Mexico City, Mexico — The assassination of a local journalist from Veracruz, a coastal state in western Mexico, raised the total number of murdered media workers this year to 17.
With the assassination of Pablo Pedro Kumul, 2022 secured its place as the most violent year for journalists Mexico’s recorded history, adding another death to the relentless violence lashing journalists and activists in Mexico.
According to state authorities, unknown assassins fired at Kumul of news website AX Noticias while he was driving a car in the city of Xalapa last week.
By the time first responders arrived at the scene, the journalist and broadcaster had died from his wounds.
In a press release, AX Noticias condemned the murder of their colleague, demanding justice from Veracruz’s governor.
“We demand that the state authorities and Governor Cuitláhuac García Jiménez investigate the crime thoroughly to find those responsible for this cowardly act and that it not go unpunished like many others. At AX Multimedios we join in prayer and accompany our colleague’s family with much love and respect,” read the statement.
According to García Jiménez, the state’s prosecution has made some breakthroughs in the investigation, including the discovery of “concrete” evidence and information regarding the alleged perpetrator.
According to human rights organization Article 19, Veracruz towers above the rest of the country as the most violent state for journalists, reporting over 30 homicides against news media in the country.
Starting on January 10 with the murder of José Luis Gamboa Arenas, also in Veracruz, the country has witnessed an increasing number of murdered communicators,
On August 27, five days after the murder of journalist Fredid Roman in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, authorities from Sinaloa in northwestern Mexico identified the body of Cándida Cristal Vázquez, reporter and former head of communications from the police department from Mazatlán.
Her body was found sporting severe signs of violence, with a noose around her neck, stones bound onto her body, and hands tied behind her back.
The 34-year-old journalist was reported missing on July 21, 2022, her body was in an advanced state of decomposition.
