Freedom of Press Diminishes As Javier Valdez, Mexican journalist, is Shot Down

Emma Poisson, Author

14 May 2017

Culiacán, Sinaloa State, Mexico

On the morning of May 14, Javier Valdez Cárdenas was taken from his red Toyota and shot in the street.  Mr. Valdez is acclaimed and praised for his in-depth investigation and published work on drug cartels and organized crime in Sinaloa. His most recent work was focused on attacks teachers face as a result of working in areas where organized crime is exceptionally high. According to Monica Campbell, a reporter for USA Today, “Valdez is the sixth journalist murdered in Mexico in 2017…the Mexican government’s own National Human Rights Commission counts at least 125 journalists killed in the country since 2000.”

There have been many attempts to pressure the Mexican government and administration into promising protection for journalists and other media platforms. However, little has been done to accomplish  this goal. When talking to Paulina Villegas, who represents The New York Times out of Mexico City, Campbell learned that, “Only two [cases] have resulted in convictions.” It  is a disgrace seeing that there have been 800 attacks on journalists in Mexico in only the past six years.

Since his passing, protests and vigils have taken place, specifically in the cities of Culiacán and Veracruz. Some news sources such as Animal Político have even abandoned publication for the day.

Valdez left an impression on aspiring journalists and professionals alike, especially for his writing in Ríodoce, a news outlet independent from Mexican government and advertising. He put his own safety at risk for the purpose of revealing the truth. Angered with the state of treatment towards journalists, Valdez tweeted, “Let them kill us all, if that is the death penalty for reporting this hell. No to silence.”

The intention of murder is not known at this time.