Government will meet commitments to freedom of expression and press

The Inter-American Press Association issued a warning regarding persistent violence against journalists in Mexico, documenting three specific killings of media workers alongside threats, physical attacks, and legal measures that could restrict freedom of expression. In its latest report on press freedom, the organization highlighted the murders of Josue Martinez Contreras, director of Noticias San Martin Texmelucan, who was killed in July in Puebla. It also cited the deaths of Francisco Alejandro Leyva Aguilar, a former director of the Oaxacan Corporation of Radio and Television and critical columnist, and Ricardo Zuniga Rosas, a photographer and content creator who was shot in August in Puebla. Along with the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, the Inter-American Press Association demanded thorough investigations that do not dismiss journalistic activity as a possible motive for these crimes. The report noted three other homicides where available information did not indicate a link to the victims' professional work. Beyond lethal violence, the organizations documented death threats, assaults during news coverage, and pressure to remove information. One such incident occurred in the state of Tamaulipas, where two journalists alleged that members of the Navy forced them to delete images of a suspected oil spill. The group expressed concern over the use of legal tools against the press, specifically referencing the so-called Serrano Law. This reform, approved in 2025 in the central state of San Luis Potosi, carried penalties of up to six years in prison for using artificial intelligence to spread false content or undermine trust in institutions. Human rights groups questioned the legislation due to its potential impact on free speech. It led to criminal proceedings against journalists, including the detention of two female communicators in May. The state congress repealed the reform in July. The report also gathered criticism of new guidelines on audience rights approved in August, which raised fears of interference with editorial independence. President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected the claim that these provisions constitute censorship. Additionally, the document mentioned questions surrounding a government analysis of a supposed digital amplification network that included names of journalists and analysts. The executive branch denied seeking to stigmatize these individuals. The Inter-American Press Association warned that impunity remains a primary risk factor for Mexican journalism. According to the 2026 global ranking by Reporters Without Borders, Mexico ranks 122nd out of 180 countries in press freedom and 160th in security indicators. In response to these findings, Secretary of Interior Rosa Icela Rodriguez held a working meeting with Thibaut Bruttin, the director of Reporters Without Borders. During the encounter, the official reaffirmed the state's commitment to freedoms of expression and press, as well as the protection of journalists. Representatives from the organization presented a document detailing considerations on the situation of journalism in the country and reviewing agreements made in 2024. Authorities stated this information would be reviewed in detail. Rodriguez listened to the organization's proposals and committed to addressing the challenges. She stated she is against censorship and supports the right of reply. Rodriguez requested information on cases of journalist homicides to understand the nature of their activities. She emphasized the need to monitor cases and analyze investigative progress to contribute to clarifying facts and combating impunity, aiming to identify cases linked to journalistic exercise. The Secretary underscored the commitment to freedoms of expression, press, assembly, and manifestation, along with respect for human rights. She declared a decision not to use state force to repress the exercise of these liberties. A statement detailed that the ministry maintains coordination with state governments and relevant institutions to strengthen prevention and attention to risks faced by human rights defenders and journalists. The ministry will also promote the review of provisions that may affect freedom of expression, alongside progressive legal reforms aligned with international standards. Rodriguez stated that her department bets on liberties and rights. Present at the meeting were Deputy Secretary of Interior Cesar Yanez, prosecutor Ruth Zenteno, head of the Justice System Support Unit Montserrat Rizo, and head of the Protection Area Tobyanne Ledesma. From Reporters Without Borders, attendees included Latin America advocacy coordinator Bia Barbosa, Mexico representative Balbina Flores, and Latin America Press and Communication officer Barbara Figueredo. Reporters Without Borders released an evaluation stating that only six of the 22 commitments assumed by the current government in 2024 to strengthen press freedom have recorded advances. None reached the category of significant advance. The assessment identified five commitments with partial fulfillment and insufficient advances, one with partial fulfillment and positive evolution, ten without substantial verifiable advances, and two with institutional setbacks. For four others, the organization lacked sufficient information to determine compliance. The review covered five axes: defense of the right to information and journalism, protection of journalists, combatting impunity, attention to high-risk zones, and legislation guaranteeing journalistic practice. Findings included the lack of an evaluation of the Federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, the loss of specialized personnel in the prosecutor's office investigating aggression against the press, and the disappearance of the National Institute of Transparency, Access to Information and Personal Data Protection. On October 21, a meeting took place between Reporters Without Borders and the Ministry of Interior. The secretary admitted pending issues and asked the Specialized Prosecutor's Office to review journalist killings case by case and accelerate the decentralization of protection with greater state capabilities. In another meeting, Attorney General Ernestina Godoy committed to promoting ministerial training on press freedom, especially in states, and including the topic in a session of the National Conference of Prosecutors planned for 2027. Thibaut Bruttin stated that after two years in office, commitments must now translate into concrete results. The report registered one journalist killed in October 2024, nine during 2025, and eight between January and September 2026. While acknowledging that President Sheinbaum condemned some of these crimes and requested investigations, the organization did not identify a sustained strategy for preventing violence or rejecting aggression against the press. Regarding the Federal Protection Mechanism, the group found no formal review of its functioning nor periodic evaluations to gauge the efficacy of measures. It also did not document new actions to reinforce psycho-emotional support for the 2,355 beneficiaries of this policy, which covers both journalists and human rights defenders. In 2025, incorporation into the mechanism equaled 25 percent of requests. Reporters Without Borders pointed out that two journalists killed in 2026 had been incorporated into state protection mechanisms. Its conclusions referenced the murder of a journalist whose measures had been removed and another who remained under state protection. One exposed case was that of Francisco Alejandro Leyva Aguilar, assassinated on July 22, 2026, in Oaxaca, after reporting threats since 2025. The report stated that the Attorney General's Office opened an investigation, adopted no protective measures, and referred the file to the state prosecutor's office, which confirmed receipt four months later.