The Committee to Protect Journalists is calling on the Mexican government to federalize the cases of murdered journalists and strengthen protective measures after six media workers were killed in the country this year, five of them in just over two months.
The wave of violence represents the deadliest period for journalists in Mexico that the CPJ has documented in more than a decade. The victims include Alejandro Leyva Aguilar, Alex Serna, Carlos Castro, Josue Martinez, Luis Angel Lopez, and Roxana Guzman, all killed in 2026. Nine of all 166 killings of journalists and media workers in Mexico since 1992 remain classified by the CPJ as unconfirmed, meaning investigators could not determine whether the victims were targeted for their work.
Impunity as the Main Driver
CPJ research has found that public officials, especially police, are frequently among the attackers, fueling deep distrust that leads journalists to avoid reporting threats and attacks. Impunity, the organization says, remains the primary factor incentivizing the killings. The federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, established in 2012 under the Interior Secretariat, appears to be losing effectiveness despite the escalating crisis.
“What’s particularly concerning is that the Mexican government does not appear to have a cohesive answer to this wave of violence. Instead, it’s pointing at the number of general homicides dropping,” said Jan-Albert Hootsen, CPJ’s Mexico representative.
The Mechanism has not published public figures for 2025 and 2026, but according to Andres Solis, a member of its advisory council, approximately 80 percent of all requests to be incorporated by human rights defenders and journalists have gone unfulfilled.
Federal Prosecutors Urged to Take Over
In response, the CPJ has called on Mexico’s Federal Attorney General’s office to federalize all cases of killed journalists this year, increase coordination between federal and state authorities, and strengthen protective measures for all journalists under the federal Mechanism. The organization is also calling on the government to prioritize journalists in high-risk areas.
The CPJ’s appeal comes as Mexico remains one of the deadliest countries in the world for the press, a reputation that has persisted across multiple administrations. Press freedom advocates argue that without accountability and structural reform, the cycle of violence will continue largely unchecked. The latest killings add to a toll that has made Mexico a symbol of the dangers facing independent journalism in the Americas.
Sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; Democracy Now!; Havana Times; Reuters
discussion