Two Mexican journalists have been shot dead in the past 24 hours

Friends and relatives mourn local journalist and online news channel chief Mauricio Cruz, who was shot dead by unknown assailants after a vigil for Cruz in Uruapan, Mexico October 30, 2024 | Photo credit: Reuters

Authorities say two Mexican journalists have been shot dead in western states in less than 24 hours, as the country faces a flare-up of violence in the region.

A Mexican journalist was shot dead in the western state of Colima on Wednesday afternoon (October 30, 2024), the state prosecutor’s office said. Reuters.

Her name was Patricia Ramirez, also known by her nickname Paty Bunbury, and she worked as an entertainment reporter, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based rights group.

It was the second journalist shot dead in less than 24 hours in Mexico, ranked as one of the deadliest countries for journalists by press freedom groups, after the head of an online news channel was killed in Mexico late Tuesday (October 29, 2024). .

The killings were the first of a journalist under President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office early this month and has pledged to fight violence and crime.

Mauricio Cruz was shot dead in the city of Uruapan, in the violence-wracked western state of Michoacan, according to prosecutors. Another person, whom the prosecutor has not identified, was injured in the shooting.

Uruapan is known for brazen crimes, such as beheadings resulting from battles between drug cartels or confrontations with law enforcement.

Mr. Cruz’s news channel, MinutoXMinuto Michoacanposted a tribute to the journalist on his Facebook page with his last live video recorded minutes before his death.

As the country is rocked by a wave of violence, Sheinbaum is following the work of her predecessor and mentor, former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, in saying her government will not wage another war against Mexico’s drug cartels.