Page 12 - aruba-today-20180106

A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 6 January 2018
Mexico: Latest murder highlights blurred lines in journalism

By MARIA VERZA terrorize local populations
Associated Press and are largely free to ha-
ACAYUCAN, Mexico (AP) rass and murder reporters
— For some, Gumaro Per- with impunity.
ez was an experienced Reporting in such places
reporter who got on well often entails writing or up-
with locals and earned the loading photographs to
nickname “the red man” a rudimentary website or
for his coverage of bloody Facebook page, or work-
crimes in Veracruz, one of ing part-time for a small
Mexico’s deadliest states local media outlet whose
for journalists and civilians meager salaries don’t cov-
alike. er expenses. Holding down
In the eyes of prosecutors, a second job is essential.
Perez was an alleged drug Some moonlight as cab-
cartel operative who met a bies or run small businesses.
grisly end when he was shot Others may work for a local
dead Dec. 19 while attend- government. And some, it’s
ing a Christmas party at his widely believed — though
6-year-old son’s school in it is said to be a small minor-
Acayucan, purportedly by ity — go on the payroll of a
gunmen from a rival gang. cartel or a corrupt govern- In this Dec. 20, 2017 photo, a man buys a newspaper carrying the Spanish headline “They killed
Either way, the brazen day- ment. Gumaro!” on the sidewalk in Acayucan, Veracruz state, Mexico. For some, Gumaro Perez was an
light killing underscored the At least 10 Mexican jour- experienced reporter who earned the nickname “the red man” for his coverage of bloody crimes
blurred-lines nature of how nalists were killed in 2017 in in Acayucan, Veracruz, but in the eyes of prosecutors he was an alleged drug cartel operative
journalism is practiced in what observers are calling who met a grisly end when he was shot dead Dec. 19.
much of Mexico, especial- a crisis for freedom of ex- (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
ly in the countryside and pression, and the risk is es- leagues who could go to “Back then he was a hard- reporter to “take down”
in areas where organized pecially high for those who bat for them or steer them working boy,” said the a story or else he would
crime gangs hold sway operate without editors, to institutions that would newspaper’s deputy direc- pass their number on “to
over corrupt authorities, company directors or col- protect them. tor, Cecilio Perez, no rela- you know who, so they
“It certainly does make tion, who later lost track of will get in touch with you.”
Puerto Rico: them more vulnerable,” him. Over the years, Guma- Perhaps innocuous else-
said Jan-Albert Hootsen, ro Perez contributed stories where, words like “get in
Mexico representative for to several local media out- touch with you” carry life-
Governor vetoes new bills the New York-based Com- lets and helped found the or-death weight in commu-
targeting young offenders mittee to Protect Journal- news website La Voz del nities where the gangs are
dominant. The reporters did
ists. He cited in particular Sur.
the decapitation-murder He also began working not complain to authorities.
nearly three years ago of as a driver, personal as- “If Gumaro were still alive,
Moises Sanchez, another sistant and photographer I would not even be telling
Veracruz reporter, for mo- for Acayucan’s mayor, al- you,” one said.
tives the CPJ has confirmed though he was not on the “The journalists of Acayu-
were related to his work. government’s payroll and can lived in terror and in
Sanchez “had his own little it’s not clear how he was constant anguish due to
newspaper which he didn’t being paid, said Jorge Mo- this guy,” said Ignacio Car-
actually make any money rales of the official State vajal, a veteran reporter
with, so he doubled as a Commission for Attention who covers that region
taxi driver and he financed and Protection of Journal- of Veracruz, adding that
that little newspaper with ists in Veracruz. the same pattern plays
the money that he made Mayor Marco Antonio Mar- out repeatedly across a
as a taxi driver,” Hootsen tinez did not respond to state marked by drug poli-
said. “So he didn’t have multiple requests to be in- tics. “This is not an isolated
any institutional backing. terviewed for this article. case.”
Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello speaks on Capitol Hill in So when he started getting According to several local Prosecutors said just 24
Washington. Rossello has vetoed on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, three
highly criticized bills that would have imposed stricter measures death threats, at that point journalists interviewed by hours after the killing that
on juvenile offenders in the U.S. territory. there’s really nobody to The Associated Press, Perez Perez was linked to a cartel.
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) back him up.” also apparently had a dif- They have presented no
Perez, 34, got his start as a ferent job: Keeping a close evidence, saying only that
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) island’s Senate and House journalist working for Diario watch on what they were the allegation was based
— Puerto Rico’s governor of Representatives would de Acayucan, the local publishing about the Zetas on data from his cellphone
has vetoed three highly have made it harder to newspaper in the city of and trying to influence their and visits to a jailed gang
criticized bills that would resolve cases through me- the same name. Set in the coverage or silence them leader.
have imposed stricter mea- diation. steamy lowlands of south- through intimidation. Family members denied he
sures on juvenile offenders Gov. Ricardo Rossello said ern Veracruz, near the Gulf Two reporters in Acayu- was a criminal.
in the U.S. territory. Friday that he is seeking a of Mexico, the oil-rich re- can told the AP, speaking “For me and my family, my
One of the bills would more fair and responsible gion is a hotly contested on condition of anonymity brother is a very decent
have allowed minors to be law to address criminal drug trafficking corridor due to concerns for their person who walks with his
charged as adults in cer- cases involving minors. that today is said to be safety, that they and oth- head held high and was
tain cases. Opponents also Puerto Rico has more disputed by the Zetas and ers had received threaten- admired by many,” Mari-
argued that the measures than 250 minors in juvenile Jalisco New Generation ing calls from Perez. In one, bel Perez, his sister, said at
recently approved by the institutions.q cartels. Perez allegedly warned a his wake. q