Forbidden Stories—a network of journalists whose mission is to continue the work of reporters who are threatened, censored, or killed—yesterday published a new investigation into the murder of Mexican journalist Regina Martínez. The report, part of five-part series about the killings of reporters in Mexico, lays bare serious flaws in the investigation in a context of violence and political corruption.
Regina Martínez was murdered on April 28, 2012, in her home in Xalapa, the capital of the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz. She was a correspondent for Mexico City-based investigative weekly Proceso.
Eight years after Martínez’s murder, only one suspect has been convicted. The Forbidden Stories investigation, part of “The Cartel Project,” poses serious questions about the conviction, however, pointing out serious flaws in the official murder investigation. It also describes the context of extreme criminal violence and political corruption in Veracruz at the time of Martínez’s death, as well as her work as a reporter.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told Mexican and international media in a press conference on November 19, 2020, that his government will re-open the investigation into Martínez’s murder.
“The Cartel Project” is a collaboration between Forbidden Stories and 25 media outlets across the world. According to the project’s website, 60 reporters have spent 10 months investigating crimes against the press in Mexico.
The full report can be read here.