Mexican

Crime, Violence, and Corruption Are Destroying the Country’s Journalism The drug traffickers, violent criminals, and corrupt officials who threaten Mexico’s future have killed, terrorized, and co-opted journalists, knowing that controlling the flow of information will further their needs. They have been increasingly successful, and the results have been devastating. A CPJ special report by Carlos…

About This Report

Preface by Joel Simon Plomo o plata. Lead or silver. It’s a well-worn phrase in Mexico, one that’s all too familiar to the country’s journalists. It means, simply, we own you. Take our plata (slang for money) and publish what we tell you. Or we kill you.

1. Summary Violence against the press has swept the nation and destroyed Mexicans’ right to freedom of expression. This national crisis demands a full-scale federal response.

2. A Nation in Crisis More than 30 journalists and media workers have been murdered or have vanished since December 2006. As vast self-censorship takes hold, Mexico’s future as a free and democratic society is at risk.

An Era of Promises and Fear Key events involving the press, crime, and politics during the Calderón era

4. Cartel City In Reynosa, the Gulf criminal group controls the government, the police, even the street vendors. You won’t see that story in the local press. The cartel controls the media, too.

5. A Federal Obligation In its offensive against criminal organizations, the federal government has left a crucial front unaddressed. Attacks on the constitutional and international right to free expression must be fought at the national level.

What They Said