Mexico Journalist Murdered Inside His Car

Nelson Matus, a Mexico journalist, was tragically killed in the coastal resort city of Acapulco in the state of Guerrero Saturday.

Matus, the director of the local news site Lo Real de Guerrero, was shot while inside his car in a store parking lot, per Reuters.

The attack occurred around Emiliano Zapata in the northern part of Acapulco, reported the Mexican newspaper Reforma. The same source mentioned that Matus had previously survived two assassination attempts in 2017 and 2019.

This incident follows the recent discovery of the body of Luis Martin Sanchez, a Mexico journalist for the newspaper La Jornada, who had gone missing in the state of Nayarit.

Nelson Matus Murder

Mexico journalist, Nelson Matus, was tragically shot as he was entering his car in a parking lot of a thrift store, according to DW.

Police were alerted to the incident shortly after 3:00 PM. Paramedics arrived at the scene and confirmed Matus' death, identifying him through his belongings. The area was subsequently secured by authorities.

The Attorney General's Office of Guerrero, the coastal state where the incident occurred, has launched an investigation into aggravated homicide. In a statement, they expressed their commitment to thoroughly explore all possible leads in the case.

Throughout his 15-year-long career, Matus primarily covered "red news," a genre of journalism in Mexico that focuses on crime, violence, and disasters.

Balbina Flores, the Mexico delegate for Reporters Without Borders (RSF), noted that Matus' recent report, published on Saturday, highlighted the discovery of human remains found in black bags near the La Palapa hotel in the city.

The death of Nelson Matus is a tragic loss for Mexican journalism, further underscoring the risks journalists report on sensitive and dangerous topics in the country face.

More Than a Hundred Journalist Have Been Killed in Mexico

Since 2000, over 150 journalists have lost their lives in Mexico, often falling victim to attacks connected to powerful drug cartels, VOA News reports.

The state of Guerrero, where Nelson Matus was tragically killed, faces particularly high levels of violence, making journalists in the region more vulnerable, according to Flores.

In recent news, the body of Luis Martin Sanchez, a correspondent for La Jornada newspaper, was found with signs of violence after he had been reported missing.

La Jornada, a leftist newspaper founded in Mexico City, has already experienced the loss of two renowned correspondents: Miroslava Breach, who was killed in Chihuahua in March 2017, and Javier Valdez, who was murdered in Sinaloa in May of the same year and was also a contributor to AFP.

Three active or former journalists were abducted in Nayarit, with Luis Martin Sanchez among them.

His body was discovered in a village near Tepic, the state capital, with two cardboard messages attached to his chest. The content of these messages was not disclosed.

Recent incidents reflect journalists' ongoing danger in Mexico, with the government reporting 13 journalist killings in 2022 alone.

Unfortunately, many of these crimes go unpunished, further emphasizing the need for justice in these cases.

In response to Sanchez's murder, journalists held demonstrations in Mexico City and other areas, demanding justice.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also condemned the killing, urging a prompt, thorough, independent, and effective investigation into the incident.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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