Mexico: Journalist Murdered in Chiapas

Mario Gomez, a correspondent with El Heraldo de Chiapas in Yajalon, southern Mexico, was murdered Friday – the ninth to be killed so far this year.

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Two unidentified assailants shot him in the abdomen as he was leaving his home in Yajalon, north of Chiapas’ rainforest, then escaped by motorcycle. Gomez was taken to hospital by emergency personnel but died shortly after.

The newspaper he worked for demanded authorities “reach the bottom of the investigations that dress in mourning the journalist guild in Chiapas.”

“Directives reporters, columnists, photographers and staff working at El Heraldo de Chiapas strongly condemn the cowardly aggression against our correspondent Mario Gomez in the Yajalon municipality for which he lost his life,” the editor wrote.

Gomez had already reported death threats he had received to the General Prosecuting Office of the State (FGE).

La Edicion, a local newspaper from Yajalon, traced the threats to sympathizers of Leonardo Guirao, a Chiapas representative for the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico since 2016.

In a statement, the FGE said: "Aware of the importance of free journalism, we reaffirm our commitment to reach the bottom of every investigation line shedding light on this terrible crime and bring those responsible to justice."

Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, with the highest murder rate alongside Syria.