Column: If killings of Mexico’s journalists continue, democracy will die with them
Los Angeles TimesFeb 03, 2022
Mexico: Three Kidnapped Journalists Freed
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The Facts
Mexican authorities announced Sunday that three journalists who were recently kidnapped in the southern state of Guerrero had been freed without being harmed by their captors.
Silvia Arce and Alberto Sanchez of the digital platform RedSiete were abducted from their workplace in the tourist town of Taxco last week.
The Spin
Narrative A
Clearly, the Mexican government's program of providing bodyguards and other security measures for journalists who face threats has failed. Protocols to secure and investigate crimes against media members haven't been taken seriously. A key reason for the continuing problem is inaction against the perpetrators, which conveys that eliminating journalists is easy and free of repercussions.
Narrative B
Like other areas of power in Mexico, organized crime has seeped into considerable sections of the media, too. This has made identifying aggressive and effective journalists easy, especially in provincial areas of the country. It's vital to spread more in-depth and contextual information, which helps strengthen the public's confidence. This action is vital to support the institution of journalism in Mexico.
Nerd narrative
There's a 3% chance that the US will deploy military forces in Mexico without the cooperation of the Mexican government before 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.