ever, investigate the crimes against media workers.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Murdered in Mexico: the final interview with a legendary journalist - from The Guardian