Mexico is the most dangerous country for journalists for the fourth consecutive year

According to a report by the organization Article 19, an alarming number of journalists were murdered in Mexico this year. In 2022, the country was once again ranked the most dangerous for journalists. In total, there were 12 such murders in addition to multiple threats and assaults.

"This year has been very alarming in terms of freedom of expression and freedom of the press," Paula Saucedo, director of Artículo 19's Protection and Defense program, told EFE. She added that "there are no conditions" or "public policies" in place to reduce this tragic phenomenon.

The report pointed out that one of the greatest dangers is that these murders often go unpunished. This "increases the permissive environment and conditions” which allow for members of the press to continue to be attacked.

The role of the Mexican government

Article 19 recorded a total of 157 journalists murdered in connection with their work since 2000. There have been 37 since 2018, the year of Andrés Manuel López Obrador's inauguration.

The organization was very critical of the current Mexican government, stating that, far from collaborating with the protection of journalists, it is only dedicated to "fostering hostility against the press." For example, the report referred to the conference every Wednesday in which the president heads a section called "Who's Who in the Lies?”

According to the organization Reporters Without Borders, Mexico has been the most dangerous country for journalists to work in for the past four years. The other top positions on this list are assumed by countries at war, such as Ukraine and Yemen.