Tijuana, where the news kills: Mexican journalists under threat

In early 2022, in the Mexican city of Tijuana, two journalists were murdered less than a week apart. The killings of Margarito Martínez and Lourdes Maldonado represent the multiple dangers facing media professionals in Mexico, one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. They are caught between the worlds of politics and organised crime, which sometimes work hand in hand. Journalists' calls for help seem to go unheeded, while the Mexican government vilifies them. FRANCE 24's Laurence Cuvillier and Matthieu Comin report from Tijuana.

The Mexican city of Tijuana, located on the US-Mexico border, had a violent start to 2022. Two journalists, Margarito Martínez and Lourdes Maldonado, were murdered there just six days apart.

Photojournalist Margarito Martínez (pictured) knew he faced a threat from organised crime. He covered murders on a daily basis in the streets of Tijuana. The photojournalist had been threatened by a blogger in December 2021, according to the group YoSíSoyPeriodista ("I am a journalist"), which is asking the authorities to provide protective measures for journalists. Martínez was shot dead on January 17, 2022 outside his home.

'I fear for my life'

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