Mexico’s endangered journalists

You don’t have to go to the other side of the globe to find attempts at silencing journalists. According to the Associated Press, 84 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2000, and 20 have disappeared since 2005.

Mexico ranks seventh on the impunity index compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists (the index measures the impunity with which murderers get away with killing journalists).

Activity: Students find at least three articles (like this one) about the killings and disappearances of journalists in Mexico. Use the research to answer the following questions:

1) Does the increase in violence against journalists coincide with another trend in the country?

2) Has the government of Mexico acknowledged the problem and implemented any programs to address it?

3) Are crimes against journalists investigated in Mexico? How many of these crimes go unpunished?