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WORLD NEWS Saturday 12 February 2022
As journalists die, Mexico defends its press protection plan

By E. EDUARDO CASTILLO López’s killing as “regretta-
Associated Press ble.” He said the protection
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Even mechanism “is being im-
as Mexicans lament the kill- proved.” And in fact, there
ings of five reporters, pho- has been an increase in
tographers and videogra- participation under his ad-
phers in just six weeks, they ministration. Irazoque says it
wonder: How is this hap- is because of the rise in vio-
pening, despite a 10-year- lence in some regions and
old program that is meant because the program has
to protect journalists? done a better job.
Officials say the program When López Obrador took
-- which works with local over, there were 798 peo-
and federal authorities ple enrolled, including hu-
to provide journalists with man rights defenders and
alarms and, occasionally, journalists. Currently, there
bodyguards -- has been are 1,518 people covered
successful in shielding some by the program, including
journalists. 495 journalists.
But critics say it has failed Participants receive sup-
in some cases, and there port, such as electronic de-
is general agreement that vices or “panic buttons” to
it cannot end the plague alert the authorities to any
of anti-media violence in a A woman posts photos of murdered journalists during a national protest against the murder of threat; surveillance systems
country where corruption journalists Lourdes Maldonado and freelance photojournalist Margarito Martínez in Mexico City, in their homes; even body-
Jan. 25, 2022.
is endemic and criminals Associated Press guards.
can avoid prosecution for Irazoque said, the program
attacks. Enrique Irazoque International organizations nado López, found shot to groups cite lower numbers, has issued 1,300 electron-
Palazuelos, head of the continue to consider the death inside her car in Ti- including the CPJ, which ic security devices. It has
agency that administers country as the most dan- juana on Jan. 23. says 33 journalists have also assigned more than
the Protection Mechanism gerous in the Western Hemi- --Roberto Toledo, a cam- died. 200 bodyguards, and has
for Human Rights Defend- sphere to practice journal- era operator and video President Andrés Manuel established about 75 safe
ers and Journalists, is ada- ism, and the Committee editor for the online site López Obrador has con- houses for those under its
mant: “The mechanism, to Protect Journalists de- Monitor Michoacan shot centrated more on his protection and their fami-
let there be no doubt, has clared these six weeks the Jan. 31 as he prepared for grievances with the me- lies. The program also has
saved lives.” “deadliest for the Mexican an interview in the western dia than on the violence helped to reinforce security
Irazoque points out that press in over a decade.” state of Michoacan. against reporters. On Fri- in some 400 homes.
that out of the 140 defend- Aside from López, the dead Before López’s death, Ira- day, just a day after López’s Jan-Albert Hootsen, the
ers and journalists killed include: zoque said the govern- death, he went on a half- CPJ’s representative in
since December 2018, --Reporter José Luis Gam- ment counted 54 journalists hour rant against journalists Mexico, agrees that the
“only six people were in the boa, killed in the Gulf coast murdered since the current who have criticized him. mechanism alone can-
mechanism.” Among those state of Veracruz on Jan. administration took power “How many of them are not resolve the issue of
not enrolled: the most re- 10. in December 2018. Ac- against me? The majority!” violence. The biggest prob-
cent victim, Heber López, --Crime photographer Mar- cording to its own analysis, he thundered. lem, he told the AP, is that
director of the online news garito Martínez, gunned the attacks come mainly It was only in response to a criminals often act with im-
site Noticias Web, shot down outside his Tijuana from municipal authori- reporter’s question at the punity; the only remedy, he
to death Thursday in the home on Jan. 17. ties (40%) and organized end of the news confer- said, was to improve the
southern state of Oaxaca. --Reporter Lourdes Maldo- crime (around 30%). Private ence that he described police and prosecutors.q

Swiss group: Taliban make pledges on

education, aid workers

GENEVA (AP) — Organizers explosives left behind from ment of Foreign Affairs, said
of a closed-door confer- decades of war in Afghani- they “realized that they
ence in Switzerland attend- stan, and other issues. must take the first step” and
ed by envoys from Afghan- The envoys, led by the had shown an interest “to
istan’s Taliban leadership Health Ministry under the create a dialogue with the
said Friday that the delega- Islamic emirate, also met international community.”
tion pledged to safeguard with diplomats and groups Naegeli said Switzerland
humanitarian aid workers, like the World Health Orga- — like many countries —
facilitate education for all nization and the Interna- was looking for actions, not
Afghans, and to promote tional Committee for the words, from the Taliban. A
environmental protections. Red Cross, which have their key question after the visit A Taliban fighter gives his meal to boys outside the Interior
The humanitarian founda- headquarters in Geneva. was whether the commit- Ministry, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022.
tion Geneva Call invited a After meeting with mem- ments made in Geneva Associated Press
delegation to the Swiss city bers of the Afghan delega- would be applied in Af-
this week to discuss inter- tion on Thursday, Raphael ghanistan, he said. the internationally recog- from the new leadership on
national aid, the safety of Naegeli, the head of the Many rich Western coun- nized government the Tal- issues like the protection of
civilians, respect for health Asia-Pacific division of Swit- tries that were longtime do- iban ousted in August have women’s rights and educa-
care, the landmines and zerland’s Federal Depart- nors to Afghanistan under demanded commitments tion for women and girls.q