Part II of Article
Tuesday, February 9, 2016, was especially hard for a journalism that is in danger both in Veracruz, where 16 reporters and photojournalists have been killed in five years, and in the country.
Anabel Flores was found dead and the Attorney General of the State [Veracruz] sought to hold her responsible for her own tragedy [Part I of this article], as he has done in 15 previous cases. In this way, he was also hiding and ignoring a line of investigation that could lead to her murderers [that she witnessed the apparent forced disappearance of three persons by members of the Mexican Army in August 2014.].
In addition, six reporters from Orizaba, Anabel Flores's journalistic beat, and neighboring Córdoba filed a formal complaint based on threats received from the Zetas cartel.
In Mexico City, the political reporter Álvaro Delgado, for Proceso magazine, was targeted by several accounts on the Twitter social network, with messages like this:
"Now you're condemned, you son of a bitch mother. The boss already gave the order."On Wednesday, when a group of journalists in Guerrero protested in Chilpancingo [the state capital], opposite the State Congress, former mayor and former PRD state congressional deputy Roger Arellano, drove his vehicle past Ezequiel Flores, correspondent for Proceso, and shouted: "Do you remember me? You're going to be fucked!"
On Tuesday, the international organization Article 19 published a report establishing that in addition to the murders, two journalists disappear in Mexico every year.
Tuesday night, a group of journalists from Veracruz released an open letter that, in its last point, puts forward:
"We demand a stop to criminalizing journalists killed and also stop violating freedom of expression in Veracruz.
"Criminalizing our murdered colleagues is a truly cowardly strategy by those obligated to investigate, [but who] manufacture evidence against those who cannot refute the false accusactions of this bad government.
"We demand that they stop this stupid massacre that they have carried out against journalism in Veracruz on behalf of this misgovernment. May they stop this nightmare that all of you are causing throughout the state of Veracruz.
"Don't want us to write about tragedies? Then stop causing tragedies.
"Don't want to read about violent acts? Then stop creating the conditions for violent acts to take place.
"We in the press are only a mirror of real life. We don't invent anything. We just write it down."Spanish original
*Témoris Grecko, Mexican freelance journalist, has written articles and reports in 91 countries and territories, including conflicts in Egypt, Iran, Syria, Palestine, Libya, Congo and the Philippines; and the deserts of Central Asia, India and Africa. He has worked for various international media, including Esquire and National Geographic Traveler (editions for Latin America), Proceso magazine, Domingo and Quo magazines, and the daily newspapers La Nacion (Buenos Aires) and El Periódico de Catalunya (Barcelona), among others. "Storyseeker" Blog (Spanish/English): Témoris Grecko.