The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a press support organization, issued an article expressing that many organizations have come together to denounce the killing of reporter Nelson Matus. The twitter post on July 18th reports on one of the many journalist killings that have been increasing over past years.
"Journalists and press freedom orgs join in protest to condemn the murder of journalist Nelson Matus, who was shot dead last weekend in Acapulco, at the representation in Mexico City of the Guerrero state government," The Committee to Protect Journalists addressed in thei July 18 Twitter post.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) database, between the years of 1992 and 2023, 151 media workers and journalists were killed in Mexico. The data says that of those killings, 147 of them were journalists, 64 of which had confirmed motives, and 83 of which did had unconfirmed motives.
According to an article from the CPJ, in the Western Hemisphere, Mexico has been determined the most “deadliest country for journalists”. In 2022 alone, the article states, the killing of at least three journalists have been determined as directly correlated to their work, and the killings of 10 other journalists from that year are being investigated by the CPJ in order to ascertain the motive.
According to an article from AP News, Nelson Matus, the director of “Lo Real de Guerrero” a local news agency, was killed by gunfire on the outskirts of Acapulco, Mexico. His news organization had been actively reporting on the escalating violence in Guerrero, a Mexican state. The article reports that the local authorities have initiated an investigation into the tragic killing.
According to the AP news article, the death of Matus, who had reportedly been the victim of a previous assassination attempt, which he survived, occurred not long after a separate Journalist killing. With the drug war becoming increasingly violent, the article reports that the number of reporter killings is growing, reaching 52 in the last half decade, as recorded by CJP.
The murder of Nelson Matus serves as a reminder of the risks journalists endure while performing their essential duties. As the world stands united in condemning this senseless act of violence, it is crucial for the Mexican authorities to respond with urgency and implement measures to safeguard journalists and uphold the freedom of the press.
