Journalists and Organizations Launch Initiative to Confront Press Violence in Mexico Cesar Lopez Linares - Journalism in the Americas
go to original July 21, 2017

After the murder of journalist Javier Valdez, dozens of people called for justice at the feet of the Angel of Independence, in downtown Mexico City (#AgendaDePeriodistas).

From her pedestal in the middle of Mexico City, the Angel of Independence looked upon the words “They are killing us” and “No to Silence,” written in white letters measuring several feet high. Journalists were protesting against the death of well-known colleague Javier Valdez Cárdenas who was killed on May 15 of this year in Sinaloa.



Just over a month later, white paint covered the cement in the city’s famous Zócalo, spelling out a distress signal almost two people tall: “SOS Prensa”. The remains of the journalist and television channel owner Salvador Adame Pardo had been found in an empty field along a highway in Michoacán. He had been kidnapped three days after Valdez was killed.

It’s this almost routine violence against journalists that has made Mexico one of the deadliest places in the world to be a journalist. But, it has also led to historic collaboration among journalists in that country who are sick at the idea of more colleagues dying.

More than 50 Mexican and international organizations have joined the #AgendaDePeriodistas initiative to build an agenda to confront press violence in Mexico.

The initial phase of the initiative was six working groups, which took place from June 14 to 16 in Mexico City, with the Chilean organization Ciudadano Inteligente as moderator. The objective was to produce a document with specific proposals that will be submitted to entities in Mexico and to international organizations to promote the assurance of complete freedom of expression in that country.

In addition to needing security and protection provided by authorities, Mexican journalists require an organization purely made of journalists to represent them, as well as a revision of their working conditions and better regulation of official advertising.

These were some of the concerns expressed by participants at the June working groups, which was promoted by organizations like Horizontal, Article 19 Mexico and Fundar, among others.

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